SM city employees vote nay to Juneteenth holiday idea

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, August 4, 2021

ST. MARTINVILLE — The employees of the city of St. Martinville have spoken.

In a vote taken after a proposal to replace one of the existing city holidays with a Juneteenth holiday instead, the employees voted overwhelmingly to leave the calendar as it is and eschew the summer celebration.

City Legal Counsel Allan Durand received the votes and counted them. According to his report, there were 38 votes cast. Of those, 26 were to not make any changes to the holiday schedule. Only 12 employees voted to replace another holiday with the Juneteenth celebration.

The council voted 4-0 to accept the votes, with District 5 Councilman Edmond Joseph abstaining.

The council also discussed revisiting its policy allowing city workers to be called out for sewage line issues on private property. District 4 Councilman Juma Johnson asked that the city be allowed to clean sewage lines between the tap and a private residence during regular business hours, but keep the prohibition on after-hours callouts.

“I remember discussing it and making cuts,” Johnson said. “Somehow it got lost in translation and got cut out completely.”

Both Mayor Pro Tem Craig Prosper and Durand pointed out that city workers cannot do work on private property at any time regardless of whether it was on call or during the regular workday.

“If you do it at all between the city tap and the house, we have to charge them,” Durand said.

Prosper pointed out that the abuse of the city service was one of the reasons that there has been a budget shortfall. He also pointed out that the residents would have to have a plumber come out to do work on their property, not a city employee.

“You are looking at about $70,000 a year that costs us,” Prosper said. “In Breaux Bridge, they get four calls a month for service. Us, we are getting two calls a night.”

In other business Monday night, the St. Martinville City Council:

• Recommended demolition of two Main Street properties, giving the owners 90 days to make repairs and for the city to secure bids for the demolition if the owners do not.
• Recommended either serious repair or demolition. 90 days and secure bids.
• Allowed 60 days for another property owner to get roof and siding repaired or face demolition.
• Approved the use of Pecan Street for an anti-gun violence rally next week.
• Approved hiring a new police officer, a new dispatcher and a new account clerk.
• Received a report on collection of $9,811.75 for delinquent occupational licenses.