ST. JOSEPH, La. (AP) - The town of St. Joseph has taken steps that Gov. John Bel Edwards says are needed to get some money quickly to start fixing an aging system that produces murky brown tapwater, Mayor Edward Brown said Monday.
He said the Board of Aldermen voted Monday to ask Tensas Parish to take over administering the town’s grant money. He says now it’s up to the parish to decide whether to accept.
St. Joseph has been awarded $310,000 in emergency grants, but can’t get the money because of audit troubles.
“Hopefully, if the state can remain solvent, I guess we’ll hope to see some progress in the near future,” Brown said. “It’s a tough matter in Baton Rouge right now coming up with money.”
The Legislature is in a special session to try to eliminate $850 million to $950 million gap in the $25 billion budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30 and a more than $2 billion shortfall next year.
Edwards said Brown also needs to get records to the auditors. Brown said he emailed the auditors to ask what they need.
Repairs to the water treatment plant and water pipes are estimated at $6.6 million, with $1.2 million needed for the first phase.
Brown said he also took two other steps called for by the governor.
One is asking Community Development Block Grant administrators to change a request for $25,000 to buy grass-cutting equipment to one for water repairs. The other is asking the commissioner of administration to speed up $600,000 in state construction money for the project.
Edwards said health department tests have repeatedly shown that the brown tapwater is not an immediate health or safety risk.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.