CROWLEY - Tuesday’s City Council meeting had a somewhat surreal feeling to it with Mayor Greg Jones absent for the first time since taking office. The Mayor absence was due to the death of his father, Don Jones. who passed away Sunday afternoon.

However, Mayor Pro-Temp Steven Premeaux stepped up to the plate and handled matters just fine. He began the meeting by offering a moment of silence for the family of Mayor Jones.

The council then got down to business.

In what was probably the most important item on the agenda, the council set a date for the replacement of the bridge on South Avenue H. The bridge has been a source of tension and has been the subject of debate prior to elections. However, now that it seems all the red tape has been cut through, City Engineer Tim Mader was quite happy to announce a date for the opening of the bids.

“The date for the opening of the bids will be November 13,” said Mader to a happy council.

The Avenue H bridge had been shut down for many years causing many residents in the area to complain about the extra time it took for them to take a detour. However, after Tuesday night’s meeting they can rest assured that the project will begin next month.

In other business, the council renewed beer and liquor licenses to several businesses in Crowley including Express 90, Club 90, the Crowley Town Club, Bayou Bend Country Club and the China Dragon Buffet.

In what had been an ongoing matter over the past few months, the condemnation of the home located at 605 West Hutchinson Ave. seems to have finally begun to progress. The property belonged to Eugene and Laura Trahan. Eugene Trahan is now deceased and had several heirs making it difficult to determine who had control of the property. During last month’s meeting the council said that a lawyer should be appointed to settle the dispute. The home has been described as ‘dilapidated, unsafe and without electricity’ by City Inspector Danny Hebert during the last several meetings.

However, one of the Trahan’s grandchildren, Laura Guillory, approached the council with attorney Glen Howie and asked that the condemnations proceed. She obviously had the respect of Hebert and members of the council who had grown frustrated with the homes occupant, Henry Solomon who apparently left the home uncared for and also let people stay in the house when he wasn’t living there.

Howie simply asked Guillory one question.

“Do you believe it is the best interest to tear the home down?” to which she replied ‘yes.’

“I’d like to give her 90 days to get the job done,” said Hebert. “She is a lady of her word.”

“This home was a liability waiting to happen and I applaud you for stepping up,” added Alderman Vernon ‘Step’ Martin.

During the Revenue and Finance Committee’s report, the council agreed to defer to Mayor Jones to enter an agreement with Fee Recovery Service to assist with the collection of delinquent accounts.

Also, the council agreed to allow Mack Air Helicopters to offer helicopter rides during the Rice Festival.

In one of the meeting’s lighter moments, when City Engineer Tim Mader was asked if he had a report Mader replied “I’d just like to say that the aura of your presence in that chair is overwhelming” amusing those in attendance.

Prior to the meeting adjourning, Alderwoman Kitty Valdetero told Premeaux “that she just wanted to say he (Premeaux) did a great job.”

The next city council meeting will be Tuesday, November 13.