From a story by JOHN MCMILLAN
Advocate River parishes bureau
Published: Apr 25, 2007 - Page: 5b
GONZALES — The Ascension Council’s Strategic Planning Committee plans to call for a special meeting to allow the council to vote on an edited copy of a proposed drainage ordinance.
The committee appointed a subcommittee to study elevation benchmarks in Ascension after hearing from surveyor Willard Cointment that current benchmarks are invalid. A benchmark where La. 935 and La. 22 intersect indicates an elevation of 4 feet above sea level, when in reality, the elevation is 7 and nine-tenths feet. “We can live with a few inches, but 3.9 feet is unacceptable,” Cointment said. “We need reasonable assurance that houses won’t get water in them,” he said. Surveyors’ benchmarks are used, among other things, to determine the height above sea level to build new houses in order to reduce the likelihood the residences would be damaged by flooding. “Are you telling me the benchmarks we spent one-half million dollars on are worthless?” Councilman Jared Beiriger asked. “Yes,” Cointment replied. Schexnaydre appointed a committee composed of himself, Cointment, Beiriger, Councilman Jerry Savoy and Director Bob Turner of the Department of Public Works to study the benchmark situation in the parish. The full story may be purchased at this link.