Landmark & Heritage Meeting Minutes – April 2019

MINUTES OF THE BRUSLY LANDMARK & HERITAGE COMMISSION
April 15, 2019

A meeting of the Brusly Landmark and Heritage Commission was held on Monday  April 15, 2019, at Brusly Town Hall, Brusly, Louisiana.  Chairman Rills called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.  A roll call determined the following:

Commission Chairman:                      Jim Rills
Commission Members Present:          Billy Bourgeois, Edward Dupuy,  Henry Soniat, Margaret Canella, Rose Jackson, Shirley Jordan
Commission Members Absent:          None
Advisory Members Present:               Billy Hebert
Advisory Members Absent:               Scarlet Callicoatte, Brian Falcon
Others present:                                   Joanne Bourgeois

Upon motion by Commissioner Bourgeois, seconded by Commissioner Canella, the minutes of the   January 21, 2019, meeting were unanimously approved as written.

Landmark Plaque Applications:

Council Member Bourgeois presented the application for a Landmark Plaque for residence at 240 St. Mary Street, now owned by Layne Morales, built by George and Genevieve Peavy Levert.

Present Owner listed as Morales Grocery/ Layne Morales

The following information has been provided by Clare Levert Harmon, daughter of George & Genevieve Peavy Levert:

George and Genevieve Peavy Levert purchased a strip of land fronting East Main Street from Lonnie D. Lowe on September 15, 1953. The property included a house in which the family lived until George secured a loan on September 18, 1959 (check eligibility to get this loan easily), to start construction of the brick house at 240 St. Mary Street after the property was subdivided. It is estimated that the house was completed around January 1960.  The main part of the house consisted of 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen, laundry room, formal living room and den.  There was also a small wing which consisted of Genevieve’s Beauty Shop with a separate front door and a half bath, connected to the kitchen by a short hall. There was a double garage and storage area attached to the house, a large front porch and a screened back porch. The back yard had a line of trees along the length of which provided shade for the screened porch at the back of the house.   A built-in table, seating nine comfortably, separated the kitchen from the den.  A raised brick planter was located on the driveway, near the house, with flowers growing year round. Hydrangeas and ferns lined the shady back side of the house. There was no central A/C when the house was built; that was added later.

George Levert served as a charter member of the District #2 Water Board.

Following discussion, a motion to recommend to the Brusly Town Council that the home at 240 St. Mary Street receive a Town of Brusly Landmark Plaque was made by Commissioner Soniat; seconded by Commissioner Bourgeois.  The motion passed unanimously.

Other Business:

Sunday, June 23, 2019, 3:30 p.m.,was set as the date/time for the Landmark Plaque Ceremony. Invitations will be sent to applicants.

Additionally, following a digital display of an 1854 map of Brusly, Commissioner Dupuy made a motion that the Landmark & Heritage Commission recommend that the Brusly Town Council consider naming the recently purchased Town property, near the intersection of East Main and Bourg Street, “La Place St. Jacques,” in remembrance of the original St. James Square which was lost to the river during the levee reinforcement project. Commissioner Bourgeois seconded the motion which passed unanimously.

Public Comment:

Ms. Bourgeois thanked Jamie Loupe, for her services during the meeting.

A motion was made by Commissioner Bourgeois to adjourn; seconded by Commissioner Canella.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Commission Chairman Rills adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.

Recorded by Joanne Bourgeois