By Keith McCoy
City Police 3
MBPD Chief Ted Cook approached the city council at their Aug. 22 meeting with a special request for his counterparts dealing with severe, widespread flooding in Louisiana.
Cook said the police department originally intended to fundraise to buy cleaning supplies and other materials to send to departments around Baton Rouge, Louisiana. However, he heard about officers buying used cars to continue patrolling after their police cruisers were destroyed in the floods.
The MBPD has two cruisers that are currently unused and were already planned to become surplus and sold. Instead, Cook asked the council to donate the cars to the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office.
The council approved the "sale" of the two cruisers for $1 to the Louisiana department.
A vote on a proposed new smoking ordinance was again postponed at the meeting due to the lack of unanimous consent needed to vote on the ordinance.
Several amendments to the ordinance were presented in pre-council, including allowing property owners to decide whether to allow smoking on private properties outdoors. Smoking would be prohibited in "enclosed spaces" on private property except residences, cigar bars and private clubs. A cigar bar is any business that earns the majority of its business through sale of tobacco and tobacco accessories. The amendment would allow smoking outdoors on public property, such as parks, as long as the smoker is more than 20 feet away from a non-smoker.
Council member Jack Carl was against voting at the Aug. 22 meeting due to his objection over the description of an "enclosed space" in the ordinance, defining it as an space bounded by at least two walls or windows. Carl said this definition would include breezeways, which are outdoors, and that the definition should be revised to be more narrow.
The council is going to take up the issue again at its next meeting on Sept. 12.
The council also:
- Approved Skipper Consulting to conduct a traffic and pedestrian study in the area around Church Street, Vine Street and Dexter Avenue. City Manager Sam Gaston said the study was prompted by increased traffic due to the opening of the Piggly Wiggly and the new school year. The study will include five days of traffic counts, and Gaston said the study could begin as early as next week.
- Approved Fontenot Benefits & Actuarial Consulting (FBAC) for audit services related to the city's post-employment benefits plan.
- Approved an agreement with Public Resource Management Alliance Corporation for a revenue enhancement and audit services.
- Set a public hearing on Sept. 12 to consider amending the ordinance regarding open houses, home tours and special events in residential zones.
- Approved a proclamation declaring September as Myositis Awareness Month. Myositis is any muscle inflammation or degeneration and can be caused by injury, exercise, certain medications or chronic diseases.
