BOBBY ARDOIN Editor/Consulting Writer
Aided primarily by state-funding, a parishwide cleanup process will be ongoing over the next two weeks to pick up the remaining debris from the storm that swept through St. Landry last month, according to parish president Jessie Bellard.
Bellard told a Parish Council Public Works Committee Wednesday night that beginning Monday, at least 600 tons of storm-related material has already been collected by contractors who are now operating parishwide.
Federal officials have denied a request from the parish to provide assistance for the debris cleanup effort, but Bellard told the Committee that the Governor’s Office has agreed to finance a large amount of the cost.
“The governor has stepped up to help (St. Landry) in a big way. The state didn’t have to do this, but we are getting help right now from the state to handle the storm damage parishwide, including what was left in the cities,” Bellard said.
During a press conference earlier this week, Bellard said that Gov. Jeff Landry signed an emergency declaration allowing the parish to utilize state revenues.
Bellard indicated in the interview that the state has agreed to fund 75 percent of the debris pick up in addition to 100 percent of the labor costs.
At this point Bellard said after the meeting that the parish has hired five contractors to perform the majority of the cleanup work. The St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Commission is also assisting with the cleanup, Bellard said.
Bellard said that the parish is relying on help from parish and municipal officials to identify properties where storm debris is being deposited.
“We are relying on the mayors in the parish to advise us about the different hot spots (for debris) that exist right now,” said Bellard.
