Earlier this year, a local citizen came to the Franklinton Mayor and Aldermen meeting to ask about the municipal boat ramp at the far western end of Pearl Street, past the former fire station and former police department.
The citizen’s complaint was that access to the Bogue Chitto River was impossible because the boat ramp had so much silt in it that a boat could not be launched.
The day after the meeting, the editor of The Era-Leader went down to the boat ramp for the first time in years. What he saw was depressing: The boat ramp was literally half covered with silt. And access to the boat ramp was severly hampered because the access road had deteriorated and was full of deep ruts and washouts.
Franklinton Alderman Seth Descant told the council that the entire area of the boat ramp has tremendous potential because it is so nice and shady there on the bank of the Bogue Chitto River.
But, he noted, the area is overgrown and needs maintenance.
Franklinton Mayor Greg Route agreed that the boat ramp needed to be cleared of silt, and that the area around it needed some maintenance.
The Mayor and the Town Council recently contracted a local company, Gulf South Mulching, to clear the ramp and dredge the access canal to the ramp. In addition, the project includes upgrading the access road as well as the general area.
Assisting Gulf South Mulching in the project is Jim-Toy-5 Contracting LLC.
When the contract was being discussed by the Franklinton Mayor and Aldermen, one of the aldermen asked if the contractors are local. The mayor assured that they are. Jack and Ben Bickham of Gulf South Mulching were born and raised in Franklinton. They are the sons of Barry and Hope Bickham.
Jim-Toy-5 Contracting’s operator, Jimmy Oalmann, is a longtime resident of the parish and also serves as Pastor of Richardson Baptist Church. He writes the weekly Church Page message for The Era-Leader.
Jack Bickham noted that he is an avid boater and has first-hand experience with the frustrations of the boat ramp. He said he sees a lot of hidden potential in the boat ramp and the surrounding area and he is excited that the mayor and the aldermen are working together to help realize this potential.
Once the project is completed, residents of Franklinton should visit the newly improved property, he said.
