Berwick council, Housing Authority chief swap praise

BERWICK — The Town Council received a $24,000 check Tuesday from the Berwick Housing Authority and offered praise in return.
Also Tuesday, the council honored the Berwick 10U softball team that will play later this month in the Babe Ruth World Series; approved one upcoming event and talked about another; heard some good news for the Brown House Museum; and approved one subdivision request and set a hearing on another.
Berwick Housing Auth-ority Director Clarence Robinson presented Mayor Pro Tem Lud Henry with a check as payment in lieu of taxes, the money the town government would receive if the authority’s units were privately owned.
Robinson thanked the city government for working with the Housing Authority and singled out Chief Administrative Office Newell “Bubba” Slaughter.
Council members returned the praise. James Richard, who served as police chief before being elected to the council, said the town’s public housing was a source of trouble before Robinson became director.
“When you came on board, things just changed drastically,” Richard said.
Then it was Richard’s turn to get a compliment.
“Thank you,” current Police Chief David Leonard told Richard, “because you paved the way for Mr. Clarence to turn things around.”
The check was for $24,962.
The Berwick Housing Authority has 128 units in its Louis Mahfouz, Charles Bowman and Margaret Crappel developments.
Softball champs
The town’s monthly Beacon Shines On recognition, which goes to people who have served the town or presented it in a positive light, went to the 10-and-under girls softball team drawn from Berwick’s softball league.
The all-star team won the state championship and then captured the multistate Southwest Regional in Houma over the Independence Day weekend. They’ll compete in the Babe Ruth World Series beginning July 27 in Jensen Beach, Florida.
“They showed a lot of heart and a lot of pride for our community,” said Councilman Kevin Hebert, who chairs the council’s Recreation Committee.
Subdivision
The council approved a subdivision request from Moffet Rentals LLC to divide one tract near the Berwick Civic Center into a 2.6-acre lot and a 4.4-acre lot for development.
The company will be required to provide access to services such as utilities before beginning construction.
The same company has asked to build a pond near the property to acquire dirt for use in construction. Following planning rules, the council set a conditional use hearing for the next council meeting Aug. 10.
Events
The council:
—Approved the Bayouland Emergency Amateur Radio Service request to use Lighthouse Park for its participation in the annual International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend Aug. 20-22.
Ham radio operators at lighthouse sites around the world will try to make contact with one another. At the last event, BEARS President Janet Price told the council, the club made contact with 39 states, seven Canadian provinces and a few European countries.
The public is invited to see the club try to reach fellow hams.
—Councilwoman Colleen Askew said five signs have been acquired and permission to paint a wall has been granted in an effort to bring some color to the town’s Cultural District.
Local artists will be invited to take part in the project, which Askew hopes will include an interactive sign that will be a good backdrop for photographs.
Brown House
The town’s new history museum has received a $7,500 grant through the office of Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, the state’s top tourism official, announced Henry.
Henry presided at Tuesday’s meeting in the absence of Mayor Duval Arthur.
Also Tuesday, the council approved a museum loan agreement with the Morgan City government.
Under the agreement, the Brown House will display a dress worn by a child on one of the Orphan Trains.
The Orphan Trains carried hundreds of thousands of orphans and children from destitute homes in the East to foster homes from the mid-19th century through the early 20th century.
Payments
The council:
—Approved payments of $5,076 to George Mikael for inspection of the Town Hall roof conversion and $57,075 partial payment to B&J Enterprises of Metairie for the roof work itself.
—Approved payments of $71,851 to Southern Constructors and $7,809 to Miller Engineers & Associates Inc. for work on the Bellevue-Front Street improvement project. The council also approved a change order that results in a $6,812 savings for the town government.
The council also approved a certificate of substantial completion for the Bellevue-Front Street work.