St. Martinville – The St. Martin Parish Council’s Public Works Committee was told about a grant program that can help local governments, schools and other facilities reduce the costs of their utilities through the Energy Efficiency Grant Program.
Mary Beaullieu, who works in Public Service Commissioner Jean-Paul P. Coussan’s District 2 office, told the committee that the program helps those groups “reduce their energy costs, upgrade equipment and reinvest those savings back into your community.”
To qualify, the entity must receive service of Entergy or Cleco.
“Through this program, qualifying entities can receive grant funding at no cost to you guys for energy saving projects, whether it be lighting retrofits, HVAC replacements, building controls, boilers, heaters in schools or buildings, all of the above,” Beaullieu said. “The projects are funded directly through … energy efficiency programs that have been approved by the commission and implemented in partnership with your local utility providers.”
She added that since she has been working with the program in District, 2, $2.2 million has been awarded in St. Martin Parish.
“It’s an incredible investment that has helped local facilities cut their energy rates, save money and lead by example for sustainability and responsible government,” Beaullieu said.
Application deadline for 2026 is Jan, 31, she told the parish council members.
St. Martin Parish Director of Administration Raymond Bernard Jr. said work has been started on applications for four buildings in the parish including the Breaux Bridge agricultural building, Breaux Bridge Fire Station and the Coteau Holmes Recreation Building and basketball courts.
Community recognition
Wilbert Ledet Jr., founder and president of Ledet Legacy Foundation spoke to the Public Works Committee about the work his non-profit foundation has done in “honoring and preserving our community history with the continued support of the firstever Black family business historical site, the Promised Land Community.”
Ledet thanked several people for their help in getting recognition for the community, located in Parks, including the late Sydnie Mae Durand, who served three terms on the St. Martin Parish Police Jury and served as its first female president. She also was the first woman elected to represent District 46 as a State Representative. While on the Police Jury she helped rename the street next to the site of a historical marker for the community as “Promiseland Drive.”
Audit
The community’s name was adopted in the 1950s. The family business opened by Wilbert Ledet Sr., a veteran of World War II and wife Mildred Charles Ledet, included a dance hall and grocery store catering to the community that was founded by former slaves.
“The dance hall featured many great musical artists such as Clifton Chenier, Rockin Dopsie, Barbara Lynn, Patrick Henry, Corey ‘Lil Pop’ Ledet, J Paul Jr., Roi Anthony, Tucka, Oscar Narcisse and the Dew Droppers and Fernest and The Thunders,” Ledet Jr. said.
The facility, named PB Dee’s Club Valentine Hall, is a multi-purpose club used for meetings, dances, parties and festivals, he said, with a historical marker outside the building noting it as the first familybusiness landmark sign in St. Martin Parish.
Ledet asked the council to consider three recommendations from his foundation.
The first was to have a public proclamation as the first Black family business landmark site in the parish.
The second was to request financial assistance for economic development and tourism for the site.
The third was to have a bust of his late parents placed at the historical landmark site, depicting their contribution to a disadvantaged and underprivileged community.
Council Chairman Chris Tauzin said the parish could not use public funds for any private entity, including a non-profit, but that the council could offer help in finding funds for the project through advertising for fundraising events or finding sponsors for such events. He also said that Parish President Pete Delcambre could answer questions about whether the administration could help with those projects.
Delcambre said he would ask the parish legal counsel to look into what the parish government could do within the letter of the law.
Ledet said he has a grant writer and his foundation has applied for several grants, but lost a $100,000 grant with the current president’s administration cutting out many programs and grants nationally.
Tauzin also suggested that Ledet speak to Parish Councilwoman Tangie Narcisse, whose district includes the Promised Land community. Narcisse was one of several council members who missed this past week’s committee meetings.
Other business
The council discussed submission of applications for capital outlay for municipalities within the parish, hearing from Parish President Pete Delcambre that such projects would be assigned to those municipalities, and that the town or city would have to apply for the project and be responsible for matching funds as well as managing the funds.
The Public Woks Committee considered the adoption of a resolution for a change order for a $267,198.54 decrease on the Dupuis Road Improvements Project by Elliott Construction.
The Administrative/ Finance Committee considered adoption of an ordinance amending the parish government pay scale, which was taken because some lower level pay scale jobs are no longer filled as employees have moved into higher pay scale levels.
