Last year was a very productive one for Abita Springs, and so far 2009 is looking to be another good year for the town.

In 2008, the town came together to construct a new playground, giving the old, unused park a facelift and making a gathering point for local families. The historic pavilion was moved out from the back of the park to the center of town and was joined with another historic building, a part of the old Long Branch hotel, to form the Abita Springs Trailhead. The trailhead is now home to a museum and amphitheater, where concerts and community events are held.

Work on the trailhead will continue this year, and plans for 2009 include the installation of the Indian princess statue and additional landscaping. In 2008, the town also made significant improvements to its gas system, installed a new sewer lift station and extended town utilities all the way to Harrison Road. This utility extension allowed for a new Walgreens store to be built at the intersection, helping to boost the town’s dwindling sales tax revenue.

In 2009, the town hopes to have the much-anticipated sidewalks constructed down Level and Main streets. The state Department of Transportation and Development are reviewing the plans and Brad Nobles, engineer with Kyle Associates, anticipates work to begin on the sidewalks in April or May.

Plans are also progressing on the park-and-ride facility to be constructed near the ballpark on Louisiana Highway 36. Nobles said he has turned over drawings for that project to the parish, and he anticipates it too will be completed in 2009.

He is also working with the state on a landscape plan for the traffic circle, and said he expects that to be completed this year as well.

Fitzmorris said one negative of 2008 was a drop in sales tax revenue, which prompted a hiring freeze and a cutback in overtime for town employees. However, he remains optimistic for 2009.

The new Walgreens is open, and several new stores are set to open along Louisiana Highway 59 leading out of the town and Tuesday night a Mandeville man announced that he would be opening a grocery store in the town as early as March.

Warren Artigue moved to the area from Chalmette following Hurricane Katrina, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the grocery business.

He co-owned a grocery store in St. Bernard Parish before the storm and said it has always been his dream to own his own store.

“This town, I feel, has a need for a full-service grocery store,” he said, echoing what many Abita Springs residents have been saying for years. He plans to start small, opening Artigue’s Abita Market in the old Rauch’s building. He will have fresh prepared meats, local favorites and a small wine selection and will offer hot coffees and a catering service.

“We will cater to your needs,” he said Tuesday evening. “You will dictate what we will carry.”

The hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

He hopes to open the store on March 1 after having the local priest bless it, and if he meets that deadline he will host an open house the day before.

“This is something we have needed in this town for a long time,” Fitzmorris said.

Artigue said if all goes well with this store he hopes to open a larger one in the future.

In other business:

• The Board of Aldermen approved an ordinance giving the town clerk a 4 percent raise, bringing her salary to $16.10 an hour. Other town employees received a 4 percent raise when the new budget was approved. However, the town clerk’s compensation must be changed by ordinance.

• Fitzmorris re-established the park committee, changing its focus from developing a master plan to prioritizing the improvements to be made. Jonathan Davis will chair the committee, which will include representatives or appointees from the Friends of the Park, the town administration, the Board of Aldermen, the Abita Opry, the museum committee and the Historic Commission.

• The town has agreed to work with the St. Tammany Parish School Board to use two acres of property the school board owns behind Abita Lumber to develop a recreational area.

• The board introduced an ordinance to resign its franchise agreement with Cleco.