E. Feliciana has big projects ahead

CLINTON — The East Feliciana Parish Police Jury faces a long list of expenses in the next few years, according to the new parish manager’s survey of roads, bridges, equipment and public properties.

Glen Kent, who was hired in July but officially took over this month from retiring Parish Manager Judith Kelly, gave jurors detailed lists Monday from his survey, which he called “the first look at the battle.”

“A lot of expenses are ahead of us. We need to start planning,” Kent said.

Jurors received a list of gravel roads and color-coded ratings of their condition, as prepared by road grader operators, and a list of paved roads that Kent said he wants an engineering firm to evaluate for possible overlay priorities.

Kent asked the members of the jury’s two road committees to come up with a priority list for future repairs.

The parish has two bridges closed because of their unsafe condition, and repairing the longest, a bridge on Carruth Road near Wilson, will cost more than $75,000, according to one estimate, Kent said.

Sam Barr, who lives in the area, pressed the jury to act quickly, saying 25 families are not receiving mail service because the bridge is closed.

A closed bridge on John Thomas Road can be replaced by installing culverts, Kent said.

Kent gave jurors a three-page list of other bridges he said need to be kept under “close scrutiny.”

Jurors also got a list of jury real estate, and Kent said the jury has no maintenance program for two historic structures, the Marston House and an old school next to the antebellum Marston House.

“There’s a lot of things that need to be done in this parish,” he said.

Kent said five pieces of equipment, two dump trucks, a front-end loader, a trash truck and a tractor used to mow ditches need to be replaced soon.

Other topics before the jury included:

ZONING AMENDMENTS: Jurors voted to call a hearing on a proposal to allow the Planning and Zoning Commission to correct what the commission calls “errors” in the parish zoning map. A date for the hearing was not set.

HURRICANE DEBRIS: Jury crews have collected about 75 percent of the debris that residents placed on the side of parish roads, and Kent said he is asking municipal officials to sign agreements to reimburse the jury for any expenses incurred in municipal collections that may not be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the state.