Parish hopes to secure state grant funding

Most of the items on the agenda for Wednesday’s St. Mary Parish Council meeting concerned financial affairs for future projects that council members hope will enhance community members’ living experience in the area.
Councilmembers didn’t stop at just requesting funding for roads and other vital infrastructure projects but also passed numerous resolutions aimed at improving parks in the parish.
In addition to passing an ordinance adopting the 2016 combined budgets of revenues and expenditures for the parish, the council also passed an ordinance adopting the proposed 5-year capital outlay program.
The measure will dictate how the parish will provide funding for public improvement projects such as acquiring land and buildings, the development of permanent improvements, alterations to existing infrastructure and the construction of additional buildings among other projects.
Council members also passed 19 resolutions requesting funding from the state of Louisiana for a wide variety of improvement projects in several communities in St. Mary Parish.
Projects proposed included improving streets; infrastructure improvements at the Charenton Canal Industrial Park; roofing and other repairs to the Kemper House Tourist Building; and improvements to levee flood protection facilities.
Other projects included replacement of lighting and other enhancements to Kemper Williams Park. Other parks in the area to potentially see improvements include Elizabeth Davis Park, Centerville Park, Sorrel Park, St. Joseph Park and St. Mary Parish Recreation District No. 3.
If the state funds are approved, the parish could also see a new fire station built in the near future. The council passed a resolution yesterday asking for state funds to build a new facility for St. Mary Parish Fire District No. 11.
Other resolutions passed included a request for funding to improve conditions at the Sheriff Regional Operations and Training Center and St. Mary Parish Consolidated Drainage District No. 1.