SUNSET – Town officials decided Thursday night to hire a part-time safety officer to control traffic at Darby & La. 182 every afternoon.

Traffic backs up bumper to bumper from the intersection east to I-49 as commuters return home and the intersection often becomes one of what driver has the most nerve.

Officials, so far to no avail, have asked the state Department of Transportation and Development for a traffic control signal and said at their Thursday meeting that they’ll try again.

Meanwhile, they agreed with Police Chief Alexcie Guilloryl Sr.’s request to hire the part-time officer.

In other business, the town’s financial position is “very good”, according to its auditor, after a year in which notable capital improvements were made.

Auditor Richard Urban reviewed the 2010-11 audit with town officials at their December meeting Thursday night.

He noted that revenues for the year were about $2.2 million and operating expenses were about $1.7 million.

Expenses beyond every-day operations, such as a new community center and town hall and other capital items, totaled about $657,000.

The new effect was to reduce the city’s year-end reserve to about $500,000.

“Your house is in good order,” Urban said, noting the audit turned up no internal control issues or findings that needed corrective attention and/or response.

Water was the subject of three items on the December agenda:

Mayor Cecil LaVergne reported the water tower’s internal cleaning, which led to some discoloration in tap water earlier in the week, is complete and the reservoir is being refilled.

The council agreed establishing a schedule of regular inspection and maintenance of the tower.

Water was the subject of two other items.

Consulting engineer Mark Savoy reported on progress of the application for a state grant-loan to switch the town to digital water meters, a $375,000 project still several months from actual replacement beginning.

LaVergne reported a treatment plan is going to be tried at the city water well with the hope that it addresses problems with the well’s product.

The council also heeded architect Lynn Guidry’s advice to withhold final payment on the Town Hall project until the final punch list is completed to his satisfaction.

Guidry told the council that the last few items amount to less than $2,500 of the $350,000 project, but need to be finished nonetheless before final payment.