Board of Selectmen adopt power sales contract

PLAQUEMINE – The City of Plaquemine Board of Selectmen adopted an ordinance ratifying the final form of a power sales contract between the city and the Louisiana Entergy and Power Authority at its regular meeting Sept. 6.

"This is not all of our power," Mayor Mark A. "Tony" Gulotta said. "It is not like we are putting all of our eggs in one basket."

"We can always get power in. The problem is transporting it. We don't have any other option."

Groundbreaking is expected in the spring with the completion date set for the spring of 2015.

"It is a wonderful plant," Selectman Linden Rivet said.

The board also considered adopting an ordinance to waive the requirement for an occupational license in certain circumstances.

"I am not ready to adopt this," Gulotta said. "This is dealing with non-profit businesses. There is a lot of overkill when holding four of five events a year."

The board also discussed an ordinance to rename Oak Street to Dr. Bertrand O. Tyson Street.

"It has always been in my craw to do it," Selectman Oscar S. Mellion said. "He made a lot of contributions to our community and performed one of the first open heart surgeries ever at the sanitarium. I want the kids to know who this man is."

In other news, the board discussed finalizing sale of property at 58506 Allen St.

Gulotta said there are currently 42 like properties in the parish with 13 in the city limits.

"We spend a lot of money on these properties that we can't get back," Gulotta said.

The board also was assured that the property at 58268 Plaquemine St. would be finished tearing down.

Lastly, the board approved a liquor permit for Cypress Seafood House owned by Gregory B. Lewis.