Tensions ran high during a city council meeting in Lake Arthur on Wednesday.
One lifelong resident, Evelyn Robinson was asked to leave the meeting after voicing her concerns over the condition of the Martin Luther King Park on the town's West-end.
"You promised it would be equal and everybody would be treated fairly" Robinson said to the council. "We don't get nothing, but leftovers from up here."
Robinson is one of several residents in Lake Arthur calling on city officials to bring MLK Park up to par with modern upgrades like the ones located in Lake Arthur Park.
"We're tax payers just like everybody else," Robinson said. "And as for you Poncho, you said your door would be open 24 hours a day and no, you don't know nothing because you're never in the office. Your wife is running everything."
According to Lake Arthur's Mayor, Sampson "Poncho" LeJeune, a $225-thousand-dollar grant was used to enhance both MLK and Lake Arthur Parks. He also said funding and manpower is scarce.
"The paint, yes it does need to be painted," Lejeune said. "The concession stands they're in horrible condition, we'll probably have to remove them."
Robinson is not the only resident who spoke before the council on Wednesday.
Ronchella Turner also took the stand.
"There is no water fountain in the park," Turner said. "The kids have to drink from a open faucet, and when you open the faucet, there's not a stream of water, it's a gush of water, the kids get soaked and wet just trying to get water."
LeJeune announced while some changes are in the works, everything cannot be upgraded.
"The restrooms, we got a quote from a plumbing company to replace the toilets and the lavatories in both bathrooms," LeJeune said. "We're waiting on that and the cover for the basketball court, again...funding. We gotta have money to do it."
Robinson and several other council meeting attendees told me they look forward to receiving an intemized invoice from LeJeune, indicating how grant funders were dispersed at the MLK Park during his time in office.
