Mayor Freddie DeCourt discussed the future of New Iberia roads at Tuesday’s New Iberia City Council meeting following the passage of Saturday’s proposition for a 20-year property tax specifically to maintain streets in the city.

DeCourt thanked the public, as well as the council and private citizens who helped form a political action committee for the success of the proposition as well.

“It’s excited that we pulled this off,” DeCourt said. “We have millions more dollars, I’m already working with the bonding company and engineers putting a plan together,” DeCourt said.

The mayor added that several resolutions will likely be coming before the council in the coming months as the plan for a long-term road program begins to solidify.

DeCourt said the new millage will “kick in” as the payments for the existing millage for sewer debt that was rededicated finishes.

As for which streets will receive repairs, the mayor said the list already formed several years ago for the New Iberia Streets Program will continue to be used as the bond money used for that program nears completion.

“We’ll have decisions to make, so I’ll be coming to you, and we’ll have some interesting choices,” DeCourt said to the council.

Other factors to consider include a bonding program with the newly dedicated funds, and DeCourt said the state of interest rates will be an important factor when deciding what the road program will look.

“I have been looking into LGAP money this go around and thinking about buying a hot patch machine,” DeCourt said. “Many people think the road program is the temporary pothole patch program and that’s something we need to change.”

Given the six months needed for engineers to prepare once a program has begun, DeCourt estimated that road repairs will pick back up sometime around summer of 2024.