A Baldwin resident who has put up with a neglected piece of property adjacent to hers for more than seven years may finally be getting relief.

Peggy St. Germain of Charenton Road spoke with Mayor Wayne Breaux and members of the Board of Aldermen Thursday during their monthly meeting on the ongoing problems with the land that belongs to an absentee owner.

"In 7½ years, the grass has been cut once," said Peggy St. Germain.

She said that although the grass was mowed again on the very day that she was addressing the board, she wants to be sure that the owner continues to maintain the property.

"They’ve had homeless people staying back there, I don’t know if you know that," she told the board. She added that on a couple of occasions there have also been fires on the property and accumulated debris has clogged drainage ditches.

Breaux said that after St. Germain lodged a complaint with the town about a month ago, he contacted the landowner who agreed to cooperate but has been stalled in cleaning up the property by daily rain.

The mayor noted that the town has a legal process in place in which a property owner has 10 days after being served with a notice to take action. If that doesn’t happen, the town can clean up the property and bill the owner. If the owner doesn’t pay, the town is able to take a lien against the property.

The problem with the process, the mayor said, is that it is time consuming and since the town doesn’t have the resources to perform the work, it has to hire someone.

"We can only assume that (the Charenton road property owner) will continue to take care," Breaux told St. Germain, "and if you feel he isn’t then give me a call again."

Breaux added that in the meantime he will research other municipalities’ ordinances to see "if ours holds the teeth that it needs to."

In other business Thursday the board:

—Heard from engineer Joel Miller that construction on the new water plant may be finished as early as the end of August or beginning of September, which is ahead of the Oct. 1 deadline. The board also approved payment to Superior Services in the amount of $49,924.38 and to Miller in the amount of $2,296.22, on the project; as well as authorization to advertise for bids for a new generator at the plant.

—Approved payments in the amounts of $7,803 and $1,205. 40 to the contractor and engineer on the entrance feature projects at Raintree Village.

—Heard from Breaux that he would like to meet with them at the Bayou Teche park to determine what type of facility to construct along with the fishing pier and bulkhead that will be funded with a $300,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources.

—Awarded the sale of a 1991 Chevrolet Caprice as surplus property to the high bid of $1,350.

—Approved the hiring of Clarence Matthews as a police officer as recommended by Chief Gerald Minor. The chief said Matthews, who is 48, has 15 years experience in law enforcement.

—Approved a $282.85 payment to First Call Interactive Network for emergency notification services.

—Approved sending four members of the volunteer fire department to the annual convention in August.

—Approved an occupational license to Lawrence Barard of Rainbow Jumps; permission for New Life Baptist Church to hold a softball tournament at Baldwin Park on Aug. 10 and 11; and a bucket toss by the West St. Mary High band on July 20.