Ville Platte City Council Meeting December 13, 2022 Farewell messages were made by Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine and some members of the Ville Platte City Council at Tuesday's city council meeting. It was the last public meeting for Mayor Vidrine along with Jordan Anderson and Jerry Joseph who did not win re-election in last week's elections and for Mike Perron who did not seek re-election. In her final mayor's comments, Mayor Vidrine said she is proud of the accomplishments she and the city council were able to do for the past 12 years. She advised the new incoming mayor and council members "to always work for the people and care about the people. Ville Platte and its people will always be in my heart" she said. The city council approved a number of measures recommended by Mayor Jennifer Vidrine using federal American Rescue Fund monies. The council approved accepting proposals to do begin cleaning the 13 city canals to improve the drainage issues in the city. At the suggestion by the mayor, the city council approved the purchase of the Ollie Deville property at the corner of Dr. Carver and Cotton Street for $35,000 to be used as a pocket park. The City Council, after viewing a presentation from a representative with Atakapa Services of Baton Rouge, approved using their services to begin cleaning storm drains in the city. In other business, the city council approved giving a 4% increase in pay to the paid firefighters in the city and to give police officers a $2.50 an hour pay raise. The pay hike would increase the pay for starting police officers to $17.50 an hour. Special presentations were made to Donna Guillory who is retiring after 33 years of service as a city hall employee and Mike Perron is retiring after 16 years as a city councilman. Dwan Jack appeared before the council to announce that he is opening a new pool hall in the city at 142 West Main in Ville Platte in the old Briley's Lounge location; Sharon Fontenot, curator of the Louisiana Swamp Pop Museum announced that the next Swamp Pop Reunion Dance is set for Feb. 22, Mardi Gras eve at the Ville Platte Civic Center. It is a major fund raiser for the museum, Visitors from 42 states and 12 countries have toured the only known museum dedicated for the presentation of Swamp Pop Music, Police Chief Neal Lartigue reported that for the month of November the police department responded to 896 calls, 22 citations issued, 19 misdemeanor cases, 3 felony cases, 16 accidents and one fatality. Lartigue is leaving the office after serving 16 years as police chief and 32 years in the police force. Fire Chief Chris Soileau announced that for the month of November 25 incidents reported to the fire department and no structure fires and one vehicle fire.