All-Stars lauded; derelict structures addressed

The 2018 Franklin 12U All-Stars received a proclamation of public commendation Tuesday from Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard and Franklin’s council members during the monthly meeting at city hall.
The team and coaches were lauded for their recent achievement of 2018 Dixie Youth Majors World Series runners-up, and were commended collectively as well as individually by the mayor and council.
The meeting also occasioned a report from Franklin Police Chief Tina Thibodeaux with traffic survey results concerning the intersection of Ida and Thomas Streets.
According to Thibodeaux, the traffic survey showed no need for a stop sign at the intersection. However, she stated that the traffic on Hawkins Street is triple that of Ida.
Thibodeaux also reported that the city’s curfew hours for minors will remain 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
As for school bus loading and unloading on public thoroughfares, Thibodeaux reminded drivers to remain 30 feet behind buses that have come to a stop, and that bus drivers can and will report drivers who fail to stop for the children getting on or off the school bus.
In other news, Matt Babineaux, government relations manager at CivicSource Property Auctioneers, and Bill Byers, legal operations manager at CivicSource addressed the mayor and council concerning the process their company uses to sell adjudicated properties.
Byers said, “It works with you all giving us a list of adjudicated properties that we then place on our website.
“An adjudicated property is a property that the government does not own. The property owners, the tax delinquent owners still own it.
“What the government does is it actually has a right to sell the property, to donate the property, or to take over the property for its own use.”
Byers explained that CivicSource researches previous owners and current owners of adjudicated properties and confirms the tax delinquency for the government’s right to sell the property through CivicSource, who then auctions the property with the proceeds going to the government.
The mayor’s Blighted Structure Mitigation Project for 2018 was reported by Franklin Fire Chief Chuck Bourgeois to contain 73 structures listed as fit for demolition.
With several priority profiles in the project report and many sub-criteria to be met, Foulcard said of the project’s guidelines toward adjudication, “Number one, we’re going to show compassion and we’re going to show due diligence on working with the public on this.”
Additionally, the meeting’s agenda was expanded twice.
Firstly, it was expanded to include a resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement between St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and the city of Franklin’s Police Department to allow for the obligation of SMPSO to assist FPD in providing meals to FPD prisoners.
Secondly, the agenda was expanded to approve the appointment of Willie Rack to the Municipal Fire and Civil Service Board.
Also, a resolution of respect was approved for Raymond McGoff and was proffered to his family.
Announcements that were made included: Franklin city-wide clean-up to take place Sept. 8 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Stage parking lot; and a job fair hosted by the city and South Louisiana Community College Franklin Campus to be held Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the City Park Recreation Center.