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Tuesday’s meeting of Franklin’s City Council, centered around civil stewardship, and the community’s galvanization toward the common goals of health, safety and the public trust.
City Attorney Russel Cremaldi addressed a long standing public nuisance accusation concerning Ameripure Processing Company and the odor surrounding its Franklin facility.
“What we’ve got is, we’ve got a situation where the lease with Ameripure prohibits any activity being conducted on the premises that would constitute a nuisance,” Cremaldi said. “Well we’ve certainly heard from a neighboring landowner of numerous activities that would constitute a nuisance.”
Cremaldi went on to say that as the landowner, or “lessor,” it was up to the mayoral administration to decide whether or not they felt it in the best interest of the city to demand Ameripure, the “lessee,” take action to resolve the nuisances that have them in violation of their lease with the city. However, Cremaldi also stated that he thought it best to ask the city council to weigh in on the matter.
Mayor Raymond Harris said he thought Ameripure should receive a letter of action from City Hall, and he was met with agreement from the other members of the council.
Also Tuesday, Mayor Protempore Lester Levine called to action the community at large concerning the safety of citizens and their property.
“We are having events going on in the parks and in the recreation center, and it has been a year since we talked about ‘If you see something, say something,’” Levine said, “and now we are to the point where people come outside, and their car glass has been burst, the city’s lights from the parks are being shot out, and it is beginning to get to the point where it is aggravating.”
Levine gave an account of being at his home, across from a sporting event, and witnessing a suspect attempting to break the window of an automobile that was parked at the sporting event.
Levine said he “politely” tapped his own window to get the attention of the would-be glass breaker, and once he was sure he had thwarted the crime, sought the assistance of the security detail patrolling the sporting event, to report the suspicious activity to the police.
“I could have sat in my house and said nothing,” Levine said, “but I don’t think I could have lived with myself, seeing somebody out there busting somebody’s car glass.
“That’s what’s getting me. We’re out here seeing these things taking place, and we’re not calling the police department, we’re not telling people what’s going on, and all that’s done is to call and talk about us up here (councilmembers).
“Grab a phone, call the police department, and say, ‘This is what I see.’ You don’t have to give your name. Just, when you see it, say something.”
Levine gave a second account of being at an event where vandalism took place, and said he approached a bystander who claimed to be sitting in view of the site of the crime, for five hours. Levine said, “You mean you’ve been sitting here for five hours and you say you’ve seen nothing?! That makes me think that you were in on it!
“That’s what we’re dealing with, people. Just seeing something and not saying anything isn’t good enough.”
The council was in agreement that Levine’s comments were of merit, and reiterated his concerns.
Councilman Eugene Foulcard spoke of his wife’s involvement in a social media crime watch group, and attested to its seeming effectiveness; and Councilman Chuck Autin reminded citizens to lock their vehicles, and to stow valuables within, out of sight.
In other business, Teche Action Clinic’s Tobacco Free Initiative was discussed, albeit in the absence of the initiative’s champion, Dr. Gary Wiltz.
It was decided by the council, to discuss in private, the measures, means and lengths to which they were prepared to go concerning the particulars of a city campus tobacco ban, and to retain such a decision, until a future meeting.

MORGAN CITY — St. Mary Chamber of Commerce wants to know why the Tri-City area remains home for some and deserted by others with the release of the first Morgan City and Berwick Quality of Life Survey.
“We want to know what type of area do you want to live in. Why do people want to live here,” said Frank Fink, economic director for St. Mary Parish.
The 15-minute anonymous Quality of Life survey is open to residents and visitors parish wide with the intent to get feedback and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Morgan City, Berwick, and sur-rounding areas.
Fink said that one of the major intents of the survey is to get the millennial generation’s input about the parish.
“St. Mary Parish has a huge generation gap. After (millennials) graduate college, they leave,” said Fink. “Young people are the future of this community and we want to know what would make them stay.”
Fink said the survey project was presented to him by retired school teacher Monica Mancuso.
Mancuso then recruited Carrie Stansbury, executive director of Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau and Donna Meyer, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.
“(The survey will) jumpstart conversations among residents about the direction of the community over the next 5-10 years,” said Meyer in a press release.
With upgrades of U.S. 90 to eliminate crossovers as part of the I-49 project, business opportunities may emerge in Berwick and Morgan City as a result of the transportation infra-structure upgrade. The Chamber wants to be ready to make connections and offer business support that will reflect the communities’ priorities and continue to advance the quality of life that the residents enjoy, Meyer said.
The last few years have been uneven ones for St. Mary Parish’s quality of life.
Major infrastructure projects, including the new J-turns, the over-pass at Four Corners and the Morgan City levee improvements, represent a major investment in the parish.
But the three-year decline in energy prices has eliminated hundreds of jobs here. Two elementary schools recently closed in response to a continuing decline in enrollment.
The survey is open on the Chamber’s website at www.stmarychamber.com until Dec. 15. The results from the survey will be summarized, analyzed, and published for public viewing in January.

Annette and Gary Blanco have been awarded one of the Patterson Garden Club November Yard of the Month awards. The Blancos’ yard is highlighted with hibiscus, azaleas, camellias, zinnias, coleus, lantana, pintas, Hawaiian iris and more.

January 31, 1930 - November 19, 2017
Aline Theresa Mayon, 87, a native of Morgan City and a resident of Gibson, rejoined her loving husband on Nov. 19, 2017, surrounded by her family.
Aline loved to cook, entertain, travel and bowling. She was a lifetime member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.
Aline leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Merlin Leo Mayon Jr. and wife Beverly of Stephensville, and Wayne Anthony Mayon Sr. and wife Tracy of Gibson; and one daughter, Cindy Theresa Mayon LeBlanc and husband Jesse of Gibson. She has 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Merlin Leo Mayon Sr.; her parents, William and Sylvia Jarrett; siblings, Lloyd Jarrett and Rilma Daigle; and three grandchildren, Wayne Mayon Jr. and two stillborns.
Visitation will be held Tuesday evening Nov. 21, 2017, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Visitation will continue on Wednesday from 8 a.m. until time of services. Funeral services will be Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017, at Sacred Heart Church at 10 a.m. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Gibson.