NEWSMAKERS
January 27, 2016
Longtime Vandebilt coach passes away
January 27, 2016
For the first time in eight years, Terrebonne Parish has a new leader, albeit with a familiar face.
Gordon Dove jumped straight to the parish presidency from his seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives, where he had represented District 52 for the last 12 years.
Dove assumed a post with a number of challenges. Over the long-term, the parish is dealing with the effects falling oil prices are having on its oil-dependent economy. The biggest short-term issue was flooding-related, as Dove assumed office with the parish under a state of emergency due to the high water levels in the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers.
The parish president said that in 2016, he will look to further Terrebonne’s flood protection efforts. He is looking to secure two $100,000 contracts with engineers for comprehensive drainage programs in the Bayou Black/Gibson and Little Caillou areas. Construction on these projects, which would include pump stations and conveyance channels, would be paid for by capital outlay money from the state.
Dove is taking advantage of the current state of emergency to expedite additional flood protection in the way of levees. The parish’s status allows the Public Works Department to commandeer right-of-ways. The parish has had five different contractors using those right-of-ways to access and build up the Bayou Black levees to a five-foot level, with hopes of pushing them all the way to seven feet, according to Dove.
“If we can get them a level of seven feet with the hurricane season coming up, we can have a good level of protection for the people to the west in Gibson and down the Big Bayou Black,” he said.
While the parish does not have to negotiate with residents during this state of emergency, Dove has said that Terrebonne workers have cooperated with them and received no complaints about their work.
“We try to get with (residents), and politely get in and get (right-of-way). I mean, we’re doing it for their protection, as well as the protection of their neighbors. And all the landowners have been very cordial with us,” Dove said.
He said the levee work would amount to future savings, as the Bayou Black levees are part of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf flood protection system.
“The dirt and everything we’re doing on Bayou Black is not a waste of money, because it’s on the footprint of where we’re going to build Morganza. So anything we’re spending over there is just less money we have to spend when we build a bigger system,” Dove said.
Levees will not be the only concern for Terrebonne this year, though. The parish plans to help local drivers get around by completing or starting infrastructure projects. Another project that will benefit both flood protection and transportation is the Thompson Road extension, which just broke ground. The road will connect La. Highways 56 and 57, and will be built on top of what is called a “redundant levee” meant to protect the east side of Houma from Lake Boudreaux flooding.
The Westside Boulevard extension broke ground at the beginning of this month. That extension will connect Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Enterprise Drive and will feature the parish’s first roundabout. The parish will also add a stoplight to the intersection of Westside and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards. Dove said that the project should be completed in 14 to 16 months.
The parish president is also trying to get the wheels rolling on a bridge that would go over Bayou Dularge. Dove put in a capital outlay request for the bridge, which would have a 120,000-pound gross vehicle weight. Such a bridge, once funding is secured, would give large trucks access to the Brady Road levee.
According to Dove, construction on the bridge would take about a year and a half.
Terrebonne is also working on facilities north of the U.S. Highway 90 overpass. On Government Street, the parish has three new buildings. The new, 32-bed juvenile detention center, which will have individual sleeping quarters, had its ribbon cutting in December, and youth should be moving over by the end of this month. Next to the center is the new animal shelter, which is still under construction. That facility has another six or seven months before completion, according to Dove.
Just down the street will be Terrebonne’s new Emergency Operations Center. That building will be the day-to-day office for the Terrebonne Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. During storms or other emergencies, parish officials will use the facility, which will be able to withstand category 5 storms, as its command center.
The parish’s sluggish economy has cut revenues for Terrebonne, as sales tax and mineral royalty revenues have fallen. Dove said that while most of the projects already underway are funded, he will rely on those lawmakers in Baton Rouge and build on the work his predecessor did to pursue the parish’s ambitions.
“When you have a tight budget like we’ve got right now, you’ve got to more rely on your state delegation. Of course, I’ve still got a lot of contacts in Baton Rouge that we can all work together to get the capital outlay money rolling this way, like we’ve done in the past,” Dove said. “The parish is in great fiscal shape, the way Michel Claudet left it, so we’re taking it from there.” •
Westside Boulevard extension will connect Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Enterprise Drive. The extension will feature the first traffic roundabout in Terrebonne.
