Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo held a press briefing Monday(June 8)morning to announce that the city is no longer under a consent decree issued against it since 2004. The decree was issued after it was determined that the city of Monroe over many years, did not maintain its sewer collection system up to federal standards as required by the Department of Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), as the city had to enter into an agreement the Agency to perform certain tasks in order for the decree to be lifted. Mayor Mayo along with various department heads who were instrumental in negotiations and in charge of the various project system projects were on hand at the briefing, Mayo said that the EPA and the city “has worked as a team” to meet the goals established, and that by implementing numerous infrastructural projects in the city, that the lifting of the consent decree shows that the city has been successful in its efforts. In U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana/Monroe Division, Judge Terry A. Doughty signed the order June 4 terminating the Decree. As part of the settlement, the city will continue to hold monthly infrastructure meetings in which work with the collection system is discussed. The city has completed approximately $20,000,000 in improvements and repairs a the Water Pollution Control Center and over thirty(30) projects over the years totaling in over $90,000,000.

In a light agenda on the docket, members of the Monroe City Council conducted a brisk meeting Tuesday(June 9)evening. After brief opening remarks, council members voted to select which publishing entity would serve as the city’s official journal. By a 5-0 vote, the Newsstar was selected as the official journal. Council members agreed that as the official journal with a daily circulation, it is good for businesses that places advertisements, and it is also good for the city. The city routinely send out bids for various projects which has to be answered in a timely manner, which a daily journal can supply. Council members accepted by 5-0 votes to authorize Mayor Mayo to execute change orders with two firms doing work for the city that will save the city some money. The city has two contracts with Dixie Overland Construction, but is expected to see a decrease in the contract amount from both projects totaling approximately $128,553.00, and the city is expected to see a decrease of $46,400.00 from Peck Construction.