Defeated council foe: Board appointments biased

Billy Hebert, who defeated Floyd Bergeron in the runoff election for the District 3 Terrebonne Parish Council seat on Nov. 17, said that comments Bergeron made criticizing the way board members are appointed at the Council’s Policy, Procedure and Legal Committee on Jan. 7 “weren’t that bad” after hearing a transcript of the comments.

Hebert, who owns the Houma accounting business Bookkeeping Express, was vice-chairman of the board of the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Waterworks District No. 1 when he ran for the District 3 council seat.

He resigned his position with the Waterworks District on Jan. 13, according to Council Clerk Paul Labat.

Greg Hood, a supervisor for the Terrebonne Parish Communications District, and Charles Collins, an instructor at Fletcher Technical Community College, also ran for the council seat in the Oct. 20 primary.

Bergeron told the committee, “Billy Hebert told me he would see that Gregory Hood got his position on the water board.”

Hebert said, “I told him I would support Greg Hood for a seat on the water board, but I didn’t say I made any deals with him. We need young people to be on the board. I encourage young people to run (Hood is 26), especially if they have a college degree. You don’t promise anybody anything. What he (Bergeron) said was not bad.”

Hood said, “I don’t know what he’s (Bergeron) talking about. Nobody promised me anything.”

Bergeron, a retired oilfield products salesman, also told the committee that appointments to parish boards are based on social status and connections.

“I’ve got a high school education, but I have a lot of common sense,” he said.

“The hospital board (Hospital Service District No. 1) – people complain about waiting 19-and-a-half hours in the emergency room. Why not put common people on the board? You need to revisit this. Put people who can make rational decisions.

“It seems you have to be well-known to be on one of these boards,” Bergeron continued. “The water board – I just found out you have to have connections to get on the water board. Why not give some new people a chance on these boards?”

Bergeron said he believes more oilfield workers and carpenters should be appointed to parish boards.

“Think of the taxpayer,” he said. “Don’t think of Billy Hebert.”

He told the committee that the council should consider placing term limits on service on all parish boards.

Hebert said Bergeron made some valid points.

“He’s right,” Hebert said. “We do need to look at everybody.”