[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6474019,"mediaKeyId","5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8","parentId",5742742,"title","Alderman raises concerns about Crowley fire response; city attorney advises against executive session","audioSeconds",385,"startMs",4585000,"endMs",4970000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8&start=4585&end=4970","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8/thumbnail_4585000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6474019/Crowley/Acadia-Parish/Louisiana/Alderman-raises-concerns-about-Crowley-fire-response-city-attorney-advises-against-executive-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474019-666a8eb82d2ff74c4b0c717af4f4eee6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773590970&Signature=K8DEUCcGrm4qGiCqqmS-noRBIcXPVXiaUTd0V1R-ElTEAtJVUbFVIGmNrMuis2JBnKAzYOsnS8GF3vTczoHPepIhcK5B8xYoDfjGSSPROHVRfyGYAKYG4VH91G4GDVKIumbwwh0yj8z6a0xzsIz4amHbRWrYZS6T8jmWij1MobXuOSy6Jtw~DrXO1WmKUGdE67UWi~F~l0T9YG-aGrOiLfWGNi3jpUjrE8OsqxP8OtrVHg9btA13KoG~oHh0P2CNgWaO8WC5G05mCw2cQDRRrDbrnKLMjzd4OjSpJl5xT4T~D~uM2sJ37nbK-5ZzUyUdLYWqjfeonor~Tg4JNC38VQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Crowley","date","2025-09-09T21:07:55Z","article","Alderman Martin publicly questioned the Crowley Fire Department’s response to a recent structure fire at 909 North Avenue A, saying residents witnessed problems with hose hookups and apparent equipment issues during the incident.

Martin asked for discussion at the Sept. 9 public safety committee meeting and said he had multiple eyewitnesses to aspects of the response. ‘‘There was a delay,’’ Martin said in committee comments, citing the apparatus narratives in the department’s written report and raising concern about a service engine that had been assigned on a prior call.

Fire leadership provided a written incident narrative and multiple apparatus‑level statements to the committee. In those narratives Captain Brian Quibidon, Driver Murphy and firefighter Austin McCarty described arriving to heavy smoke and fire, deploying a charged 1 3/4‑inch hand line and a 2 1/2‑inch supply line tied to a hydrant, conducting an interior attack, rotating air cylinders when low‑air alarms sounded, and performing overhaul and ventilation while the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s office investigated origin and cause. The department’s written summary reported that the first arriving engine reached the scene within 1 minute, 18 seconds of dispatch and that crews extinguished the porch and interior fire.

Martin said he believed the department’s recorded timestamps and on‑scene video would show slower performance; firefighters and the chief said dispatch and station timestamps show a rapid response and that water was flowing through appropriate lines. The written incident narratives explicitly state that Engine 20 was placed in pump, the hand line was charged and crews made an interior attack. The Fire Department reported contacting the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s office, which later determined the origin and cited overloaded electrical splitters used for air conditioners and other appliances as the cause.

Martin told the committee he had considered an executive‑session review of the incident but the city attorney, Michael Landry, advised that the typical exceptions allowing executive session (personnel competency, ongoing litigation or investigative strategy) were unlikely to apply in a way that would justify an executive meeting excluding the complainant. Landry explained that if the council were to evaluate the professional competence or conduct of a named employee in private it would carry notice and participation requirements and that litigation‑strategy exceptions normally require either a written claim or circumstances where confidentiality helps the city’s legal position. He also noted that even if an executive session were authorized, the council would need a two‑thirds vote to proceed.

The committee asked the department to supply the written incident report and the department said it would make the investigation materials available. No disciplinary actions or personnel decisions were announced at the meeting.

Ending: The committee heard the concerns, reviewed department narratives and received legal guidance on the limits of executive session; the department’s written materials and any available video or dispatch logs will inform any further council follow‑up but no formal action was taken at this meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Crowley Council Meeting - 09/092025","oneSentenceSummary","Alderman Martin questioned the Crowley Fire Department’s response to a recent house fire and alleged a delay and equipment problems; fire personnel gave detailed apparatus narratives and the city attorney advised the committee that executive session is unlikely to be appropriate.","taxTitle","Crowley, Acadia Parish, Louisiana","taxId",59860,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474024,"Crowley zoning committee denies conditional‑use request after residents object to commercial operations in single‑family area",1997,4935000,6932000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8&start=4935&end=6932","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8/thumbnail_4935000.jpg","/articles/6474024/Crowley/Acadia-Parish/Louisiana/Crowley-zoning-committee-denies-conditionaluse-request-after-residents-object-to-commercial-operations-in-singlefamily-area","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474024-8d9d8f4546a55db0e0aa81c7ef710e71/orig.mp4?Expires=1773590970&Signature=QD1~2r8UFyHmFVHC2QHLvFqZm4ti-Zfo3IvnLxZMqkmoGCuElZSc2q1m1jiYpkBPxzewj92DKFwUkB6jJnGKLENtBpQtOCcfVmltpVFD2MvRb7LzWYZQKfCahhCujQpv3EexMY8F5tjcHKr1EAYTEY6BMvcw5YubGm6wQ~p4ElA3DsCDkdHaLKBgV7T-zduALwfWvE1ByHLDmO7nsw3Eqpu86oFiGdHnX1rk5VhDh4upvMQUZRDakx1aSdNjHH50Fq0bGK2dwf14-jXE-IsOFHk48-wRuK6NmqihpzfIeyH0UZmLYSCFuZ3pU8I~vqWUXY-6gnsIgzg5DQne96V5CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Crowley Zoning and Annexation Committee voted on Sept. 9 to accept the Crowley Planning Commission’s recommendation and deny a conditional‑use request by Brandon Romero to relocate an office and use yard space near 718–715 East First Street in an R‑1/R‑3 transition area.

Chair Alderman Reggie moved to accept the planning commission’s unfavorable recommendation and the motion carried in committee, with what the clerk recorded as four votes in favor of denial and one opposing vote. “Any opposed? Mr. Martin opposes,” the clerk recorded, and the committee chair announced the tally: “We have 4 yeses and 1 no, so we will deny the conditional use permit.”

Romero, who has operated from the property since 1978 and described recent cleanup and maintenance to council members, asked the committee to permit an office across the street and parking for company vehicles. He told the committee he would not use the yard to store wrecked cars. “We’re applying to possibly move our office across the street, remodel the house that is there, and move our office there and use the yard pretty much for parking for our office staff, customers that come,” Romero said.

Dozens of neighbors and interested residents spoke during a public‑hearing‑style presentation at the committee. Speakers who opposed the request said the property sits inside or adjacent to long‑established single‑family fabric and historic neighborhoods and that commercial activity, tow‑truck operations and frequent heavy‑vehicle traffic would harm property values and public safety.

Sharon Core, a long‑time resident and vice chairman of the Crowley Historic District Commission, told the committee the location is within an R‑1 single‑family residential district and said the proposed use conflicts with the ordinance. “The proposed use does not align with this ordinance and should not be pursued through a variance, a conditional use, or a zoning change,” Core said. Several other residents cited traffic, noise from wreckers and the risk that permitting a business use would set a precedent for additional commercial operations in the neighborhood.

Other speakers urged the council to approve Romero’s request with conditions rather than deny it outright, noting that a conditional use permit allows the committee to impose restrictions. City resident and speaker Tony Crater argued a conditional‑use approval would let the council place binding stipulations; “If you vote yes, you get to put rules,” he said.

Committee members discussed whether the parcel is properly zoned for the requested use, whether the structure meets building‑code occupancy requirements and whether the planning and code enforcement staff had inspected utilities and setbacks. Planning and zoning staff said the applicant’s request had been reviewed by the Crowley Planning Commission, which recommended denial and sent the matter back to the council for final action. The committee also reviewed images and a timeline of the property’s use submitted by the applicant.

A separate conditional‑use matter on the same agenda — an application by Heather Kelly for permission to occupy an accessory building at 719 Huval Street as a residence — was tabled after staff advised that the property lacks a certificate of occupancy and that the certified building official (CBO) should review the structure for habitability and code compliance. The committee voted to table that request for further review.

What’s next: Zoning committee members noted that the committee’s vote is a recommendation to the full council; the full council will take a final vote at the next regular meeting. Staff said the Kelly matter will return after the CBO inspects the accessory structure and reports on utilities, setbacks and plan compliance.

Ending: The committee’s denial preserves the current single‑family zoning restrictions for the parcel pending the full council’s final action. The record shows a contested mix of long‑time residents seeking neighborhood preservation and a property owner seeking a regulated commercial use with stated conditions.","The Crowley zoning committee accepted the planning commission’s recommendation and denied a conditional‑use request by Brandon Romero to move an office and use yard space near East First Street after neighbor testimony raised concerns about traffic, noise and the impact on the historic single‑family neighborhood.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6474029,"Crowley faces multi‑million dollar wastewater upgrades after DEQ compliance order",2121,1238000,3359000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8&start=1238&end=3359","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5742742-e9748480b39821586a248ea8cb74e7e8/thumbnail_1238000.jpg","/articles/6474029/Crowley/Acadia-Parish/Louisiana/Crowley-faces-multimillion-dollar-wastewater-upgrades-after-DEQ-compliance-order","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6474029-d2622947e8910e1d262d9cd5b92080b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773590970&Signature=nn2Ts7gEaw9zaaHHcftRUIuQ86W63Nal~eWHUTwLzernK3Pg7QJPmWaUiOjYooORzQEV6xQB6lILSfuGDNx2LApKC6CEbIdMG45Mdju6Cm79D6-OSSPniFeE4reAaMReH8sIOST9hL6o~~1le60jn11TeNfx5DcnkB3V5vqt~W-r73oL6roc3u0dvLI3ulk5L~p8qnEa5Km1K77G2hug5TT1n9lDwjMQG2iFKCEJRukvxktkXbenxaahk5heXd1uEEX7LnMcxdX2DWRQS6D8--1L5bDLiWaIWxZvtHNOZtlrecG8FKdBonpyFWM8IayVSlh7shbHXMPz~qpCM7o59w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Engineer Tim Mader told the Crowley City Council’s utility committee on Sept. 9 that the state Department of Environmental Quality has issued a draft LPDES discharge permit and an amended compliance order that require a multi‑phase corrective plan of action for the city’s wastewater collection and treatment systems.

Mader said the draft permit is under public review and the city expects a new five‑year discharge permit by October. “We’re expecting by the October that the city would have its new discharge permit,” Mader said.

The nut of the problem, Mader said, is more stringent discharge limits — especially for ammonia nitrogen — that the city’s 20‑to‑25‑year‑old treatment components were not designed to meet. “Ammonia nitrogen used to be in our permit at the level of…5 parts per million. That’s been reduced to 0.8 parts per million,” Mader said, adding the plant cannot reliably meet the older limit and must be upgraded to meet the new one.

Mader described a five‑phase corrective plan the city submitted and which DEQ has incorporated into an amended compliance order (compliance order number referenced in committee materials as WEC2400685). That amended order requires quarterly progress reports documenting plan, timing, cost and funding efforts. “They want corrective action that will guarantee to them that we have a plan…a timetable…we know what it’s gonna cost, and we know where the funding’s gonna come from,” Mader said.

Work already budgeted or underway includes a Phase 1 renovation to cover the existing duckweed (Limna) pond with a modular insulated cover. Mader said the cost for that phase is about $1.8 million, funded by roughly $1 million in ARPA funds and $800,000 of city funds, and that fabrication of the insulated cover is already under contract and expected by year‑end.

Planned later phases target the East Marsh excavation and upgrades to the ammonia‑nitrogen reactor. Mader gave project estimates and funding paths discussed with staff: a $2.28 million estimated project to upgrade or duplicate the ammonia reactor (an application was submitted to the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant program, 2627 cycle, with a required local match estimated around $850,000); a larger insulated cover for the East Marsh estimated at roughly $3.5 million (funding source TBD); and options to build or expand detention basins or pump‑station capacity to prevent sewer system overflows (SSOs) tied to heavy rainfall.

Mader warned that the city’s total needs add up to nearly $17.8 million if the city must proceed through all phases. He said DEQ has given the city three to five years to achieve compliance and is not immediately fining the city while it responds and reports progress, but the amended order requires active quarterly reporting and progress on funding and construction plans. “We have nearly $18,000,000 of needs. We don’t have funds right now for more than about a third of that,” Mader said.

The compliance order addresses two related problems, Mader said: treatment plant performance and collection‑system overflows in heavy rain. He described measures the city has begun to reduce inflow and infiltration, notably a smoke‑testing program to identify public‑side defects that the city will repair and private‑side defects that will require code enforcement and owner cooperation. “Smoke testing has revealed public side leaks. Tim Crater’s operation is going to fix the public side leaks. Code enforcement has to deal with the private side,” Mader said. He said past grant efforts to fix private‑side defects were only partially accepted by homeowners and that the city may need enforcement options — including capping service — if owners refuse to remedy inflow sources.

City Wastewater Superintendent Tim Crater briefed the committee on plant equipment needs and recent outages. Crater said two pumps ordered to replace burned motor housings are expected in six to ten weeks and that the aeration motor at the plant burned and is being replaced. He described ongoing repairs at several pump stations and street patches tied to recent repairs.

Committee members pressed funding and programmatic questions. Multiple grant applications are in process or under review, Mader said, including applications to the Delta Regional Authority (DRA/LATICORE) and LCDBG. He warned that federal funding cycles and environmental review mean that even awarded grants could take a year or more to clear pre‑construction steps.

Mader and Crater both urged council members to prepare for rate study work and constituent questions about user fees; Mader said the city has an “annual user fee study” in front of the council and that the likely need for capital will shape any rate recommendations. “When you are besieged with phone calls about what we may decide about user fees, you need to be versed in this new permit and versed in this compliance order,” Mader said.

What’s next: staff said smoke testing and public‑side repairs are underway and the city will continue applying for grants while planning phased construction. Mader asked committee members to read the links to DEQ materials included in his written report and to expect quarterly reporting obligations to DEQ as part of the amended compliance order.

Ending: The committee did not take a vote on specific construction authorizations at this meeting; Mader framed the presentation as an update on mandatory regulatory obligations, funding efforts and the scale of capital work ahead. He repeatedly emphasized that while DEQ is enforcing more stringent limits, the state has allowed several years for compliance and the city’s next months will focus on funding and design work.","City engineers told the Crowley City Council’s utility committee that a new LPDES discharge permit and an amended DEQ compliance order require corrective action across the city’s wastewater collection and treatment systems, with preliminary cost estimates near $17.8 million and phased work tied to grants and user‑fee decisions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Alderman raises concerns about Crowley fire response; city attorney advises against executive session

Crowley zoning committee denies conditional‑use request after residents object to commercial operations in single‑family area

Crowley faces multi‑million dollar wastewater upgrades after DEQ compliance order