Progressive again promises improvement in services

Progressive Waste Solutions Manager of Governmental Affairs Bill Frye took a scolding from the mayor and city council of Franklin Tuesday.
Aside from a round of compliments for the local manager of the company’s garbage pickup service, Frye fielded complaints from citizens passed on by the mayor and council.
Frye said the local unit has been short staffed until just recently. He said there are now seven vehicles in the parish, two more than required to service the entire parish. He said new personnel are in training to make up for a shortage of employees.
He said the company has pinpointed St. Mary Parish and Franklin for improvements and “opened the budget.”
The mayor and council passed on complaints from residents that included inconsistent garbage pickup, often many days late; trucks dropping foul-smelling liquid on the streets; and failure to empty containers along Main Street before businesses open.
Frye said there were three trucks that leaked, two have been repaired and the final one is being repaired now.
Also Tuesday, Fire Chief Chuck Bourgeois said the department has received a shipment of smoke detectors and residents of the city can go to the fire station to request one, which will be installed by FFD personnel.
Bourgeois noted that rental property owners are responsible under state law that smoke detectors be installed in rental units.
As winter arrives, Bourgeois said space heaters are “the biggest problem, and I recommend everybody use caution if you have to use space heaters. I totally don’t like them because people get complacent with them, they put them close to furniture, anything that’s combustible… keep it at least three or four feet away, don’t put it by your bed while you’re sleeping at night, it will ignite.”
The chief also said Christmas lights should be installed with no more than a six-foot extension cord, and that great care should be taken not to pinch the cord in a window or door, which may create a short in the wiring that could start a fire.
“We’ve had a fire start like that,” he said.
He also urged for every property to be equipped with a fire extinguisher.
Lighting an oven to provide heat is very dangerous, Bourgeois added.
Also Tuesday:
—Councilman Lester Levine urged the community around the Broussard-Harris Recreation area to report any suspicious activity involving persons breaking lights at the park.
—An ordinance authorizing renewal of liquor licenses was approved.
—Resolutions were approved setting the date and time of council meetings for 2015; supporting a grant application; supporting an initiative against contractor fraud; and authorizing a noise ordinance variance at 919 South Luke Drive for one day only and until 11 a.m.
—A change order and substantial completion was approved for the city’s last round of street resurfacings and repairs.