WBR community center policy addresses demand

PORT ALLEN — The West Baton Rouge Community Center manager told the Parish Council that the parish’s three community centers were nearly booked for the next six months and that a new rental policy to ensure booking opportunity fairness had been implemented.

Clara Olinde said during Thursday night’s Parish Council meeting that rental demand for the community centers in Addis, Erwinville and Port Allen is so great that the new policy will be strictly enforced.

Olinde said wedding receptions are the only type of events that may be booked a year in advance and no allowances for refunds or re-bookings will be made.

“It’s the only way to ensure fairness for the public,” Olinde said. “The book was opened on Oct. 1 and we only have a few dates available for the next six months.”

Weekend nights are in such high demand that a lottery is held to reserve dates not previously booked for weddings, she said.

“If someone books a wedding and then cancels, it eliminated a date that a member of the public would have wanted,” Olinde said.

Other matters coming before the council included:

ISAAC RELIEF: Parish Executive Assistant Jason Manola informed the council that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be using the Port Allen Community Center Oct. 15-18 as a disaster relief center to collect information from residents who suffered losses from Hurricane Isaac.

Manola said FEMA is looking to help residents with damage to uninsured or underinsured property.

OLD VFW HALL: Parish President Riley Berthelot said a commemorative plaque will be given to the Addis Veterans of Foreign Wars to thank the chapter for the donation of the old VFW Hall in Addis.

COUNCILMAN NOMINATED: The council nominated Councilman Barry Hugghins to fill a vacancy on the Capital Area Ground Water Conservation Commission.