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A public records request for electronic communication between Fortier and LCG officials is pending. [citation needed] From 2000 to 2004, Angelle was the first parish president of St. Martin Parish and the vice president from 1998 to 2000 of the Huval Companies in Lafayette, Louisiana. The St. Martin Parish facility will employ 976 direct employees with an annual salary of $38,000, plus benefits, and will result in 793 new indirect jobs. Aside from the limestone used for a parking lot at the lake, which is viewed as an extension of Rookery Road, the parish cannot use resources to repair or expand improvements on private property. Jimmy "Coach" Durio I trust the significant engineering that has gone into this project. First, to authorize Cedars to "pursue litigation against every single person, farm and entity that may be complicit in the removal of the banks," including LCG officials. Of course, I fully recognize that my remarks will ignite a flurry of criticism and comments. Over the last 25+ years various government agencies have spent many hundreds of millions of dollars on flooded homes, many of which could have been avoided by simply restoring the spoil banks to its original level, along with spot dredging and maintaining the required natural depth of the river. Russel C. Foti Guillory, says, however, a permit was not necessary. Im not frustrated as much as Im appalled, Cedars said. LCG removed about 1,200 feet of the dirt levees without St. Martin Parish's knowledge in a bid to reduce flooding in Lafayette. Corps of Engineers, leaving a third owner out of the transaction, On Feb. 23 Rigid invoiced LCGs Public Works Department $3.7 million for the work. LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. His response was, 'Yes I did,' Cedars said. In an intense special council meeting attended by more than 100 angry St. Martin Parish residents, Cedars vehemently expressed his dismay toward LCG Mayor-President Josh Guillory. The spoil banks are makeshift dirt levees, nearly 4,000 feet long, that follow the river's southern bank around the Cypress Island Swamp in St. Martin Parish, isolating the river from the low-lying swampland and preventing floodwaters from dumping out of the river and into the swamp during storms. Frustrated with spending excessive time and money buying and installing water filters only for them to get clogged or stop working, he tells KATC he and his neighbors have filed a class-action lawsuit against United Water in a last-ditch effort to get assistance. Second, a public investigation on the regulations allegedly violated during the removal, including those ruled by FEMA and the Environmental Protection Agency. It leaves a lot of questions, especially with the $1.8 million mobilization charge., A founding editor of both The Independent and ABiz and senior editor at The Times of Acadiana in the 1990s, Leslie Turk is an award-winning investigative reporter who has worked in the newspaper business in Lafayette for more than three decades. St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. Its parish seat is St. Martinville, and the largest city is Breaux Bridge. "Not . We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. I trust that my fellow elected officials in St. Martin Parish want for their constituents the same thing that I want for mine, which is to do all we can to protect life and property. All Rights Reserved, Opening/Purchasing a Bar/Nigh Club/Lounge, RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan, RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan-Amendment #1. Vital . Copy and paste this code into your website. Dwayne Fatherree / The Daily Iberian Buy Now Bruce Emley, division vice president for Waste Connections Bayou LLC, speaks at Tuesday's St. Martin Parish Council meeting. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Coupons are available only to seniors who reside in St. Martin Parish. While it may get around the bid law, it shouldnt get around the court of public opinion, he says. LCG letter:Army Corps inspection finds no permit was needed for Lafayette spoil banks removal. Im just so happy were able to help both Lafayette Parish and St. Martin Parish, Guillory added. STAFF PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK Vicknair, who says by law the project should have been re-bid, believes the losing bidders could have standing for damages if they sued, with the runner-up bidder in the best position to succeed. On Aug. 30, according to Cedars reports, the Corps advised that LCG had requested the proposed project be divided into two parts. In the days and weeks before the contract was signed, Rigid CEO Cody Fortier, Rigid itself and Fortiers CF LLC each made $2,500 donations to the mayor-presidents campaign, as did another company associated with Fortier, Sunshine Homes LLC, for a total of $10,000, according to campaign finance records. I asked. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers. Lafayette Mayor President Josh Guillory says LCG removed the spoil banks to help flash flooding and drainage. Apply for the Job in Project Coordinator at Saint Martinville, LA. Patrol boats, barges, cranes, ramps and an on-call mechanic were among the charges billed to Lafayette Consolidated Government for a February operation to dig up spoil bank levees on the Vermilion River. Whether the amended contract was awarded illegally hinges on if the work on the spoil banks falls within the scope of the original contract. Durand said the value of the individual properties was low, about $1,000 apiece. Tel: 337.441.0393, District IV Rigids $390,000 bid last year for the 2021 LCG as-needed excavation and disposal contract for work throughout the Lafayette City-Parish (the contract does not allow for work outside of the parish) was the lowest among five bids; four other contractors sent bids that ranged from $568,000 to $1.1 million. The lake and lake bed are under control of the state through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Cedars said. ST. MARTIN PARISH, La. Now, they might win it back, Despite judges ruling, LCG uses identical quick take to seize land for detention pond, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Call 337-828-4100 ext. . We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com. Having already lost two major expropriation suits related to stormwater projects at the district court level, the Guillory administrations speed has potentially sunk tens of millions of dollars into projects that may never be completed. Thats our job, Cedars said. "We tried to be civil, we did, we tried to go over there and ask them good questions to try to get the solutions rolling voluntarily, but they didn't listen, so what's the next step?". :And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? 15 LSU Softball shuts out Minnesota, 3-0, Tigers hit four homers in 26-4 win over Central Connecticut, LSU Advances to Semifinals in SEC Tourney, Skenes tallies career-high 13 Ks in 12-2 victory, Geaux Nation Wrap: LSU advances to SEC Semifinals, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, Black seniors invited to health fair in Baton Rouge, Marianne Williamson officially launches 2024 bid, Southern University celebrates 143 years of institutional, Fire at substation in St. James Parish forces road, Police up charges for man allegedly tied to deadly, Coincidence prompted Powerball winner to buy ticket, Driver dead after MD tanker explosion, fire, Ja Morant investigated by NBA over Instagram post, Mortgage rates have little reason to fall in March, Destination Louisiane: Antiques Roadshow; deadline, LSU Womens Basketball signees named Naismith All-Americans, $200K winning ticket sold at BR convenience store, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But I did get an email response Sunday night thanking me for the proposal and saying they hope to speak again soon.. TOLL-FREE,24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Census facilitator Tomika Scott gave council members a briefing on plans for the 2020 Census in St. Martin Parish and went into depth on the importance of getting an accurate count of the parishs population. You cant sign a contract or pass an ordinance that allows you to ignore public bid law, says one former LCG official. St. Martin Parish School Board Breaux Bridge, LA 2 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants See who St. Martin Parish School Board has hired for this role Rigids quote for the St. Martin work also tacked on $1.2 million for Barges/Temporary Barges, Cranes, and Rigging, $30,000 for patrol boats and $117,000 to have a mechanic on standby for the 24-hour job. ft. skate park in Lafayette, Downtown Lafayette will soon see a new residential, Contentious California nuclear plant can keep operating,, Lafayette woman attempts to fight off purse snatcher, Ragin Cajuns Fall to App State in SBC Tournament, Spanish Moss was almost called French Moss, Prep Basketball: #1 NISH advances in thriller of, Meghan Schorman Claims Sun Belt Softball Pitcher, Ella Goodies family searching for another family, Carencro Fire Department responds to fire on Braquet, Jury convicts Louisiana man of trafficking fentanyl,, Ville Platte woman arrested for felony theft, Abbeville woman thankful to be alive after shot in, Carencro man re-arrested on child pornography charges, La. Cedars spent most of his parish presidents report explaining exactly how the issues with access to Lake Martin came into being. D) Cedars eventually asked council members to adopt three measures. Redditt, who was first hired by the St. Turnarounds of days, rather than weeks, is atypical, according to sources. The St. Martin Parish Council unanimously voted to give parish president Chester Cedars the authority to seek any and all legal remedies against Lafayette Consolidated Government and other parties found to be responsible for the removal of spoil banks along the Vermilion River. Phone number 337 332 2105. It's whether the law was broken (and, I THINK we can all agree, millions more spent than necessary) in doing so. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. "I can give you 14.3 million additional reasons it's not just talk, and that's the $14.3 million we've committed to making this consolidation work. [1] At the 2020 census, the population was 51,767. var today = new Date() St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said, however, it will not help their region and called it an act of misconduct.. Flooding:Five years later, Lafayette is still defined by the catastrophic 2016 flood, "We bought the property, took the dirt off the spoil banks and put it on the Chappuis (Dentention Pond project) side," he said. Rather, it seems we are more interested in protecting and advocating our individual ideologue rather than adhering to the advice of medical science and thus protecting our fellow citizens, our businesses, our employers/employees, our healthcare system, and our children.. The study found removing the spoil banks would have little impact on the overall water level in the swamp during storms, but Cedars has said his engineers determined the removal wasn't without risk for the people who live near Cypress Island. When asked if the project would harm residents of St. Martin Parish, Guillory said, We surely wouldnt bless off on a project that would hurt anybody, but the science is clear. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said Tuesday evening that the administration is looking to fund several ambitious initiatives using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act: Water system consolidation $1 million Broadband expansion $3 million Water infrastructure in Water Works District 5 and along Highway 94 $3.8 million Although there are concerns from high water that has moved south from Cairo, Illinois, and through Jackson, Mississippi, Guidry said it is expected most of those floodwaters will remain north instead of cycling through the Teche. Lafayette Consolidated Government may be drawing itself into a lawsuit with St. Martin Parish after quietly removingspoil banks, or makeshift levees,along the Vermilion River without St. Martin Parish's approval. Cedars would not say exactly what St. Martin Parish's plan is to address LCG's removal of the spoil banks but did say that he plans to give a full report on the situation at the St. Martin Parish Council's next meeting on Tuesday, March 15. "Our interest is to ensure that the citizens of St. Martin Parish are protected from enhanced flooding risks that we believe the removal of the spoil banks creates," he told the Daily Advertiser. The idea was proposed, however, long before. Cedars said studies have differed on the impact and risks of removing the makeshift levees and that he found out about LCG's quiet removal of the spoil banks Tuesday afternoon, weeks after the work had been done. All rights reserved. Years ago, when there was a tax sale in the city, the property was adjudicated to the city and the parish, Parish Legal Counsel Allan Durand said. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars listens to a discussion at Tuesday's parish council meeting. Anytime we can be good neighbors and we can help out folks and help anybody in the region and defnitely not hurt anybody, were going to do that, Guillory said. On Feb. 23 Rigid invoiced LCGs Public Works Department $3.7 million for the work, billed as a change order, and was paid five days later out of the city general fund, according to LCGs Open Book, an online financial transparency tool debuted by the Guillory administration in 2020. This Tuesday (March 7th) is ACT Testing Day on our high school campuses. This Tuesday (March 7th) is ACT Testing Day on our high school campuses. Recognizing the best in local architecture, planning and design, we are pleased to announce 12 winning projects for The Current In Design Awards 2023. Research salary, company info, career paths, and top skills for Project Coordinator Marshals,, Hooded man wearing sagging pants steals $9K in purses, Acadiana foster dad fighting to get children back, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I dont see anything else MP Guillory could have done more reasonable to finally get something accomplished to protect the interest of Lafayette residents at risk of flooding, due to changes in the landscape, beyond their control. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars told News 10, "It just disrupts the ability of the public to feel comfortable utilizing our facilities." Close Thanks for signing up! According to Cedars, LCG had initiated a study for a potential project that entailed the removal of the spoil banks in April 2021. The three measures were approved by all nine council members. Open Books 10-digit check numbers, which seem to indicate wire transfers, show Rigid as the sole contractor paid by wire transfer this fiscal year, with LCG paying via wire transfer only 11 times out of 35,000 payments made so far this year. St. Martin Parish turned the tables on Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory 's administration Wednesday with a new lawsuit asking a local judge to order Lafayette to rebuild the Cypress. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. There are about two dozen of these properties, and they are causing an expense to the city because they have to keep them up.. The attorney general can pursue that violation. St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. Cedars cites the latest COVID hospitalization data in the Acadiana Region 4 and positivity rates within the parish. 15th JDC Judge (Div. Box 1280 Cameron, LA 70631 (337) 775-5718 EMAIL www.cameronpj.org. Not only could the millions spent digging ponds and removing spoil banks be money down the drain, but the city and/or parish could be on the hook for property owners legal fees and millions in penalties to restore lands to their original conditions. Box 993 He can be reached at dwayne.fatherree@daily-iberian.com. " Cedars said he asked. {0} important information hidden . About Us. Over in Arnaudville, Paul Boudreaux shares his issues with United Water System, a service he's been a customer of since 2019 when he moved back home. He also addressed rumors that some landowners might try to block Rookery Road around the lake. "We will review the allegations and respond accordingly," Logan wrote in a message to the Daily Advertiser. He has been Departments Read More Check out our map of Lafayette drainage projects here. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Joyce Haynes is the president of the school . "We believe that we need to proceed as quickly as possible to protect the citizens from being harmed. He says removing the spoil banks makes flooding much more likely for their residents. 2023 St. Martin Parish Government. On October 14, 2021, I met with Mayor-President Guillory and several members of his staff. What are spoil banks? St. Martinville, LA 70582 Vital Lafayette-based Rigid Constructors has been paid handsomely for its role in the blitz of detention projects. P.O. St. Martin Parish ( French: Paroisse de Saint-Martin) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, founded in 1811. It was paid only $1.6 million in all of the previous fiscal year, according to online records. Cedars did say he had productive conversations with members of one family about their concerns and proposed a possible compromise. The landings are privately owned. LCGs drainage projects are already costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in city-parish legal fees, plus millions in re-mobilization costs. Guillory, Nepveaux, Logan, and Fortier, in my view are all heros. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Parish Council Meetings held @ 5:00 on the 1st Tuesday of each month. "We had requested, and were told, that we would get a chance to review all of LCG's models upon which this proposed project was going to be based. Interim St. Martin Parish Chester Cedars won the president seat with 73 percent of the vote tonight. In February it was chosen over The Lemoine Company to negotiate pricing with LCG on the $60 million Homewood Detention Ponds project, the largest drainage undertaking in the parishs history. Flood fight:Lafayette, St. Martin parishes are arguing about a strip of dirt by the river. Mike Clay Lafayette Consolidated Government removed spoil banks along the Vermilion River last week. St. Martin Parish has made a commitment to develop and maintain this medium so that the residents of our great parish can have full, open, and up-to-date access to the affairs of Parish Government. But even against that backdrop, the spoil banks project stands out. In May, Cedars wrote in another memorandum that he prepared and submitted a position paper in response to LCG application for a permit from the Corps of Engineers. Tel: 318.906.0582, District V It is also is my understanding that the USCOE 50+ years ago, by putting spoils on the St Martin banks of the Vermilion, inadvertently obstructed that natural flow to Cypress island swamp. In our last feature, we exposed the fact that St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars barely let the ink get dry from him going on a 19-minute masterful performance to convince the St. Martin Parish Council (SMPC) to approve an ordinance to ban the importing of vegetative debris from other parishes into St. Martin Parish before he sued . var year = today.getFullYear() On Friday, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars levied the allegations against LCG.

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