The Ville Platte City Council, Monday, approved a proposal by Mayor Jennifer Vidrine to open a bank account dedicated for a new Boys and Girls Club in Ville Platte. The mayor wants the city to sponsor the youth club and have it funded through fund raisers and private donations. The city plans to use the old City Hall building on Main Street which is accessible to young people throughout the city.
       Also the city council approved the following: naming Hope Park after former city councilwoman Gloria Frank; naming the Town Square Park after Allen Ortego who donated the property to the city several years ago; and voted to re-name Cypress Street after 102 year old  Edward Notto Thomas, the oldest citizen in Ville Platte.
       In other business, the city council approved a resolution to authorize Demographer Mike Heffner to prepare a re-districting plan for the city council districts based on new census figures.
Heffner said the city must approve a new reapportionment plan before the end of the year.
      Also, the council introduced an amendment to its ordinance regulating businesses that sell alcoholic beverages. The proposed amendment would permit the waiver of the 300 foot distance requirement for package liquor and convenience stores that sell alcoholic beverages to go. The distance figures would remain for lounges and clubs. There will be a public hearing March 13 at 4:45 at city hall.
     Mayor Jennifer Vidrine announced that the City of Ville Platte will be featured in a national TV show called “Small Town America.” A crew will be coming to Ville Platte in the next 90 days.
     It was also announced that the mayor will be meeting with a film production company official this week to determine the possibility of using Ville Platte as the site of a movie or TV series. The economic impact would be major should the city be selected for a film crew and actors to be here for up to a six month period.
     In other action the city council:
–approved hiring four new police officers for the City Police Department;
–approved the appointment of the following members of the Ward One Recreational Board: Kane Thomas,Tommy Jones and Lula Richardson Guillory;
–approved a liquor permit for the sale of liquor on Feb.20 for the Swamp Pop Reunion dance;
–voted to remove the speed bump on Coreil Street;
–received news that the city water project is about 98 percent complete according to engineer Ronnie Landreneau;
–received news that a representative of Public Service Commission Member Clyde Holloway will be visiting Ville Platte City Hall the second Monday from 10:30-11:30 each month to meet with citizens who have concerns and complaints with their utility bills.