At Tuesday’s meeting of the Ville Platte City Council, Mayor Vidrine announced that street repairs for an initial 25 streets in Ville Platte will begin on or before March 31, 2022. Repairs for other roads will be announced at a later time.

Fire Chief Chris Soileau announced that there were no fatalities for November, but that December started off its first week with a fatal house fire in Chataignier. During the colder winter months, please remember to check on elderly relatives and make sure that your homes are equipped with working smoke alarms. If you or a loved one needs assistance of any kind, please contact your local fire department.

Dewey Guillory addressed the council on behalf of his neighborhood about an unauthorized commercial property at 228 Hickory Street. He alleges that an unnamed individual is going ahead with the creation of 2 new businesses: a wrecker and a used car dealership. Since renovations began, Mr. Guillory says that his property has decreased in value, damaging he and his neighbors financially. Councilwoman Williams says that authorization will not be given to the individual until he has a fence built around his businesses; however, Mr. Guillory asserts that though construction of such a fence has begun, it is inadequate. The council agrees that such a business should not be located in the middle of town, and assures residents that the issue has been turned over to their legal department to find a way to stop it.

The council also heard from Coach Sweetman in regards to population increase, new employment, and internet access. Over the past 30 years, Ville Platte has seen a steady decrease in population on-par with world trends. Mr. Sweetman says that “less residents equal less money.” To combat this, he suggests affordable apartment complexes targeting retirees and immigrants, and also recommends pushing tourism since there are dozens of empty buildings in town that could be turned into something great. He says that the first step is to get a 4G internet tower for more affordable and reliable internet. Mr. Sweetman lives in Ville Platte and wants to help the council better our community. Anyone who wishes to speak with him can email him at coach.sweetman@yahoo.com.

November and December have been good months for grant applications, with the city approved to apply for $400,000 from the state for park improvements. Ville Platte also received an NLC grant for a French-language mural on City Hall which will represent Ville Platte’s culture and history. The city plans to apply for an NLC water and drainage grant, but will first need to assess the amount needed for repairs and improvements. New street signs are coming to Ville Platte once the manufacturer receives their shipment of metal, and City Hall is still waiting on their new phone system.