E. Feliciana resident criticizes roads

• By MARILYN GOFF
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Oct 7, 2008 - Page: 4B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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CLINTON — A East Feliciana Parish resident told the parish Police Jury on Monday that their heads are “in a sandpit” if they are unaware of the poor work performance of the parish road crews and the lack of proper utilization of equipment.

“The parish roads are a disgrace,” and as a parish taxpayer John Stewman said he was “entitled to better.”

Stewman, who lives on Perkins Road in the northern part of the parish, complained that road crews in his area worked only about one day out of a month, leave parish equipment on his property overnight and accomplish very little when they do show up, except for filling the gasoline tanks and providing some maintenance on the road equipment.

Public Works Director Greg Beauchamp said he “had no answers” and did not know where to begin in responding to Stewman’s complaints.

Beauchamp agreed that the roads are in “horrible shape, but said his work crews have not returned to their regular maintenance routine since hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Beauchamp said detailed information on the road work, work location, crews scheduled, place and time of work is documented and available for public inspection.

Slaughter juror John Barnett took issue with Stewman’s criticism,” and said, “I know more than  you” on this issue.

Barnett said the Police Jury had made “great progress” in parish roads and the money spent in improving roads was a “great investment” for the majority of the people.

Barnett acknowledged that Stewman lives on a gravel road and in a district where most of the roads are gravel roads.  These roads are much more difficult to maintain than roads in other districts, including mine,  he said.

On another matter, jurors learned that bids will be let in December and work should begin on replacing the iron bridge on Thompson Creek Road at Norwood, where it was placed more than 50 years ago.

Jury President Louis Kent said that Jackson businessman LeRoy Harvey will move the old bridge and take it to his museum in Jackson.

On another issue, the jury approved $5,000 to be turned over to the Jackson in January for limb and debris removal. 

The jury at one time provided $5,000 to each municipality for limb and debris removal, but cut out the funds when the body decided to take charge of the project.