Article Image Alt Text

Councilwoman Terry Broussard said Gibson Street is a “hot spot” for illegal dumping.

Council members want to get tougher on trash, illegal dumping in city

This afternoon, you may decide to hop in the car for a Sunday drive through the city.
After all, there is plenty of nice scenery in Abbeville. Unfortunately, as some city officials recently pointed out, there are spots where people are creating the opposite effect.
“Right now,” Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. said, “we have more garbage, more rubbish, more tall weeds, more tires in ditches and more broken windows. You name it.”
During the regular City Council meeting on Sept. 7, Broussard said more people are approaching him, asking what can be done about the growing issue.
“I have had people talk to me,” Broussard said. “They ask me if we could do something.”
Broussard said it is worth the discussion to see if something more can be put in place to have more penalties for those residents who do not comply with city ordinances.
“As the council is the legislative body of the city,” Broussard said, “it is our responsibility to tweak and to strengthen ordinances when necessary.”
Councilwoman Terry Broussard, who has served as the chair of the ordinance committee since being elected to the city council in 2018, said a stronger stance has long been necessary.
“Litter and illegal dumping harms our neighborhoods and communities,” Councilwoman Broussard said after the meeting. “I have been working hard to clean up my District. It is frustrating that individuals have no respect for themselves or our community. I receive calls often, from
concerned citizens who maintain clean property but are suffering from others dumping illegally near their homes. It is against the law, and violators have no regard for residents or property.
“We work to clean one area, and a new pile appears. It’s exhausting.”
The city does exhaust all appropriate, legal steps as it enforces ordinances for blight and trash, something Councilman Broussard said can be a time-consuming process.
“Good neighbors can get tired of waiting,” he said.
Again, Councilman Broussard said updates should be considered.
“The ordinances we (currently) have probably worked well in 1972,” he said. “That is not society today. Let’s see what we can come up with that’s legal, proper and being done elsewhere. Let’s do something that can lead to more compliance.”
City Attorney Ike Funderburk said increasing fines could be an option. Funderburk said he will review the ordinances and bring them back to the council during an ordinance committee meeting. Councilman Broussard said he hopes this new discussion can lead to significant improvement.
“It is bad in some areas,” he said. “Our good citizens don’t deserve that.”

Vermilion Today

Abbeville Meridional

318 N. Main St.
Abbeville, LA 70510
Phone: 337-893-4223
Fax: 337-898-9022

The Kaplan Herald

219 North Cushing Avenue
Kaplan, LA 70548

The Gueydan Journal

311 Main Street
Gueydan, LA 70542