If you had a business that was being ripped off repeatedly or property being trashed, wouldn’t you take steps to end it?

That’s what the Iberia Parish Government has done with an $8,000 investment in security equipment at its parish barn and buying portable cameras to catch litter bugs. It is money spent wisely that will save money for the parish in the long run.

For years in the previous administration, no inventories were kept in the Public Works Department. All of its materials and other things were not tracked, so there was no way of knowing how much the parish was losing. Not paying close attention to the shop and numerous burglaries have taken their toll.

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Although inventory is being kept, burglaries are still troublesome. Now the parish hopes the money spent on sophisticated cameras and recording devices will dissuade some folks from attempting to burgle or catch the culprits red-handed. Either way, the parish will likely see a huge benefit from keeping track of public property.

Then there’s the problem with litter. The purchase of cameras that will record the folks who use the cover of darkness to rid themselves of junk and trash will have an increased chance of being caught on camera, which can lead to their conviction of littering.

Littering costs the parish, too. When folks decide that our roadsides or bayous are better places to put old furniture or appliances, the parish has to pay to clean up the area. More public money wasted on those too lazy to call a disposal company or take it to the parish landfill. Yet they are willing to drive to some remote spot in the parish and dump it. How disgusting.

Kudos to parish government for taking care of the public’s property.

JEFF ZERINGUE

MANAGING EDITOR