Parish Council may split Patterson-area fire district

Despite a recent push to consolidate St. Mary’s special purpose districts, the Parish Council may soon divide one district into two.
When the council meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Parish Courthouse in Franklin, it will consider creating two fire protection districts from the single district that now stretches from Patterson to Calumet.
The existing St. Mary Fire Protection District No. 6 now stretches from Cotten Road to the Wax Lake Outlet.
An introductory ordinance on Wednesday’s agenda would create separate districts for the city of Patterson and the areas outside the city.
In the past, the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana, which grades fire protection in cities and districts to establish insurance ratings, has issued a single rating for entities that, like District No. 6, cover cities with fire departments and rural areas.
The association’s new procedure is to give such areas separate ratings, said parish Chief Administrative Officer Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange.
Also on Wednesday’s agenda:
—The council will consider a request from Councilman Scott Ramsey to have two members removed from the Board of Commissioners of the Gravity Sub-Drainage District No. 1 of Gravity Drainage District No. 2. The sub-district serves the Bayou Vista area.
Ramsey said he made the request because the members haven’t been engaged in the district’s duties.
—The council will hear a report from Council on Aging Director Beverly Domengeaux. The parish government is among the entities that support the council financially.
Domengeaux has been making reports to local governments about efforts to continue programs such as home delivery of meals to seniors during the pandemic.
—The council will also consider a resolution authorizing Parish President David Hanagriff to enter an agreement with Frisco Industrial Contractors LLC. The agreement would be part of the Saferoom Project in Drainage District No. 2A in the Morgan City-Amelia area.
The safe room project aims to create safe places for staff members who work at district facilities during hurricanes.