Schriever, Gibson could be receiving new sewer systems if districts created
MATT GRESHAM The Courier
The Schriever and Gibson areas would get sewerage systems under a proposal up for consideration Wednesday by the Terrebonne Parish Council.
Some officials say if it works, it could eventually lead to the creation of a parishwide sewerage system.
The council's Policy Committee spent more than an hour Monday night discussing the proposal by Councilman Wayne Thibodeaux, who represents the areas.
If approved, the measure would create two separate districts with three-member governing boards, appointed by the parish president and approved by the council.
Thibodeaux said board members would then look into securing federal and state rural-development grants and other sources of revenue to build wastewater-treatment systems.
Formal action on the matter is scheduled for Wednesday's council meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. in the Courthouse Annex, Goode and School streets.
At first, several council members questioned how much the proposal would cost the parish.
"You would have to have administrators and someone to take the minutes during the meetings," said Council Chairman Ray Boudreaux. "I question how much this would cost the taxpayers of this parish."
Thibodeaux said districts would not be staffed at first and hoped to pay for operations through outside sources. He stressed property taxes would be on the bottom of the funding list but not out of the question.
"We build a lot of things in this parish without ad-valorem taxes," Thibodeaux said. "I feel we've failed to pursue some revenue sources, grant money, etc. There are a lot of ways to get the board on its feet without assessing a millage from the people of those districts."
Thibodeaux said if taxes are involved they must be approved by residents of the areas.
"This will not be something we just ramrod through," he said.
Tom Bourg, the parish's utilities director, also questioned the economics of the district.
"I don't disagree with the idea," Bourg said. "The parish system doesn't have the financial resources to extend services."
Due to financial constraints on the parish's Utilities Department and the high cost of upgrading and expanding services to rural areas, Thibodeaux said independent sewer districts are the only way he could get the job done.
After more discussion, each council member figured a part or much of each district lacks municipal sewerage and relies on septic tanks and other, more-archaic ways of disposing of waste.
"Ultimately, the idea of this would be a mechanism to develop and initiate systems and then return them to a type of consolidated management," Bourg said. "We need to keep an eye on the most efficient way to deliver services."
Thibodeaux said approval of his measure is a win-win situation. If the districts are unsuccessful, he said the parish loses minimal resources on the idea.
"But if the districts enjoy a measure of success, then we have provided a service to District 2," he said.
And it may be a model for the rest of parish, other council members said.
Bourg said the parish's sewerage problems are not confined to those areas without access to wastewater systems. He said the parish's existing system is under-funded and needs maintenance.
Councilman Danny Henry asked Bourg to prepare a report on what type of improvements are needed and what it would cost to maintain the new systems.
"I have a hunch, a sneaky hunch, we're talking about a lot of money," Henry said.
Henry also asked parish officials to find out how many residents are paying for sewerage services and not receiving them.
"The people from the Chauvin, Dulac and Dularge areas paid into this thing many years ago, and they still don't have sewerage," said Councilman Clayton Voisin.
Following the discussion, Thibodeaux said he is "encouraged" by the support he received and curious about the funding arguments.
"We have the opportunity to do some good, but the arguments are based on traditional wastewater systems and not some of the new technology," he said. "Anyway, if the people in the sewerage districts don't want it, they won't have it."
Matt Gresham is a staff writer for The Courier. He can be reached at 857-2204 or by e-mail at news@houmatoday.com.