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All four tax renewals on ballots in St. Mary Parish passed by overwhelming margins despite low voter turnout, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website.
Those renewals were the St. Mary Parish Library’s operations and maintenance tax — which affects all areas of the parish outside of Morgan City, which has its own library — along with an operation and maintenance tax for the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, Berwick’s public works tax and St. Mary Water and Sewer Commission No. 1’s tax for improvements, extensions, operation and maintenance.
The library renewal, a 10-year, 5.72-mill tax that raises about $2.7 million per year, passed with 1,438 (69%) voting for the measure, while 656 (31%) voted against it. Unofficial voter turnout for the measure was 8.2%.
“Obviously we are very pleased that it passed,” St. Mary Parish Library Board of Control Chairperson Cherie Laiche said. “Without it, we would not be able to continue providing services to our patrons and moving forward with plans that we have.”
Laiche said the library system is working on a renovation and expansion project for the Berwick Branch, and there is work eyed at other branches.
“All of that would never be able to take place without this being successful as well as just being able to continue normal services at all of the facilities,” she said.
Meanwhile, the 2-mill, 10-year renewal for operation and maintenance at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium passed with 412 (70%) voting for the continuation of the tax, while 180 (30%) opposed the measure. Unofficial voter turnout for the measure was 8%.
The measure will raise $786,000 per year.
Berwick’s renewal of its 6-mill, 20-year tax for public works projects, such as recreation, roads and public safety work, passed with 261 (82%) voting for the measure and 56 (18%) opposing it. Unofficial voter turnout for the measure was 10.1%.
“We were kind of worried about just any kind of tax that we brought up, but the calls that I had gotten prior to the election was that they were going to support it because we use that money for everything in town,” Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur said. “We use that money for recreation. We use it for public works. We buy equipment. Whatever we can do with it.”
The millage will raise $180,000 per year.
“That would have been a big hurt to us, a little small town like we are,” if it wouldn’t have passed,” Arthur said.
St. Mary Water and Sewer Commission No. 1’s 9.99-mill property tax renewal for improvements, extensions, operation and maintenance passed with 63 (80%) voting for the renewal and 16 (20%) opposing it.
Commission President Carlo Gagliano Jr. said he is appreciative the residents renewed the tax.
“Without it, it would have been very, very tough to operate (the water plant). With that millage, we do improvements and refurb on the plant,” he said of the 35-year-old facility in the district, which services Amelia and Siracusaville.
The tax is for 10 years and will raise $825,000 per year.
Unofficial voter turnout for the measure was 7.6%.

Three local parishes have 38 new COVID-19 cases Friday, 24 of them in St. Martin, the Louisiana Office of Public Health said. One more St. Martin Parish resident has died from COVID-related causes.

St. Martin's 24 new cases raised the total to 1,784. The death reported Friday brings that total to 47.

St. Mary has eight new cases for a total of 1,666 since the pandemic began. Fifty-nine people have died from COVID-19.

Assumption has six new cases for a total of 606. The COVID death toll there stays at 20.

Statewide:

--1,298 new cases raise the pandemic total to 136,737.

--28 newly reported deaths raise the toll.

--The number of COVID-positive people in hospitals wasn't reported Thursday because of technical problems. Friday's total was down 77 from Wednesday to 1,243.

-14 fewer people are on ventilators for a total of 197.

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the Police Department at 985-380-4605.
Monday, Aug. 10
7:33 A.M. 700 block of Justa Street; Disturbance.
7:41 A.M. 200 block of Brashear Avenue; Medical.
8:12 A.M. 400 block of Belanger Street; Suspicious Person.
2:09 P.M. 300 block of Second Street; Disturbance.
2:24 P.M. 1100 block of Florence Street; Frequent Patrols.
2:54 P.M. U.S. 90 West; Reckless Driving.
3:44 P.M. U.S. 90 West; Reckless Driving.
6:22 P.M. 2000 block of Allison Street; Execute Search Warrant; Arrest.
10:01 P.M. 500 block of Brashear Avenue; Disturbance.
Tuesday, Aug. 11
12:38 A.M. 700 block of Onstead Street; Complaint.
12:57 A.M. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Alarm.
4:08 A.M. Canton Street; Assist Berwick.
5:39 a.m. 600 block of General McArthur Street; Medical.
5:41 a.m. Marguerite Street and Victor II Boulevard; Accident.
6:11 a.m. 1400 block of Federal Avenue; Medical.
7:24 a.m. Hickory and Cedar streets; Suspicious person.
9:35 a.m. 400 block of Bush Street; Complaint.
10:03 a.m. 400 block of Ninth Street; Theft.
10:32 a.m. 700 block of Willow Street; Officer stand by.
10:37 a.m. 3000 block of Lake Palourde Drive; Alarm.
11:26 a.m. Federal Avenue and Bowman Street; Complaint.
11:53 a.m. 900 block of Third Street; Harassment.
1:34 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Harassment.
2:04 p.m. U.S. 90 East; Accident.
2:15 p.m. 2400 block of Tupelo Street; Medical.
3:08 p.m. 1600 block of Front Street; Alarm.
3:17 p.m. 700 block of Hilda Street; Complaint.
3:34 p.m. 700 block of Freret Street; Found item.
4:32 p.m. 300 block of Aucoin Street; Disturbance.
4:47 p.m. 1200 block of Brashear Avenue; Alarm.
5:33 p.m. 600 block of Willow Street; Complaint.
5:47 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
7:01 p.m. 1000 block of La 70; Accident.
7:22 p.m. 1100 block of Sixth Street; Telephone harassment.
9:16 p.m. U.S. 90 westbound High Rise past Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; Suspicious subject.
10:12 p.m. Amelia to Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City; Assist St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.
10:25 p.m. 100 block of Oak Street; Complaint.
Wednesday, Aug. 12
12:28 a.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Alarm.
12:46 a.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Suspicious subject; Arrest.
4 a.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Alarm.
7:09 a.m. 600 block of Shannon Street; Complaint.
8:03 a.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Criminal damage to property.
9:08 a.m. 600 block of Fourth Street; Complaint.
9:09 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; 911 hang up.
9:12 a.m. 800 block of Brashear Avenue; Crash.
9:12 a.m. 400 block of Fourth Street; Complaint.
9:38 a.m. 100 block of Everett Street; Complaint.
9:46 a.m. 200 block of Aucoin Street; Complaint.
10:45 a.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Removal of subject.
10:49 a.m. 1000 block of Victor II Boulevard; Arrest.
10:52 a.m. 400 block of Belanger Street; Suspicious subject.
11 a.m. 600 block of Fourth Street; Juvenile problem.
11:34 a.m. 1100 block of Second Street; Complaint.
11:48 a.m. 1300 block of Nebraska Street; Arrest.
Noon; 600 block of Terrebonne Street; Removal of subject.
12:09 p.m. 600 block of Seventh Street; Telephone harassment.
12:15 p.m. 500 block of Brashear Avenue; Theft.
12:23 p.m. Federal & Everett streets; Crash.
1:15 p.m. 800 block of Ditch Avenue; Complaint.
1:23 p.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Complaint.
1:43 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
1:44 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
1:57 p.m. 900 block of Fig; Street Alarm.
1:57 p.m. 600 block of Terrebonne Street; Complaint.
1:59 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; 911 hang up.
2:15 p.m. 500 block of Brashear Avenue; Medical.
2:40 p.m. 7100 block of Park Road; Civil.
3:48 p.m. 400 block of First Street; Removal of subject.
4:27 p.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Theft.
4:42 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; 911 hang up.
5:50 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
6:03 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Complaint.
6:05 p.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Theft.
7:10 p.m. Ditch Avenue; Disturbance.
7:34 p.m. 700 block of Maine Street; Animal.
9:49 p.m. 700 block of Hilda Street; Medical.
Thursday, Aug. 13
12:17 a.m. Terrebonne Street; Missing person (found).
3:19 a.m. 300 block of Egle Street; Complaint.

CENTERVILLE — Laptops are nearly ready to be distributed to students for the upcoming school year, which was delayed recently until Sept. 8, the board learned during Thursday’s regular monthly meeting.
“Pretty much this time next week, over half of the laptops will be deployed to the students,” Chief Technology Officer Kevin Derise said. “It will probably take us about seven full days.”
Derise also reported that the district has received the second half of its computers for elementary students.
The technology was purchased using Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act funds to provide a 1-to-1 ratio between students and teachers following the early closure of in-person instruction in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The technology will allow those parents who would rather their students work virtually this year to do so, while the remainder of the school district’s students will attend classes twice per week in person and work online the remainder of the school week.
Currently, St. Mary Superintendent Teresa Bagwell said about 35% of students will be using the school system’s virtual program when the 2020-2021 school year begins.
Under the application for virtual learning, parents will be responsible for providing internet access for their students first, and then the district will work on isolated problems with access, Derise said. He noted the first remedy for that would be providing internet ac-cess at schools.
Also during Thursday’s meeting, the board held extensive discussion about approving an updated set of job descriptions. Most of the discussion centered around the coordinator of special services-elementary schools position, which the board will have to readvertise for after an incorrect version of the job description previous-ly had been approved by the board in error and the job awarded.
Board member Sylvia Lockett expressed concerned with wording in the job description that said someone can lead as the coordinator of special services-elementary schools without special services experience.
Fellow board member Alaina Black, who works as a special education facilitator in Terrebonne Parish, agreed with Lockett.
Director of Federal Programs Debra McClarity said that when job descriptions are formulated for the district, they are done so using state and educational leadership requirements.
Black recommended adding the requirement of special education experience to the de-scription.
“It’s a Special Ed coordinator position,” she said, noting that even with her background in special education, she sometimes has difficulty with aspects of the programs.
McClarity said that some of the decisions involving special education are not just made by one person but are based on several people.
The board passed the measure with the wording that special education experience was preferred. Lockett voted against the measure. While Black voted for it, she asked that one of the individual job descriptions approved, Coordinator of Pupil Appraisal Services and 504, be put on next month’s agenda with more updates she will recommend.