Master plan study panel members named

The idea of a master plan for Eunice moved closer to reality at Tuesday’s city council meeting when appointments to a master plan steering committee were approved.
Ten people were named to a committee to study the feasibility of a master plan, which is a document charting future development.
In July, about 50 people met at City Hall to discuss a master plan. Most in the audience wanted the city to develop a plan, but there were questions about the expense raised, particularly by Jack Burson, alderman at-large.
A master plan developed for Sunset was presented at the July meeting, but that plan cost $220,000. The city of Eunice had a proposal for a master plan that would cost $95,000 at the time. The most recent proposal is for a plan costing $26,000 by the Acadiana Planning Commission.
The committee approved Tuesday night does not carry a price tag.
Each council member was to select two members and the mayor was to name one member to a committee to study the feasibility of a master plan.
The mayor’s appointee is Michael J. Coscino.
Other appointees are:
Jack Burson, alderman at-large — Chiquta Thomas and the Rev. Clinton Sensat, pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Church.
Jason Bertrand, alderman — Jarrod Prather and Jeremy Ortego.
Germaine Simpson, alderwoman — Shelsy Williams. Simpson’s other appointment is pending.
Marion “Nootsie” Sattler, alderman — Van Reed and Kimberly Russell.
Scott Fontenot, alderman — David Harper and Hans Heinen.
Burson noted discussions on a master plan have been spirited.
“I think some useful information came out in the discussion,” he said “We’ve got to take the next step, however, to get anywhere.”
Burson’s motion was to have City Clerk Ginny Moody contact the members named to the master plan committee to schedule a meeting.
“We are still free to give input to the committee, but in the end, they are going to send their recommendations to us for action,” Burson said.
Burson cited discussions with Bill Rodier, executive director of the St. Landry Parish Economic Development, and Lynn LeJeune, former Eunice mayor and president of the St. Landry Chamber of Commerce, as helpful.
Rodier suggested the city of Eunice needs 10 objectives for the community, Burson said.
“Of course I shared with him my three priorities at that time,” he said.
Those priorities are obtaining more money for street repairs and other infrastructure, expanded worker training at the Eunice Vocational School and better pay for city employees.
Burson said Eunice has an 11.5 mill property tax compared to the over 30 mills collected in Crowley, Jennings, Ville Platte and Basile. “That would indicate we might be a little short,” he said.
“We’ve got to come up with some more finances for our city employees,” he said. “We’ve got a third of our city budget right now based on our current income going to police, yet we have the lowest starting police pay in the area by a sad margin. I’m talking about even Basile and Ville Platte that we wouldn’t think would be ahead of us, but they are.”
In other council action:
Eunice will twin with the French city of Jouars-Ponchartrain.
Additional settlement money was announced from the May 2000 train derailment. No amount was given, but the money apparently will be spent at the Eunice City Lake.
Resolutions were approved for improvements at the Eunice airport. There will be a $946,000 runway and taxiway overlay program.
Rules concerning golf cart use on city streets were discussed.
An ordinance that includes inspection of mobile homes to be placed in Eunice was introduced.
A traffic study for a traffic light on U.S. 190 at the Walmart entrance was requested from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
Aldermen approved hiring Elijah Joseph, Will Stevens, Jeremy Gaspard and Joshua Courville as police officers.