NEWS

Melville to host cleanup day

William Johnson
Louisiana

Melville’s new leadership wants to clean up the town, and it’s asking everyone who lives there to help.

Town officials want people to come out in force Saturday for a citywide cleanup effort, the first of what those officials say will be a continuing process.

“We are just trying to move our town forward. We would like to get people out, to have everyone work together,” said newly-elected Alderman Michael Clark. “We want people to see the positive things that are going on in our town.”

Anyone willing to help should go to City Hall, 516 Church St., at 8 a.m. prepared to work. “Bring gloves and something to pick up the trash. We will provide everything else,” Clark said.

Water and refreshments will be available throughout the morning at the Melville Civic Center and volunteers are invited to visit Margie’s Country Kitchen restaurant at noon for a free meal as a thank you for their work.

Clark thanked Margie’s as well as Chas Cannatta & Sons and Atchafalaya Signs and Designs for donations that are making the effort possible.

“We are definitely encouraging everyone to come out,” said Mayor Erana “Rana” Mayes. “We don’t have much money, but we still want to make our town look nice.”

Money has been a major problem for Melville. The town has suffered in recent years with the loss of its elementary and high schools and the closing of the state ferry on the Atchafalaya River.

The town began the new year with an almost entirely new administration, including a new mayor and four new council members. Alderwoman Velma D. Hendrix was the only incumbent voters returned to office in the fall election.

When the new administration took office in January, it discovered it had serious problems, including a pile of unpaid bills, some dating back to 2013.

Adding to the town’s woes was the fact that the billing system for utilities, the town’s main source of income, hadn’t been working for months.

An audit also turned up more than $60,000 in missing town funds.

In response, officials have undertaken a lot of belt-tightening. City Hall, for instance, is now only open Monday through Thursday.

Because the town has no gas station, it is also operating only one police car and one utility truck.

Mayes said the administration is addressing these problems and making progress.

The utility billing system is working again and at least some money is coming in. “We were months in arrears. We are still working on that,” Mayes said.

“We are now current on our SLEMCO bill, yeah,” she said. “Everything is slowly moving in the right direction. We are seeing the penlight at the end of the tunnel.”

She said the town’s library should be open soon. “We will be working on our parks next,” Mayes said.

The Melville Educational Achievement Program, an after-school tutoring and homework program, has been established. It serves 55 students.

“The parents are excited about that — I’m excited about that,” Mayes said.

Alderwoman Caretta Robertson, who is helping with the cleanup effort, said the town is also hosting LA Crown, a dance and sports program for young people in cooperation with the after-school program.

She said the administration has referred the missing town funds to the sheriff’s office for investigation, and a new team is in place at City Hall, including a new town clerk.

“We have put people in place we can trust,” Mayes said.

She said, thanks to help from Med Express, there are even plans to reopen the town’s helipad.

“We are getting the job done,” Clark said. “We are just asking the people to be patient. We will make it work.”

Robertson said the town hopes to host an event similar to Saturday’s cleanup every quarter to eventually address every part of the town.

Clark said he’s expecting much can be accomplished to help restore pride in the community and everyone is doing their part. He praised Immaculate Conception Home Health, which is taking responsibility for beautifying the area around the library and the women’s club, which will do the same for the town hall.

If people can’t come out to help Saturday, Mayes urged them to do their part at home.

“Clean up around your own property,” Mayes said, “cut the grass, plant some flowers.”

WANT TO GO?

Melville Cleanup Day

8 a.m.-noon Saturday

Volunteers should meet at City Hall

516 Church St.

Refreshments and lunch will be provided

Call 337-623-4226 for more information