Baldwin board hears complaints on railroad cars

Baldwin’s board of aldermen convened Thursday for their regular monthly meeting with Baldwin Mayor Abel “Phil” Prejean at the Baldwin Community Center.
The bulk of the meeting consisted of public comments from concerned citizens regarding trains parking their cars on train tracks near residential neighborhoods.
According to the citizens, the carbon black leavings from the train cars contaminated the neighborhood site.
They said they previously met with railroad representatives to discuss the issue, and were told the cars would be parked at a distance from the neighborhood satisfactory to both parties’ interests.
However, they said that the train cars are again being parked around the neighborhood, and they asked the board and mayor to take action to rectify the problem.
The mayor said he would call the railroad company, but also urged the troubled citizens to call the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality themselves, to begin a more efficient and appropriate means of combatting the coal residue issue.
In other news, Baldwin Police Chief Harry Smith was approved the hiring of new full- and part-time officers; and the clarification of Denette Trahan as Town Clerk of Baldwin was approved to have happened on July 11.
It was announced that the town’s Trick-or-Treat hours are Oct. 31 from 5 to 8 p.m.
In new business, it was approved to render partial payment to Miller Engineers Inc. for their work on the Bayou Choupique Levee project.
A representative for the company reported that the project is on pace to reach its conclusion in early November, and also said that residents affected by surrounding road closures could see those roads open again as early as next week.
It was also approved to reduce the cost of the town’s DRA water tower project to $214,000.
Red Ribbon Week was proclaimed to take place Oct. 18 through Oct. 27, and it was announced that the Baldwin Beautification Club will hold its Holiday Bucket Drive on Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Resolutions of respect were approved for Lorraine Boudreaux and Lorraine Thibodeaux.