Parks — The light at the end of a long tunnel grew a little brighter when the Parks Village Council met for the final time in 2025.
Mayor Kevin Kately told the council that progress on the new water well is moving forward. He said engineer Adam Thibodaux informed him that final state approval for the project is expected within the next couple of weeks.
“If everything goes as planned and we receive that sign-off from the state, we can start digging the well in February,” Kately said. “This project has been a long time coming and will help our community by improving our ability to serve the public.”
The well update was one of several items on the council’s year-end agenda. Another key topic was the village’s annual audit report, which brought more good news.
“It came back satisfactory,” Kately reported proudly. “We’re definitely stable. Last year, we received a significant amount of grant funding, and I’ve already applied for four more grants. I expect there will be even more opportunities next year.”
Three of those grants include two requests— one for $1.5 million and another for $1 million— to support the water well project, along with a $465,000 grant to repair and upgrade the lift station.
“We’ll continue applying for grants,” Kately said. “Even if just one or two come through, it allows us to provide better service to our community.”
Kately also addressed what he described as “Facebook Gangsters” people who criticize the village on social media instead of reporting problems directly.
“They complain that we’re not responding to issues, but they don’t call the office to tell me what’s going on,” the mayor said. “I’ve always had an opendoor policy during my eleven years as mayor. Call me, or call the office, and let us know how we can help. Don’t just post about it on social media because I might not see it for a couple of days - and then I can’t fix it.”
Many of the complaints, he added, concern water quality, particularly when residents notice brown water.
“If you let us know, we can flush the system and take care of it,” Kately explained. “But the truth is, every water system in the country experiences this from time to time. It’s just part of how these systems work - especially for those who live farther from the treatment plant or well.”
With no further business, the council adjourned until January.
