TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2021

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Evangeline Parish Police Jury, the jury approved a resolution to take preliminary approval relative to the issuance, sale, and delivery of sales tax refunding bonds, not to exceed $13,750,000. In this case, refunding refers more to refinancing. John Mayeaux explained to the board that Tuesday’s meeting and resolution do not obligate them to anything and only means that they can now draw up numbers for the refunding bonds. If the final prices indicate a loss or too small of savings, the Police Jury does not have to go through with them. If they choose to withdraw, there will be no financial loss, save for the $100 application fee. Mayeaux stressed that these bonds are not bringing in new finances, nor do they extend the repayment period. The Jury will be issued only the amount of bonds necessary to pay off the old ones, and savings will be calculated in terms of lowered interest rates.

The jury also carried a motion to approve continuing to levy for 10 years mills property taxes in Voting Districts 2, 3, and 7 in order to maintain public cemeteries. The taxes are not new but are renewals for taxes that have existed for several years.

Public Works Director Chester Granger asked the Jury for approval to use the health unit budget to replace several big-ticket items for our parish sewer system. He said that the sewer system has multiple major issues throughout the parish, but that they are working with an almost $0 budget. The motion carried with approval for 1 submersible grinder pump for Wyble and 1 large submersible for Country Estate. Granger also assured the public that the bridges on MacArthur and Bieber are still pending repair; the delay was only due to last week’s severe weather.