LAFAYETTE PARISH — The Lafayette City-Parish Council will meet this Tuesday, with several important agenda items up for discussion. Here's a breakdown of the key items:
LCG Funds for MLK Recreation Center
The council will discuss a proposal to use $1.4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Disaster Recovery Program. The funds will be used to upgrade the MLK Recreation Center, transforming it into a capacity hub for emergency use during and after major storms.
School Resource Officers for Lafayette Renaissance Charter Schools
The council will consider the hiring of school resource officers for Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy, Lafayette Renaissance Charter Middle School, and Lafayette Renaissance Charter High School. These officers will be POST-certified deputy marshals. The Lafayette City Marshals and Foundation will assist with costs and training.
Transfer of Funds for Traffic and Pavement Projects
A transfer of $250,000 will be discussed from the traffic signals upgrade account to the pavement markings account within the Traffic, Roads, and Bridges Department to provide additional funding for ongoing projects.
Opioid Health Crisis Response
The state of Louisiana has reached an agreement with pharmaceutical distributors and producers as part of the national opioid settlement. Lafayette Parish will receive funds from this settlement through the Opioid Abatement Task Force. The City-Parish Government is allocating $434,576 from these funds to support opioid remediation efforts. Of this, $333,900 will go to the 15th Judicial District Court for operating expenses related to opioid abatement, while $100,676 will be directed to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for a study on the impact of the opioid crisis on the local criminal justice system.
