– Mary Desormeaux of the St. Martinville Chamber of Commerce received permission from the St. Martinville City Council to commission and post three signs in the city directing visitors to nearby points of interest in the city.
Desormeaux said she would like to post three “way signs” in the city, one on the north end of town, one on the south end and one along Evangeline Boulevard near the city’s municipal offices and museums.
“A couple of them might have some of the same destination points, but it’s going to be like the City Hall, the museums, Oak Park, the Sheriff’s Department, the courthouse, the state park, Magnolia Park, Adam Carlson (Park), just in general, public grounds,” she said.
Signs
All would be pointing the way to public points, and none would list any businesses, she said. The one on the south side might list nearby Adam Carlson Park first, whereas the one on the north end might list Magnolia Park first, and the one in the center of town might point to City Hall or one of the nearby museums first on the list of nearby sights, she said.
The specific design has not been finished yet, but because the three signs will match, she plans to have them attached to one post rather than to two, because of the narrow area available on Evangeline Boulevard near Main Street to place such a sign.
Desormeaux said she favors a green sign with gold trim and gold writing and to have the signs lighted. She also would like to have a cutout or silhouette of an oak tree and the Evangeline statue on the signs as a symbol of the city.
City Councilman Brad Horton said he would not want the signs to look like traffic signs. Desormeaux said they would not, and added that she wanted the signs to have a historical appearance rather than look contemporary or modern.
“We’re shooting for the stars here,” she said. “I need to start reaching out to experts that can build this for us and produce them, but I’m here to ask if we could have permission to place the there signs.”
The one on the boulevard would be on city property. The other two would likely be on private property with the owners’ permission.
Desormeaux said the Chamber applied for and received a grant for the signs, and received a large donation for the project as well.
No timetable is set for the placement of the signs but Desormeaux said she would like to wait until work on the sidewalk and street light project currently going on Main Street is complete so that the signs do not interfere in that work.
She also asked for permission to post an anti-littering project on the outside of the fence of the mini-park across Main Street from St. Martinville Senior High, but Horton said the city is working on something for the Tiny Tots Park there and suggested possibly using the small open area nearby but also along Main Street across from the high school, where political signs are often posted during election season.
Mayor Jason Willis said research would need to be done on who owns that property to see if it could be used, with possibly the school board owning the property.
Desormeaux said that the welding students at the St. Martin College and Career Readiness Center could fabricate the “W-H-Y” letters for the project, which would be for people to put litter into.
She also asked for the city if there is a way to frame the signs on the edges of the city listing it as Gov. Jeff Landry’s hometown because they are becoming faded and do not look as nice as they once did. The mayor asked her to look into finding someone who could make such a frame and let the city know the cost.
Christmas parade
Councilman George Choplin asked the city council to support the St. Martinville Christmas Parade by purchasing tickets for a hot links/ chips/soft drink meal to raise funds for security for the Christmas Parade.
Choplin, 77, said this is the final parade he will head and has chosen Corey Mills as his successor because he is younger, energetic and has the same passion for the parade.
The parade will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13.
SMSH Homecoming Cornell Zeno of the St. Martinville Senior High Alumni Association received permission from the city council for the group to hold homecoming activities in October in conjunction with the event at the school.
Plans are for a homecoming parade on Oct. 11 in conjunction with the school’s seniors and their parents, followed by the Fall Festival at Magnolia Park from 2-6 p.m.
Tiger Fun Day is set the following Friday, Oct. 16, at Magnolia Park, from 2-6 p.m.
Senior cheerleader Chloe Fontenette asked the council to look into lowering the cost for security for the parade since it is a school event for students. The mayor said the city would look into a way to reduce the costs.
In other business
Planning & Zoning Director Otis Chatman updated the council on nuisance property at 725 N. Martin Luther King Drive, which has not been worked on after the owner was granted a month to make progress on clearing the property.
No work has been done on the property, Chatman said, and a citation was issued, but a new citation will have to be issued by police because the incorrect city ordinance was cited in the first citation.
The council approved moving forward with the nuisance abatement process.
New city Culture and Tourism director Michelle Broussard informed the council about upcoming events in the city, including:
• Love Our Waterways cleanup along the bayou from the police department to the old boat landing this weekend;
• a Citywide garage sale on Oct. 3 from 7 a.m. to noon, on Evangeline Boulevard from Catfish Alley to Main Street on the church side of the boulevard;
• a Cancer Walk on Oct. 17 beginning at 9 a.m. from Gary Street, along Main and ending at New Market Street;
• the Creole Festival at Magnolia Park on Oct. 17;
• an Art Walk on
(Chris
Oct. 24 handled by the Main Street Association, with participation from St. Martinville Senior High and the St. Martin STEAM Academy, and including music by Chubby Carrier;
• and Trunk or Treat on New Market Street in front of City Hall and the museums, from 2-6 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Broussard also said a beautification program for Evangeline Boulevard started by Horton has raised $16,000 of the goal of $25,000.
