As Baldwin readies for next week’s judging in the district leg of the state Cleanest City Contest, a cleanup day was announced to the town council Thursday.

Baldwin Beautification Club spokesperson Nancy Barras told the board of aldermen Thursday that cleanup crews consisting of volunteers will be scouring the town Saturday in preparation for the April 18 judging.

Barras asked all church and community groups participating in the cleanup to meet at Baldwin Town Hall at 9 a.m.. Other participants can help by cleaning up around their neighborhood without meeting at Town Hall.

Baldwin is vying to reclaim the district and state Clean City titles after winning its sixth district and fourth state competition last year.

In other business Thursday, engineer Joel Miller reported that contractors working at the new water treatment plant behind city hall are currently running conduit for service lines, and that the pre-fab building materials have been delivered, though actual construction of the building won’t begin for a couple of weeks.

Miller also reported that water lines are being installed and tested at the Raintree Village development which has been incorporated by the town. Crews are testing lines before the streets are constructed off Ralph Darden Memorial Parkway so that if any leaks or other problems are discovered they can be corrected in advance of street construction.

Miller also said the entrance feature at Ralph Darden Memorial Parkway and La. 182 is nearly complete in its first phase of construction, though a bit of vandalism last week has the contractor repairing some damage.

The town received only one bid for the second phase of the entrance feature, Mayor Wayne Breaux said, and he asked the board for permission to rebid because he said he had received word of interest from other contractors. The board agreed.

Also Thursday, the board agreed to erect no parking signs on Long and Coulee streets.

Police Chief Gerald Minor told the board that these two extremely narrow streets are often choked with parked cars due to the proximity of nearby clubs.

Minor said that in an emergency situation, a fire truck or ambulance could not possibly make it through to the home of a resident needing assistance. He said some of the residents of those streets have pointed this out to him and asked for help.

The board approved Minor’s request, but said that in an effort not to curtail business for the local establishment, they would study installing culverts and subsurface drainage along the streets, allowing more parking that would not restrict traffic flow.

A no parking sign will also go up on John Street near G.W. Hamilton Elementary at the request of alderwoman Patrice Picard.

Picard said the sign was only needed to enforce no parking right before and after school due to increased traffic during those periods. The board agreed.

And finally Thursday, the board approved Minor’s recommendation of the termination of a police officer.

The chief said employment of the officer, who has been with Baldwin Police for less than a year, is "just not working out."

Minor said advertisement for the position would be held for about two weeks to find qualified law enforcement candidates for the job.