FQC General Information Update

By Carol Greve

Quality-of-Life Officer: You may contact our Quality-of-Life Officer Roger Jones at 201-1520 or e-mail him at nopolice29@yahoo.com. It is heartening to know we can call/email about loudly revved-up motorcycles, illegal signs, businesses, ladies of the night hanging out on our corners, or other activities that unlawfully degrade our quality of life in the Quarter.

Sidewalks: There has been much speculation about infrastructure repair in the Quarter. It has been reported recently that the City is going to repair the sidewalks in the French Quarter and then bill the property owners for the repair. In testimony before the Vieux Carré Commission, Robert Mendoza, Head of the Dept. of Public Works, refuted that rumor. Property owners will not be billed by the City for the repairs. This is certainly good news for the property owners.

Parking: New information about the parking sentinels: French Quarter Citizens has learned that if you park on a block in the Quarter where the parking sentinel is not working, you are responsible to find the nearest working sentinel and get your receipt to put in the window of your car. Any car without a parking receipt will receive a ticket. Perhaps we can generate a list of those blocks whose sentinels are not working and I'd like to start by adding 500 N. Rampart and 600 N. Rampart -- I got a ticket here even though the sentinel is covered and has not been working since at least last November.

Towing: Mr. Mendoza's office stated that the pre-Katrina Tuesday/Thursday street cleaning and towing will not resume until August 2007. I was also told that before the towing resumed, an announcement would be sent to the press. Please be vigilant about this because residents have already begun to get warning tickets that the towing will resume much sooner than August.

Mosquito and Rodent Control: To update you on the latest news in this important area, in case you missed the small note in the 3-14-07 Times-Picayune: Two volunteer groups are helping the Mosquito and Termite Control Board with their responsibilities to "administer mosquito-control activities and monitors disease and virus transmitting mosquitoes. The Board also does rodent control programs in public spaces and baits storm drains to suppress rodents." The volunteers from Operation Blessing International and Campus Crusade for Christ have been working in parts of eastern New Orleans, Bywater and the French Quarter, according to Lesley Eugene, a spokeswoman for the Control Board. The Campus Crusade has provided 100 volunteers daily and Operation Blessing has provided 30 volunteers three times a week. I have emailed the Mosquito Board to get more information on the problems and the volunteer program. The New Orleans Rodent Control Office is at 517 North Rampart, 658-2400. If you have a problem you may call them and they will send an inspector to your property.