HarahanDitches

3/29/08 Below paragraph refers to the hole and ditch at Folse and
Jefferson Hwy. This was covered in 2007. I believe councilman
Lagasse expedited it.

Monday June 20, 2005
I have tilted at this Windmill Too Long. However I am not finished.
Everyone pretended to listen and feigned interest. Sorry, people,
LIP Service does not cover dangerous ditches. I was told this
ditch would cost $250,000 to cover and the state could not afford
to do it. So much Buffalo Poop. This hole, pictured, can be
covered without restricting drainage for less than $10,000.
Here's How: Build a cement block chain wall around the hole.
Strengthen the bulkheads with steel cross (I) beams
Use these beams as framework for heavy metal grids.
These grids would be held down by hinges on one end
and padlocks on the other end. This would facilitate maintenance
and grass cutting as needed. Just a key to the padlocks and you can
swing those grates up and do your work. You don't need an
engineering degree to figure this one out.

The picture below is a deathtrap for a bus full of children.
What's the matter with you politicians. You can't see this?
Contact Me

There are four principle stumbling blocks
to comprehending truth
which hinder well nigh every scholar:
The example of frail and unworthy authority,
long established customs,
the sense of the ignorant crowd,
and the hiding of ones' ignorance under the show of wisdom.

Oct 21, 2004              The very real and dangerous problems of open ditches/canals within the city
limits of Harahan was brought   before the Harahan City Council. Did not get a satisfactory
response. Maybe they need more time to think it over. Hopefully it won't take an injury or death to
shake them into action.

Oct 24, 2004.     Sent email to the asst.(s) to councilmen Lagasse and Young.
Email read as follows:
Mr Bordelon/Gee,
Last Thursday night, at the Harahan Council meeting, I brought up the imminent danger of open
ditches and canals within the City limits of Harahan.
With your help I would like to bring this dangerous situation to Councilman Lagasse/Young.
If/when a car on the curve of Jefferson Hwy in front of the Colonial Country Club goes in to the
extra deep ditch the driver is certain to sustain serious injury or death.
The open ditch/canal at Folse and Jefferson Hwy and at Harris is an exceptional danger.
It is filled with water and will not only cause serious damage to a car and driver but will also drown
an adventurous child.

Pictures on the following web site will illustrate more on this problem,
http://www.lenny-jaeger.com/HarahanDitches.html

The Harahan council did not give me a satisfying answer to this problem. I am hoping Mr.
Lagasse/Young will receive this info and act upon it.
Please reply by e-mail or call me at *** ****.
Thank you

Oct 27, 2004         Received phone call from Jefferson Parish Councilman Young's office
this morning.   I was informed that they had received my inquiry and would contact me in three or
four days on the matter of the open ditches/canals in Harahan.

Oct 27, 2004     Email to Mayor and Harahan Council

http://www.lenny-jaeger.com/HarahanDitches.html

I could not find email addresses for Mssrs Blanchard and Butler. Please pass this on to them and
maybe get their email addresses on your site.

At last Thursdays meeting I addressed you all on open/ditches and canals. In reviewing the replay I
sensed that some of you did not get the point I was trying to make. I knew there were contracts on
the canal/ditches. The work on them does not make them any safer.   It only makes them more
efficient and possibly more dangerous.

Please click on the above link to try to understand what my petition is. I will follow through all the
way on this, and log my actions on this web page. I would appreciate your help in expediting this
before a child is drowned or a motorist is killed in one of these ditches. The bottom picture on the
page illustrates a school bus turned upside down in the canal.
Thank you,
Leonard Jaeger

November 3, 2004

Have not heard back from anyone yet. Did get feedback from Mayor Johnston.
Sent an email to Shirley Bowler:

Dear Shirley,
At the regular October Harahan Council meeting, I brought up the imminent danger of open ditches
and canals within the City limits of Harahan.
If/when a car on the curve of Jefferson Hwy in front of the Colonial Country Club goes in to the
extra deep ditch the driver is certain to sustain serious injury or death.
The open ditch/canal at Folse and Jefferson Hwy and at Harris is an exceptional danger.
It is filled with water and will not only cause serious damage to a car and driver but will also drown
an adventurous child.

Pictures on the following web site will illustrate more on this problem,
http://www.lenny-jaeger.com/HarahanDitches.html

The Harahan council did not give me a satisfying answer to this problem.   Please reply by e-mail or
call me at *** ****.
Thank you,
Leonard Jaeger

November 4, 2004
Shirley Bowler responded the next day:

Lenny,

I have been requesting the administration of the City of Harahan for years (maybe 9) to address
the ditch on Jefferson at Folse. When the project was originally reviewed its estimated cost was
$75,000. Today the estimate stands at over $200,000. I have repeatedly requested that funds
obtained through the state's Rural Development Grant program be used for this purpose. Those
funds cap out at $50,000 (sometimes they were more like $35,000), never enough to do the project
alone. But Jefferson Parish bears responsibility for drainage and should be willing to ---(next page)