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Abbeville residents can now visit a painted obstacle course at the Vermilion Parish Library.
Mandy Armentor, LSU AgCenter regional coordinator and area nutrition agent, and Anna Barras, LSU AgCenter nutrition educator, saw an opportunity to help keep Vermilion residents active during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Vermilion Parish Library system has been one of our long-standing partners, but we didn’t get to do our normal summer programming this year due to COVID-19,” Armentor said. “We know that people are still looking for ways to be active with their kids and figured this would be a great opportunity to offer free and fun physical activity for our community.”
The obstacle course features colorfully painted designs that indicate where visitors should zigzag, hop, spin, jump, balance and march. Armentor and Barras also stenciled a “mirror me” game that allows children to mirror a partner’s dance steps.
“Children in our area already use our parking lot to ride bikes, so we knew there would be kids around to use the play space once it was painted on the sidewalk,” said Sue Trahan, a librarian for the Vermilion Parish Library. “I have heard positive feedback from patrons who have come by to drop off books in our book drop and have seen the obstacle course. One family came back just to let her kids run through it a couple of times besides the times she has come by to drop off books.”
The main library branch is located in a limited-resource neighborhood where most parents both work and the children come to the branch during the day to hang out, Trahan said.
Since the library has been closed to the public for most of the year, staffers jumped at the opportunity to offer the community some sort of outside activity at their branches.
“It’s so important for families to be active together, especially with kids having less access their normal activities that keep them moving,” said Jessica Stroope, AgCenter physical activity specialist. “Keeping active helps improve concentration, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve overall moods.”
The temporary play space can be accessed at the library at 405 E. St Victor St. in Abbeville. Even though the branch building is closed to the public right now, patrons are encouraged to visit the obstacle course for some physical activity while arranging drop off or pick up of library items.
To learn more about this painted play space, contact Armentor at marmentor@agcenter.lsu.edu.

For the past several years, Abbeville officials have made it a common practice to hold a meeting to review the city’s finances after the first six months of the year.
In 2020, the first half of the year has looked anything but common.
Still, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some aspects of the financial report that mirror past years. Steven Moosa, a CPA with Darnall, Sikes & Frederick, updated the City Council during a finance committee meeting on Aug. 4.
“We look at the first six months in a year,” Moosa said, “to get an idea of where we are running.”
Sales tax revenue is running a bit ahead of ‘19. When including the half-cent sales tax passed by voters in ‘19 to provide raises for employees, sales tax collection has totaled $2.47 million so far this year. That is ahead of the $2.1 million budgeted for the first half of this year. Take away the $706,000 the half-cent sales tax has generated for raises, and sales tax revenue is around $1.76 million.
“That is comparable to last year,” Moosa said. “We’re just over budget by about 2% from last year, not counting the new half-cent sales tax.
“Our sales tax revenue has stayed steady for the first six months of the year.”
The new tax has served its purpose well in covering raises given in January to members of the Abbeville Police Department, the Abbeville Fire Department and municipal employees. Of the nearly $800,000 brought in by the tax, going back to the fourth quarter of ‘19, the city has used $555,000 for raises and expenses related to those raises during the first half of this year.
“We have an excess of $244,000 in that fund,” Moosa said. “That was anticipated. We know over the years we will have raises and inflation. Costs will go up. We anticipated covering that for at least the first 15 years.
“It’s working out pretty close to what we projected.”
Other revenues have not quite met projections. Water revenue is at $929,377, against a budget of $937,500. However, it is up $27,000 versus the first six months of ‘19. Sewer revenues are around 1% under budget.
Electrical revenues have been most impacted. At $1,754,561 collected, electrical revenues are $270,439 less than what the city budgeted. That is also $121,010 short of what was collected during the first half of last year.
“Demand has been down,” Moosa said. “That has been a trend in the past four years. Our demand is down 11%, but our revenue is only down 6%. We have made adjustments.”
Moosa said electrical revenues will be closely monitored as the year progresses.
“Usually July and August are your hotter months,” Moosa said. “We should catch up a little bit. I’m not sure if we will catch up all the way.”
Moosa said with the way this year has brought so much uncertainty, the first half the of the year for Abbeville is not that bad.
“There were some pleasant surprises,” Moosa said. “Expenses have been held in check. Sales tax has been flat. We will continue to monitor that. Those are hard to predict. July was actually up, so we hope that continues.”
Mayor Mark Piazza said the city will continue to monitor spending.
“We have to monitor overtime and budget spending very, very closely,” Piazza said.
Councilman Francis Touchet Jr., who chairs the finance committee, could not attend the meeting on Aug. 4. He did say in a message prior to the meeting that the city will indeed keep a close eye on finances, and make proper adjustments where needed.
“We are needing to watch the next quarter,” Touchet said. “Sales tax may drop due to the uncertainty of school openings and unemployment amounts dropping. We can always cut back on projects for capital improvements but are obligated to employee raises.
“We as a team will monitor and get through this trying time.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Farmer (Betty Gary) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Monday, August 10. Married in 1970, the couple have two children, Dodie Albert and Brandon Farmer, six grandchildren, Drea, Demi, Dawson, Kinley, Gage and Kade and two great grandchildren, Tyler and Triston. The couple celebrated with family and friends.

The Vermilion Parish School Board voted 8-0 to name North Vermilion Principal Tommy Byler as the new superintendent.
Byler beat out interim superintendent Brad Prudhomme and assistant superintendent Paul Hebert.
The school board also named Byler as the interim superintendent until he and the school board agree on Byler’s contract.
During the interview process on Monday, school board member Dale Stelly asked Byler and the other two candidates why they wanted to be the new superintendent with the COVID-19 problems.
Byler said, “Mr. Dale, it is the time, and it is the opportunity. The pandemic, at some point, will go away. I feel like tonight is about selecting the best leader. After the past few years, we need a leader who will put the school system back on track.”
Byler thanked the school board members for taking “Step One,” which he said was the first step to “Vermilion, United.” He said by voting 8-0, it gives him hope that Vermilion Parish is beginning to unite.
“We have to get all hands on deck because we have 14 days (to the start of school),” Byler said.
Byler said he is not worried about going to work without a contract because the school system needs to hurry and get the children ready to start school. on Aug. 27. He plans to be at the central office this week.
He also told the board members that there would be times when they would disagree with him and vice versa, but as long as the school board puts the children first, “It is a win-win for Vermilion Parish.”