Town of Newellton gains control of gas line

The Town of St. Joseph called a special meeting at 8 a.m. on May 1.
All members of the Board of Aldermen were present.  
On the agenda was Resolution 15-324, which authorizes the Mayor to approve the application for emergency funding for urgent water system repairs.  
At the April 20 meeting, Mayor Edward Brown stated that the emergency funds were “very close”,  and that he had contacted Denman Engineering to visit St. Joseph and give an estimate of cost for emergency repairs.  
The mayor said that an estimate was given in the amount of $260,000 to replace 2,500 feet of pipe, and that the Legislative Auditor informed him that the audit was not the cause of money not being received yet.
In Friday’s meeting, Mayor Brown stated that the application for emergency funding had been sent to Senator Thompson by Denman Engineering, but that it had not been signed, nor had it been approved by the Board of Alderman.    He had signed the application on Wednesday while in Baton Rouge.
The Mayor and Aldermen then went into executive session to discuss legal matters.  
Mayor Brown did not wish to discuss the matter, but stated that it dealt with the joint gas line, and that it had been turned over to the town’s attorney.
The Joint Gas Line is a shared account between the towns of Newellton and St. Joseph.  Gas is provided by Locust Ridge Gas Company, however the contract ended on Friday.   
A Preliminary Default was entered against the Town of St. Joseph on March 6.
As of Friday morning at 7 a.m., gas service had been interrupted to the town.  
A temporary restraining order was signed on Thursday authorizing the closure of the gas valve to St. Joseph, and prohibiting it from being re-opened until a new contract could be entered into.  Control of the valve located in St. Joseph was granted to the Town of Newellton until St. Joseph obtains service from  a gas provider.
It prohibits  any contracts being entered on behalf of Newellton, and prohibits St. Joseph from expending any funds belonging to Newellton.
An injunction was issued, a certified public account is to review the finances of the Joint Line for the past five years, any misappropriated funds over the past five years are to be reimbursed to Newellton, and the Towns’ joint bank account is to be dissolved.  The Town of Newellton’s share of the bank account is to be returned to its possession.

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