VINTON — In an effort to improve conditions on two city roads, the City Council on Tuesday gave Mayor Kenneth Stinson the OK to apply for money from the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury road and drainage trust fund.

Stinson said he will ask the Police Jury for $246,000. He said the total cost for both projects is about $616,000. Stinson said Vinton will get $250,000 in capital outlay money and will pay the rest of the cost for the projects.

“The Railroad Avenue project will make a big difference because it’s a shell road now and traffic has increased tremendously,” Stinson said.

“So we hope that this will help alleviate some traffic issues, plus maintenance issues that we were having on that gravel road. Big Woods Road has been needing some attention for quite a while. That’s what we actually got the money from capital outlay for, but we are kind of parlaying it into a project where we can get more bang for our buck.”

In other business, the council approved the 2014 tax millage rate. Stinson said the rate — 5.76 mills — didn’t change from 2013.

During the meeting, the council also recognized veteran Lennie Benoit, who was selected by the Mayor’s Armed Forces Committee to receive a certificate in honor of his military service.

Benoit served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946.(American Press)

special