The Ville Platte City Council

April 14, 2015

The Ville Platte City Council held its monthly meeting tonight at Ville Platte City Hall.  Mayor, Jennifer Vidrine, and all of the City Councilmen were in attendance.

Real Estate Developer, J.C. Ceasar, approached the City Council with his plans to renovate, rejuvenate and turn the property he purchased at the corner of Dr. Carver and MLK Drive into a restaurant similar to that of Buffalo Wild Wings.  He will be filing an application for a liquor permit to serve alcohol similar to that of the big chain restaurant.  There was some hot discussion back and forth about the issuance of a liquor permit in that area.  Mr. Ceasar reported that he has met with many residents in the area and received a lot of approval to go ahead with the project.  Mayor Vidrine expressed that she has received calls from some area residents who, because of the past in the area, and where they live, they were against a liquor permit being issued.  Councilman Bryant Riggs spoke in support of giving Mr. Caesar a chance with the project because he knows Mr. Ceasar’s reputation, his service in the military, his help with other projects in Ville Platte, and commented that we “should not focus on the past, but the future.”  Area resident, Joycee Thomas, spoke out against the project as she lives directly across the street and says that since the clubs in that area have closed she “now pass peace and can sleep at night.”  Wanda Skinner came to the podium and said she was very much “for the project” and that she is “tired of always having to travel to the other side of town to get something to eat.  There will be a public hearing for comments at 4:30 p.m. before the next meeting on May 12^th.

The Police Jury unanimously agreed to grant a permit to Stout & Co.  to construct and erect a 195 foot tower on the south end of town off of Hickory that will be used by multiple wireless companies to better cell phone coverage, and internet speed.  Stout reported that the project should be completed in the next 120 days.

Tiffany Barth spoke to the Council and Mayor regarding the introduction of an ordinance regarding a Drinking Water Protection Program.  She presented a draft ordinance patterned after the EPA standards for protection of our public water supply from possible contaminations.  One of the items in the draft ordinance, which can be altered by the Council if adopted, is to have restrictions within 1,000 feet of any water well serving an active public water system.  When asked the question “What kind of opposition do you receive from these ordinances in other places?” she replied “Normally from the farming community”.  The Council’s legal council will now be reviewing the draft ordinance and there will be a public hearing for comments at 4:45 p.m. at the next meeting on May 12th..

Mayor Jennifer Vidrine reported that the City has just submitted a $5 Million dollar grant application to build 30 new, affordable, brick homes in the Woods Section of Town.  She stated: “We want people to rebuild on that side of town and be proud to live and stay there.”

The Mayor announced and congratulated Kennedy Wilson, a senior at Ville Platte High School, who has received the LA Housing Aid Scholarship in the amount of $1,800.00.  The scholarship that was based on academic performance, extra- curricular activities, community service and a submitted essay. 

There will be a 4-way stop sign installed at the corner of Coreil & Jefferson Street. 

The Mayor has been working with the Senior V.P. of Suddenlink out of Dallas and says they are going to be doing a $150,000.00 upgrade to their equipment in our area around July.

She also announced that they are currently waiting for the permits to place the first three flag poles at the entrance of Ville Platte near Tobacco Plus.  The first three will be the American Flag, the State of Louisiana flag and a flag that is being developed for the City of Ville Platte.  Other flags will be added later and plans are being made to put in a water feature at the same site.

They met with the Mayor of Paris France and gave her a replica of the news French/English signs being erected in the City and the Mayor returned to France to place it in her office. 

The Mayor thanks Thomas Scully for all of his hard work and dedication at the new ball complex in Ville Platte.  Scully reported that the “Tournament Action” is going well and that at the last tournament the gate and concession collected approximately $10,000.00.

Lastly, the Council unanimously voted to get the ball rolling on a new Planning and Zoning Commission for our area.