Parish government hears from various organizations

Most of the St. Mary Parish Council meeting was taken up by guests speaking on positive notes.
The council heard from 4-H members McKaila Darden, Jaylon Thomas, Ashley Landry, Justin Rogers, Taylor Stirling and Jacob Rogers on their experiences with the youth organization and presented cookies made by Jacob. The council has adopted a proclamation declaring Oct. 6-12 as 4-H Week in St. Mary Parish.
The council also adopted a proclamation declaring Oct. 18-27 as Red Ribbon Drug-Free Week after hearing from Diane Wiltz, Safe and Drug Free Schools coordinator with the parish school board. That week of events kicks off on the 18th with Operation Red Light in which a motorcade of law enforcement and emergency responders traverse the parish with sirens blaring and ends with the Parade of Schools and Zoo to Boo family fun day in Morgan City on the 26th.
Danika Foley also invited the council to the third annual Hoodstock, a community block party, on Oct. 12 on 11th Street in Morgan City. The event will include health screenings, gospel performances, children’s activities and more from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In other discussion, parish President Paul Naquin said Halloween trick or treat hours have been set on the traditional day, Oct. 31, from 6-8 p.m. parishwide.
Business handled by the council included:
—Adoption of an ordinance on a temporary easement, servitude and right-of-way agreement with St. Mary Energy LLC on the Point Chevreuil Shoreline Protection Project.
—Passage of resolutions on an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement with Sheriff Mark A. Hebert; an agreement with the state Department of Transportation and Development on the seaway rehab project at Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport; the annual certification of compliance on the Off System Bridge Replacement Program; a contract with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries on the Black Bear Conflict Management Program; a cancellation of the lease of the Franklin Armory property on Haifleigh Street in Franklin; requests to DOTD for capital outlay funding to complete airport improvements at Harry P. Williams Airport;  a contract to the lowest bidder, L A Contracting Enterprises, LLC of Thibodaux at $394,798.50, on roadway and drainage improvements to Labau Jolivette, Ninth and 10th streets within the Town of Baldwin; and an agreement with the St. Mary AARP the operation and maintenance of the St. Mary Senior Center.
 —Approval of requests by Councilmen Steve Bierhorst and Glen Hidalgo to transfer $10,000 from Wards 5 and 8 three-tenths percent sales tax funds to Wax Lake East Drainage District to purchase an equipment trailer to transport a shared excavator; and by Councilmen David Hanagriff and Hidalgo to transfer $15,000 from the Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10 three-tenths percent sales tax fund to Recreation District 7 for insurance and maintenance operations.
—Referral to finance committee funding allocation requests by the Save Our Children Mentoring Program in the amount of $25,000; and St. Mary Center of Hope in the amount of $10,000.
—Appointment of James Butcher and Joseph Foret to Fire Protection District 3, Amelia; Lars Levy to the south Central Louisiana Human Services Authority; and Calvin Johnson to Recreation District 3, Bayou Vista.