Former Morgan City firefighter becomes Berwick's new chief

BERWICK – The town of Berwick has a new fire chief.

The Town Council on Tuesday confirmed Mayor Duval Arthur’s appointment of Jody Acosta as new chief of the Volunteer Fire Department.

Also Tuesday, the council approved a $3 increase in the monthly charge town residents pay for trash pick-up. And the council gave its OK to two plans connected with Berwick’s participation in the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival.

Acosta has been with the Morgan City Fire Department for the last 10 years, and served with Amelia’s volunteers two years before that.

He was one of the MCFD firefighters who went through emergency medical technician training earlier this year and passed his National Registry exam.

Acosta will lead a volunteer force that he said numbers about 25.

He told the council that he has received 12 volunteer applications while serving as interim successor to former Chief Allen Rink.

“We’re going to work some kinks out,” Acosta told the council Tuesday. “We’ve got a plan in place.”

Arthur fired Rink last month for reasons that weren’t publicly disclosed. Rink, supported by a group of volunteers at the June 13 council meeting after his termination, told the council that he had gotten the run-around on equipment requests. He said was often told that requests would have to wait until the end of the budget year, when he would learn no money was available.

Arthur responded that Rink had never been denied a request for what he needed.

Acosta gave his first report on his department’s activity, this one for June: Four motor vehicle accidents, two medical assists, one good intention call, three false alarms and five fires.

Trash pick-up

On Aug. 1, the cost of residential trash pick-up in Berwick will rise to $22.50 per month from $19.50, a 15% increase.

The mayor said the town government had no choice but to pass the increase enacted by Pelican Waste & Debris along to consumers.

“It’s not that we’re trying to gouge anybody …,” Arthur said. “We have to turn around and pass it on to you all.”

“It’s not a problem for most of us,” said Councilman Lud Henry. “But for the elderly on fixed incomes. …”

The monthly fee had been at $19.50 since May 1, 2022. The agreement with Pelican had been in force since 2015 under what officials called a parishwide “master contract” designed to get municipalities a better rate by joining forces.

Council members Colleen Askew, Henry, James Richard and Kevin Hebert all voted for the resolution raising the pick-up rate. Raymond Price was absent.

Festival

Rodney Grow and Deborah Lodrigue of the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival board asked for permission to carry out two parts of festival planning related to Berwick.

They got the council’s OK, without objection, to park a barge needed for the festival fireworks display over Berwick Bay.

And the council approved plans to stage the annual Blessing of the Fleet on the Berwick side of the river on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

The festival will be Aug. 31-Sept. 4.