Mike Clay You have permission to edit this article. It's uncalled for and unwarranted," Cedars said Thursday. The only jurisdiction the parish has is through zoning, and the right to legislate the use of the land around the lake.. Lafayette-based Rigid Constructors has been paid handsomely for its role in the blitz of detention projects. 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. As for the spoil banks, theyve stood by the merits of the project and accused St. Martin Parish of trying to obstruct it. The "surreptitious" move enraged St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, and led the St. Martin Parish Council to unanimously back Cedars' request to sue LCG over the removal this week.. The St. Martin Parish Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to authorize Parish President Chester Cedars to pursue litigation against Lafayette Consolidated Government for removal of spoil banks along the Vermilion River St. Martin leaders said happened without permission. As for rural communities dealing with water issues in the rest of the parish, there is no word from the parish government yet as to when improvement efforts will be underway. 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. 1844-1852: Principal, Adelphian Academy, North Bridgewater, MA: 1854-1855: Teacher, Dunbarton Academy, Washington, DC: 1855-1859: Principal, Western Academy . On October 14, 2021, I met with Mayor-President Guillory and several members of his staff. The Corps of Engineers in New Orleans said through a spokesperson that it opened an investigation into the spoil banks' removal. He says it will benefit the entire region. 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. Local Workforce Development Board #40 is certified by Louisiana's Governor as a local workforce development board, as required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Public Law 113-128. "That doesn't preclude any other type of actions which may occur.". St. Martin Parish Parish President. 2023 St. Martin Parish Government. This Tuesday (March 7th) is ACT Testing Day on our high school campuses. Executed and paid for in days, the spoil banks operation is emblematic of the quick pace of government the Guillory administration has bragged about but has nonetheless landed it in legal trouble. But rather than bid the markedly different contract, LCG accepted a single quote from Rigid valued at $3.7 million, the sole documentation for which appears to be a half-sheet of letter-sized paper with seven line items Rigid refers to as Bid Item(s) with an eighth line it calls Total Base Bid. To be clear, there was no advertised bid. It was a very short call, Cedars said. 15th JDC Judge (Div. The suit aimed to stop LCGs clampdown on panhandling which district and appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court have repeatedly found to be protected speech under the First Amendment. "They didn't listen and unfortunately unless you take someone's money out of their pocket, they won't listen," Boudreaux says. Lafayette City-Parish Attorney Greg Logan responded to the new lawsuit Thursday by saying he believes there are inconsistencies in St. Martin Parish's arguments and that LCG will make its response in due time. The St. Martin Parish Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to authorize Parish President Chester Cedars to pursue litigation against Lafayette Consolidated Government for removal of spoil. Cedars said LCG removed the spoil banks without the appropriate regulatory licenses or permits required by law. Jeremiah, I see that you failed to read the story. P.O. Instead, the caper was appended to a $390,000 contract awarded in December to Rigid Constructors LLC, the lowest bidder for as-needed excavation work. Fax N/A. :And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? 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. Parish Council Meetings held @ 5:00 on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com. ------------------------------------------------------------Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere. "Not . In recent months, private landowners around the lake have tried to block access for the public, either out of a fear of liability should an accident occur or, as in the case of the litigation the parish is engaged in, for commercial purposes. It is likely a court would find, based on the facts specific to this project, how it was bid, and the quick resulting change order which appears to have changed the scope of work that LCG did not comply with Louisianas public bid law, says David Vicknair, an experienced public bid law attorney with the firm Scott Vicknair LLC in New Orleans. If you are a St. Martin Parish resident, take a moment to enjoy our many recreational sites and renew your valued acquaintances. Cedars says he believes, however, more research on how it would impact their region should have been done before LCG moved forward with the project. He also addressed rumors that some landowners might try to block Rookery Road around the lake. Three days later, on Feb. 21, before obtaining permits from either St. Martin Parish or the U.S. This might be a risk-free endeavor for Lafayette Parish, but it is not a risk-free endeavor for St. Martin Parish, Cedars said. His reasoning for writing to the community about his concerns for the parish during this COVID surge sparked after reading a local newspaper article online describing the pressure local hospitals are feeling at this time. Just $4,800 was spent on tree clearing and $260,000 on excavation and fill. Rigid billed $1.9 million for expedited mobilization, a sum that, according to the original contracts terms, should have been included in the contract pricing. Turnarounds of days, rather than weeks, is atypical, according to sources. The Daily Iberian 124 E Main St, New Iberia, LA 70560 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | The DAILY IBERIAN & ACADIANA LIFESTYLE are owned by Wick Communications. I also trust in the science and all of the engineers who have spent years analyzing the benefits of restoring the natural hydraulic flow in this area. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. President Russel C. Foti ; Vice President Mark Hebert ; District I Steve Fuselier 1059 Sonny Dr. St. Martinville, LA 70582 Tel: 337.394.4436. 1005 Judy Street 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 Island Swamp spoil banks. Durand said the value of the individual properties was low, about $1,000 apiece. Thank you for the well written synopsis of this million dollar project. STAFF PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK Tel: 337.441.0229, District III We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Chester Cedars, the St. Martin Parish President, speaks at a Parish Council meeting, at which the council voted to pursue litigation against Lafayette Parish for the removal of a spoil bank. When you did not have a permit, Romero added. Tel: 337.441.0393, District IV Cedars said it is the parishs stance that it has rights to the road because it has maintained it for decades. The engineering is clear.. Spoil banks:St. Martin Parish wants Lafayettes lawsuit thrown out for being in Lafayette. With multiple boil advisories in the recent past, Cedars says it's no secret the. "When they were telling me about the project, I said, 'Wait a minute! St. Martinville, LA 70582 . Local experts say they are, however, typically for more focused projects, like ditch cleaning, small drainage projects, water line maintenance, asphalt overlays those with set costs and typically make changes in the thousands of dollars, not millions. On Feb. 18 LCG filed with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Amendment #1 to the as-needed contract, saying the parties desire to amend the agreement to add line items for additional services. The amendment was signed by Mayor-President Josh Guillory and Rigids Fortier. One for the removal of the spoil banks in Lafayette Parish and the other for the spoil banks in St. Martin Parish, according to Cedars' reports. Normal processes for getting the project done would not have made that possible. 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. Employee Application for Summer Learning 2021, St. Martin Parish Head Start Academy Program, St. Martin Parish Early Head Start & Head Start Academy Program, St Martin Parish Type III Child Care Centers, School Based-Health Centers and School Nurse Program, St Martin Parish Virtual Learning Program, Virtual Learning Family Technology Survey, Cameras in SPED Self-Contained Classrooms - St. Martin Adopted Policy, SMPSB 2022-23 Ready to Achieve: School Reopening Plan, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Behavioral Health Services for Students (Act 696), Parental Access to Instructional Materials (Revised Statue 17:355). [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. That would mean the public would have a right to access the lake even with the typical shoreline under private ownership. There are about two dozen of these properties, and they are causing an expense to the city because they have to keep them up.. 'I guess I should have,' he said to me.. And surreptitiously LCG went out and removed those spoil banks and, in our opinion, has put our citizens at peril, contrary to what they may postulate.". 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. I did see something that it was done in two days, but the equipment that was brought in from as far as Idaho, and a lot of that Rigid had to pre-pay I remember was going on. Cedars cites the latest COVID hospitalization data in the Acadiana Region 4 and positivity rates within the parish. Why didnt you tell me? St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said he asked Guillory when the two spoke after the operation was completed. Copyright There was hesitation. Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. 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. And certainly going from $300,000 or $400,000 to $3 [million] or $4 million would be a material change in the contract. Tel: 337.394.4436, District II Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Acadiana Boil Advisories and Water Shutdowns, New Iberia community celebrates life of slain teen, Jury convicts Patterson man of second-degree murder, DeRidder man killed in Vernon Parish crash, Man sentenced after caught with over 3 lbs of meth, Acadiana Kidcasters Apply for your child to do the weather on KLFY-TV, Lafayette woman missing after reportedly driving customer to Texas, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, Injured Laf. Lafayette, St. Martin parishes are arguing about a strip of dirt by the river, Five years later, Lafayette is still defined by the catastrophic 2016 flood, LCG took their land and razed it in a week. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investigating LCG's decision to do the St. Martin Parish work without a federal permit, and the Corps has also asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate "flagrant, willful violations" associated with the project.Shortly after being made aware of the levee removal, the Corps told LCG to stop all activity on the project (with the . Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com. My office and the St. Martin Parish Council recognize that business is the bulwark of our local economy, and we stand ready and willing to assist you in your ventures. (KLFY) A feud over spoil banks, levees of dirt and debris formed on either side of a river is reaching new heights and creating a major controversy between two Acadiana parishes. St. Martin Parish president expecting appellate ruling on lawsuit soon, Parish suing business owner on Lake Martin over blocking access for public, DWAYNE FATHERREE Drainage:LCG took their land and razed it in a week. " Cedars said he asked. Check out our map of Lafayette drainage projects here. St. Martin P. O. Both local and state officials have been in support of St. Martin Hospital and its expansion efforts since . 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 . "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. Nobody is going to block Rookery Road without a visit to the courthouse, Cedars said. 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 Public Works Committee @ 4:30 on the 3rd Tuesday; Administrative Committee Meeting follows Parish President. Very little of what Rigid charged on the spoil banks project is related to excavation. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. He has also served as the Director of Planning and Zoning of St. Mary Parish. All rights reserved. Login & subscribe to unlock. The latest lawsuit, filed by SMPG Wednesday in St. Martin Parish, comes a day after a federal judge removed a March lawsuit by LCG against St. Martin Parish from federal court, freeing the two to resume their fight in front of a local judge instead. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. St. Martin Parish ( French: Paroisse de Saint-Martin) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, founded in 1811. residents cited for shooting geese from moving, 30 Iberia Parish jail inmates baptized behind bars, Wanted Louisiana fugitive arrested by U.S. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact the Council on Aging at 337-332-3063. 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. What are spoil banks? St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. At issue is the removal of half of a 12-feet levee structure left behind from the last time the Vermilion was dredged that has for decades protected St. Martinville from flooding. The same cant be said for us, said Yvonne Romero, a St. Martin Parish resident who attended the meeting. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars has vowed to sue everyone involved in the clandestine removal of spoil banks in his parish. Contact her at (337) 207-4312 or [emailprotected]. The removal will allow the river to flow into the swamp during storms. The Army Corps of Engineers did not require a permit for this, Guillory told News Ten. The parish seat is Saint Martinville. LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. This is a great day for our region, Guillory added. Russel C. Foti This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Both Homewood and the St. Martin spoil banks are part of the Bayou Vermilion Flood Control project, the centerpiece of a $106 million capital program to stop homes and businesses from flooding. 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. Box 9. "We need clean water, that's the very first thing we need because this is not a third-world country, this is America and we shouldn't have third-world water going through our pipes.". 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. And the peculiar vehicle for awarding such a large contract, in effect side-stepping the transparency and cost controls required of public contracting, may itself have violated public bid law, according to interviews with a dozen contractors, engineers, lawyers and former LCG employees. St Martin parish, is the unreasonable neighbor here, not MP Guillory. TOLL-FREE,24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK But even against that backdrop, the spoil banks project stands out. The council also discussed the potential sale of property within the city of St. Martinville that had been adjudicated as being co-owned by the city and the parish. Our parish extends a very cordial invitation to visit us. 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. Cedars spent most of his parish presidents report explaining exactly how the issues with access to Lake Martin came into being. and last updated 8:09 PM, Feb 27, 2023. Get it first. Third, an investigation by the congressional delegation on what happened, in order, Cedars said, that we are not going to let it happen again.. Make a Donation . Morgan City Mayor; Vermilion Parish. "The perception is this is just talk [], it's not just talk," he tells KATC. St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. At 3 oclock as of today, a week ago, we discovered that Lafayette Consolidated Government decided to remove the spoil banks, Cedars said, describing a phone call with Guillory that he said took place two hours after the discovery. You have permission to edit this article. It's not about whether the removal of the spoil banks will benefit Lafayette, as there is little to no argument there. He also said that there could be a legal argument made that the states area of control extends to the lakes high water mark which could be construed as Rookery Road. LCG removed about 1,200 feet of the dirt levees without St. Martin Parish's knowledge in a bid to reduce flooding in Lafayette. As of Tuesday afternoon, Jamie Angelle, Guillorys spokesperson, did not respond to questions regarding the removal of the spoil banks and didnt provide any comment about the alleged phone call. To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE. Lawsuit:Despite judges ruling, LCG uses identical quick take to seize land for detention pond. The high water mark is at Rookery Road, where the levee used to be, Cedars said. Wick Communications. Photo by Travis Gauthier In all likelihood, St. Martin Parish would have gone to court to stop the work, and indeed Cedars has since threatened to sue everyone involved. If you materially change the original scope of the contract, then you cant just amend it like that and be in compliance with the bid law. "Not . He says removing the spoil banks makes flooding much more likely for their residents. D) Those spoils banks were keeping areas in St. Martin Parish from flooding, parish leaders say. "We were told that additional modeling had been done and that we would get a chance to review it. Create a password that only you will remember. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Workday sued on suspicion of discriminatory hiring, 86-year-old woman honored for years of community, Attic Trash and Treasure organization hosts three-day, Scary video: North Carolina kids nearly hit at bus, Southern University experiences power outage across, No. Chester Cedars has been working as a Parish President at St Martin Parish Government for 21 years. Im just so happy were able to help both Lafayette Parish and St. Martin Parish, Guillory added. 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. Lafayette Consolidated Government quietly removed the spoil banks from the southern shore of the Vermilion River in St. Martin Parish in February despite previous objections from the St. Martin Parish Government, which was not informed when the work was done. Copyright 1997- "With so much of our daily life revolving around internet connectivity, we are making fiber infrastructure modernization a priority for our parish. Redditt, who was first hired by the St. The wire transfer to Rigid came five days after LCG lost the Homewood ruling and is for work on that project. St. Martin Parish. Still, this only covers three of several water systems throughout the parish and they are not the only ones with a cry for help. 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. 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. Senator (Class II) U.S. Representative (District 3) 15TH JDC District ATTORNEY; 15th JDC Judge (Div. 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. http://dss.louisiana.gov/page/109. One contractor interviewed by The Current defended the pricing in the contract, noting its what he would charge for the work. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. LCGs drainage projects are already costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in city-parish legal fees, plus millions in re-mobilization costs. A public records request for electronic communication between Fortier and LCG officials is pending. LWDB #40 is one of 15 local workforce development boards in the State of Louisiana and services . But the contract terms require Rigid to document and justify those overages, Cedars said he asked Guillory when the two spoke after the operation was completed, Cedars has since threatened to sue everyone involved. Guillory, Nepveaux, Logan, and Fortier, in my view are all heros. 314 Elmer St C) Multi-Parish Races. Now, they might win it back. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said, however, it will not help their region and called it an act of misconduct.. It was paid only $1.6 million in all of the previous fiscal year, according to online records. Lafayette Parish residents deserve to know and understand this issue. LCG did not turn over any evidence that the costs were negotiated within the percentages allowed by the contract, that a 5 percent retainage was withheld or that a new performance bond was posted by Rigid. 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. I do not need Lafayette Parish Government telling St. Martin Parish whats best for us. Nothing was given to us to review. Logan confirmed that it was his idea for LCG to do more as-needed contracts, which arent that unusual in public works departments. Cormier: "Starting in, I guess, 1990, the parish Police Jury had tried in three attempts to at least bring it to a study. Im not frustrated as much as Im appalled, Cedars said. The spoil banks, left behind from the last time the Vermilion River was dredged decades ago, run along the rivers southern bank around the swamp in St. Martin Parish, just east of the border with Lafayette Parish. Stay up to date with the latest news by downloading the BRProud App from the App Store or Google Play. U.S. President; U.S. Cedars eventually asked council members to adopt three measures. District II Wanda B. We don't want anyone to be harmed, and therefore we believe that the way to mitigate that is to restore the property to its state before the removal of the spoil banks," he added. No records of such documentation have been produced in our records requests, besides the half-page bid table pricing the rush-ordered work. Logan and Guillory have defended the approach and use of quick take expropriation, characterizing the suits as negotiating tactics on the part of landowners looking for a better price in the case of Homewood and Lake Farm. B) 15th JDC Judge (Div. You cant sign a contract or pass an ordinance that allows you to ignore public bid law, says one former LCG official. "I have memories growing up, we'd drink out of the hose outside, could never do that anymore, and neither can our kids," 52-year-old Boudreaux says. About Us. Attached to it was Rigids half page invoice. Rigid played a limited role in the Lake Farm Road detention project that first landed LCG in court over property rights, having been paid $61,000 to clear and burn trees on the Randol family land near Costco in May 2021. Let us know what's going on! It's whether the law was broken (and, I THINK we can all agree, millions more spent than necessary) in doing so. 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. Our restaurants offer authentic, renowned, and award winning Cajun cuisine. I look forward to continuing our work with all of our neighbors, including St. Martin Parish, to combat flooding on a regional scale.
Signs Adderall Dose Is Too High,
Private Hockey Lessons Mn,
Signs You Are Both Hiding Your Feelings,
Dr Katz Northwell Health,
The Avett Brothers Albums Ranked,
Articles S
