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Lafourche Parish now has a full-time director for its community services program.
The Lafourche Parish Council unanimously approved Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle’s appointment of Paul Robichaux as the parish’s Community Services Director during Tuesday’s council meeting. Robichaux will oversee Lafourche’s recreation, Head Start program, animal shelter and Community Action department.
The council’s unanimous vote offered a brief respite from a contentious few months between council members and Cantrelle that has featured a number of split votes and lobbed accusations. Robichaux has been serving as the interim community services director since Feb. 1, when Cantrelle hired him to replace Reggie Bagala, whom he had fired the day before. Bagala’s firing set off a series of disputes between Cantrelle and a majority of the council, with the council hiring Bagala as a legislative auditor at an emergency meeting later in the week.
Whatever misgivings the council had did not carry over to their appraisal of Robichaux. Mulitple members said they had heard only good things of Cantrelle’s appointee. Council member Jerry LaFont said he had known Robichaux for a long time and knows his family is very involved in the parish, making him Robichaux an excellent candidate for the position.
A parish press release announcing the hire said Robichaux has familiarized himself with his new position. Robichaux said the departments he oversees have a vital impact on those who need it most in Lafourche.
“The programs we offer here change lives,” Robichaux said.
Cantrelle said Robichaux’s experience in the private sector would translate well to his new position with Lafourche Parish.
“Paul is an exemplary member of the Lafourche Parish community, having dedicated the last thirty (30) years of his career to the oil field working as an advocate for employee development programs,” Cantrelle said. “People like Paul speak volumes through their work which is why he is such an asset for the people of Lafourche Parish.”
