PJ mulls election for road millage

ELTON - The Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury is considering calling a special election to impose an additional millage to maintain roads.

The roads that would be affected by the tax are located in District 9, which is located in the Elton area.

Dist. 9 Police Juror Curt Guillory said the Finance Committee has made a request to gather information on calling a special election in Road District 11 in 2019.

“At this point in time, I am already down to nothing,” Guillory said. “If we don’t do something soon, the infrastructure in the district is going to really suffer.”

He said currently every district in the parish has a road tax, but that over the years Dist. 9 has never chosen to ask voters for an additional tax to help with maintenance of roads in the area.

Guillory said over 80 miles of gravel road is currently being maintained in the district with a budget of around $93,000 each year.

“That is not enough money to maintain the gravel road, clear the ditches and mow the grass,” he said. “Ninetythousand dollars doesn’t last that long in today’s economy.”

He recommends an additional $50,000 be collected each year to maintain the roads.

In other police jury news, a motion was passed authorizing the jury to seek request for proposals for the Andrus Cove Cemetery Road Bridge Replacement Project. The plans include replacing the old bridge using new tank-car culverts. This’ is part of the blacktop improvement project scheduled for La. 26 to Trailer Town Road in the Lake Arthur area.

The funds for the bridge replacement project will come from the parish’s sales tax fund, according to the proposal. The blacktop improvement project will be paid for by Columbia Gulf, a company that used the roadway during a pipeline installation project.