NEW IBERIA, L.a. — Mayor Freddie DeCourt and the New Iberia City Council took their Monday meeting mobile via a trolley tour.
The goal? To see which areas within the city's six districts are making progress, and which still need improvement, according to the mayor.
"It's one thing for council members to sit at a desk and talk about their issues, it's a whole other thing when you can go see it firsthand as a group," the mayor said. "I've asked the council members to show me or their fellow council members three things in their district that need help, and three things that are working."
District 1 city councilwoman Brooke Scelfo Marcotte shared with KATC some of what she would be showing the mayor ahead of the trip.
"We have drainage and sewer issues that we are working on, everything's in the planning process right now, so we are working on these things," she said. "One great thing about our district is we have a brand new park on Santiago street."
Still, residents spoke with KATC to share their biggest concerns.
"To me, I say it's dangerous, period, it's really not safe at all," said Deneisha Parker, who grew up in the city and still takes her kids to the park there.
Thelma Guy and her daughter Ella Lumpkin are lifelong residents. They said things have changed a lot over time.
"Violence, guns for number one, children be playing on the streets, they go to school and they got guns in school," Guy said. "Kids can't be playing in the park, they disturbing the peace fighting, you're in your yard, they're breaking in the house, they're stealing, stealing people's stuff out their car."
Those with the city noted this is a major reason to hop aboard the trolley. Still, many of the people KATC spoke with said they could appreciate the effort of a trolley tour.
Guy and Lumpkin said while they believe the city is doing what it can to be proactive and while they love where they live, they still have their fears.
"I fear for everybody I fear for my own self too," Guy said. "I ain't gonna lie to you, it's just when you go to church, you've got to sit with your back to the door, you've got to sit close to the door, it's just you don't know who's bringing a gun."
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