Abbeville City Council holds special meeting

During a special meeting Thursday morning, members of the Abbeville City Council voted to declare a state of emergency to allow city officials to better maneuver amid the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis.
The council also confirmed during the meeting that the city will have to continue to disconnect utilities for nonpayment, as utilities are vital to the city’s finances. Mayor Mark Piazza will look at disconnects on a case-by-case basis. The council also approved a waiver of the disconnect fee and late fee, which will be monitored month to month.
Among the things that the emergency declaration allows is suspending compliance with applicable city ordinances and the public bid law.
Two positive cases of COVID-19 have been found in Lafayette, with another announced in St. Landry Parish Thursday morning.
“There have been no further directives from Baton Rouge or the governor’s office,” Piazza said during the meeting, “other than the ones that have already been implemented, like the closure of (dining inside) restaurants and things like that.”
Piazza said he did take part in a conference call with mayors from municipalities that are part of the Louisiana Energy and Power Authority (LEPA), of which Abbeville is a member. Other members of LEPA are Alexandria, Houma, Jonesville, Kaplan, Lafayette, Minden, Morgan City, Natchitoches, New Roads, Plaquemine, Rayne, St. Martinville, Vidalia, Vinton, Welsh and Winnfield. One of the major topics on the conference call centered on disconnecting utilities for nonpayment. Piazza said Lafayette and Houma announced that services would not be cut for nonpayment.
“It seems the consensus among the smaller municipalities,” Piazza said, “like Abbeville, we don’t have the luxury or surplus to allow customers not to pay their bills. If we don’t collect these bills, then we won’t be able to pay our firemen and police officers.
“That would be a bigger crisis for us.”
Again, Piazza said the city will work with certain situations, such as the elderly who are on fixed incomes and only receive a check once a month.
Piazza said the city may be able to qualify for federal funds to recoup losses. To operate on that assumption would be a burden to the city.
“We may qualify for FEMA funds down the road,” Piazza said, “but we don’t know that today. We have to make decisions based on what we know today.
“What we know is that if we don’t collect, it will be a burden to our finances.”
“We want to be able to pay our bills and continue city services for citizens,” Piazza added.
Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. agreed.
“We have a fiduciary responsibility,” Broussard said. “We have to keep this city running.”
Piazza also said that he spoke to Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory Thursday morning regarding guidelines for testing of COVID-19. Drive-through testing is taking place at the Cajundome.
“They do not want everyone to run to the Cajundome because they feel bad or have a fever,” Piazza said.
Anyone who believes they need to be tested is asked to first contact his or her primary care physician.
“They will tell you what you need to do,” Piazza said. “They will screen you and tell you what you need to do.”
For those who do not have a primary care provider, Piazza said they could call the 311 emergency hotline.
“Someone will answer your questions and screen you over the phone,” Piazza said. “That is available to every parish in Acadiana, not just Lafayette Parish.”