Westlake started its spring cleaning early this year. Blighted properties continue to be demolished. To make it convenient for residents to dispose of trash, spring clean, keep their own homes and property — and Westlake — looking  beautiful, a three-fold Trash Bash event was announced at the Monday City Council meeting. It is planned for Saturday, April 20,  at   City Hall.

Also happening at City Hall on Saturday, April 6, beginning at 9 a.m. is the Black Pot Battle and Family Fun Day. The public is invited to enjoy and help judge a black iron pot cooking competition, sample the dishes, see the car show and shop vendors. All proceeds go to help the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home and Cemetery.

The Ancillary is looking for individuals, businesses and teams to prepare the dish of their choice, from rabbit to roadkill according to Pepper Manuel. (She actually named many more dishes, concluding with anything you can cook in a black cast iron that will feed 75 people.) Sample every dish (maybe not the roadkill) for $10. Enter to cook for $75. The SWLA Ancillary Committee is in charge of the event. Westlake is supplying the location. Call Manuel at 337-370 1081 for more information.

Properties slated for demolition at the Monday meeting are 1600 Houston River Road, 1929 Janelle Avenue and 1411 E. Houston River Road.

“A condemnation process that once took 11 or 12 months, now takes three or four,” McMillin said about the new streamlined system which the parish also uses.

Code Enforcement Officer Curtis Lyons said that often, property owners are demolishing their own properties when notified by the city instead of waiting for the city to demolish it and have a lien against the property.

Lyons will also be responsible for enforcing an ordinance and issuing fines when grass clippings are blown into the street and into storm drains instead of being blown back onto the lawn. McMillin told Council that keeping the grass clippings out of storm drains is a mandate from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and LDEQ (Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality). City ordinances and penalties are already in place to enforce the mandate. The first offense is $250, the second, $500 and the third, $1,000, he said.

Trash Bash

Trash trucks and  an e-recycle station will be at City Hall Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. April 20 for Trash Bash. Volunteers who wish to pick up trash along Sampson Street will depart from City Hall at that time.

“Waste Management will have two trucks here,” McMIllin said. “As you’re cleaning out, bring your trash here and they’ll haul it off. It will be a good day for spring cleaning.”

Furniture will be accepted.

Residents can also dispose of electronics on April 20, courtesy of Citgo. Acceptable items include, printeres, fax machines, keyboards, photocopiers, TVs, VCRs, stereos, home and office phones, household electronics, tablets and gaming consoles. Acceptable mercury items include lamps: fluorescent, high-intensity discharge, neon, mercury vapor and metal halide. Thermostats and thermometers containing metallic or liquid mercury will also be accepted. Only residential deliveries will be accepted.

Unacceptable items include microwaves, smoke detectors, fire alarms, dehumidifiers, batteries, large appliances or medical equipment with liquids.

Orange vests, other equipment and a safety escort will be provided for volunteers who want to pick up trash on Sampson Street.