Evangeline Parish Police Jury Meeting

June 1, 2024

    The Evangeline Parish Police Jury ,Monday, received good news from Certified Public Accountant Casey Ardoin of Kolder, Slaven and Company who gave an audit report on the parish finances. Ardoin went through the financial year report and gave the jury a clean bill of health. Ardoin said in closing “It was a very good audit report.”

    Library Co-Manager Suzie Lemoine and Parish Library personnel appeared before the jury  with a  large sign showing news that Basile will be getting a brand new library. Lemoine said the library board received nine bids for the Basile project and the winning contractor is Pat Williams Construction Company of Alexandria with a low bid of $1.3 million dollars.  The library will be built at 3322 Stagg Avenue. Ground breaking will take place in August.

  Police Jury President Bryan Vidrine and Secretary Treasurer Dirk Deville announced that millage property taxes will be going down for 2024 because of an increase in taxable value on property in Evangeline Parish.

   The police jury approved an offer by Insurance Agent Phil Lemoine to offer parish employees age 65 or older to move over to Medicare and Medicare supplement rather than stay on the parish group health plan. The parish could save $3000 a year in health care expenses.

 The police jury approved spending some $33,000 to purchase equipment to begin a video and audio streaming of its meetings effective in August. The action was taken due to a new law forcing governmental agencies such as police juries to provide a live streaming service for the general public.

   In other action, the police jury:-- approved a request  from Derrel Thomas of Mamou who is sponsoring “Bayou Bash” Trail ride on July 13 on old Highway 13 north of Mamou.--received advice from their legal advisor Jacob Fuselier that the parish has the legal right to work on servitude drainage areas on private property to clean out drainage situations. Fuselier advised jurors that the jury will file a law suite if private property owners does not give the right to parish employees  to work on their land.