Former mayor, new appointments, gift make agenda

The last mayor of Houma and first president of Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, Edward P. “Bubby” Lyons, made a visit to the Terrebonne Parish Council to offer words of encouragement and offer greetings to the community he still calls home.

“If I had digs like this when I was in office I would never have left,” Lyons joked upon entering the Government Tower Council Chamber during only the second time a new body of elected officials met together in regular session.

A wide range of people who worked with him in the past, were constituents, or remember him as a government figure of authority during their childhoods quickly greeted Lyons.

As a former member of the Terrebonne Police Jury, Lyons was also mayor of Houma. When the city and parish consolidated their governments into one system in 1983, he became the first parish president under that new system.

“Twenty-eight years ago … it took a long time just to bring [the consolidated government] into being,” the former government leader said. He then offered a verbal memoir of modern history and government transition that had roots reaching 20 years prior to actually taking place.

“This history means so much to me,” Lyons said. “After I became the first parish president, we went from the lowest unemployment statistical rate in the country to the highest virtually overnight [due to the oil industry bust of 1983]. I’m convinced that if it weren’t for the consolidation of our government we wouldn’t have made it.

“Things have changed and everything has come back,” the former parish president said. “You are a tremendous group of people. I was in business, but the time I spent in public service was the most gratifying. I’m convinced it won’t be long before you will feel the same way.”

Lyons was part owner of Duplantis Truck Lines, Quality Shipyards, and Benton Casing Services. His public service included membership on the Terrebonne General Hospital Board, Terrebonne Parish Library Board and Louisiana Energy Power Authority.

Growing up in originally French-speaking Houma, Lyons was the first member of his family to have English as his first language.

Councilman Greg Hood thanked Lyons for his part in hiring Hood when he was a 19-year-old rookie on the Houma Police Department. “You were the first mayor I ever met,” Hood told Lyons. “I just wanted to say, ‘Thank You.’”

Other council members echoed words of appreciation for Lyons’ service and example of public leadership.

Councilwomen Beryl Amedee and Christa Duplantis mentioned their appreciation of his work that made an impression on them as children.

Councilman John Navy said he was too young at the time of Lyons’ service to personally remember him, but also appreciated having a legacy into which he could grow, and for living in a community that Lyons helped transition over time to allow people like Navy the opportunity to serve as an adult. “I just want to say, ‘Thank you,’ out of respect,” the councilman said.

In regular agenda business, the council adopted a resolution in which it called on Gov. Bobby Jindal to restore funds to Leonard P. Chabert Medical Center, which had been cut as part of a budget reduction to the LSU Health System.

The council also passed an ordinance to accept the donation of a 16-foot wide tract along an edge of Southdown Cemetery. The donation was made by the American Sugar Cane League Foundation in an effort to protect an area believed to contain unmarked graves belonging to former slaves or their decedents.

“An 18-year-old debate ended today,” historian and archeological expert Luceretia McBride said. “I am so proud of this council and those that sat on the past council to get this donation [completed].”

McBride wanted to insure that discovered graves on neighboring developed property that would require being moved might be insured to be relocated within the Southdown burial ground rather than moved to another public cemetery. “Cemeteries are filling up, but [arrangements could be made],” she said.

No action was taken on McBride’s concern of grave relocation, but council members did instruct council clerk Charlette Poche to send a letter of appreciation to the American Sugar Cane League Foundation.

Pending board appointments that had been forwarded from the council’s Jan. 11 meeting were addressed.

The most anticipated board placement was that of the Bayou Cane Fire Protection District. With a field of 14 applicants five were selected to serve on a single verbal ballot among parish council members.

Those chosen to comprise the new Bayou Cane Fire Protection District Board were Suzanne Carols, Leslie Jones, Joseph Malbrough, Jeff Teuton and Kenneth “Doc” Wright.

Among the Bayou Cane board candidates was Jason Gautreaux, son for the late Fire Chief Jerry Gautreaux. The younger Gautreaux had been at the center of a long-standing feud with the former board members and current Fire Chief Charles Long. That fight led to the resignation of some board members and removal of others.

“We’ve been having a lot of bickering on this board for years,” Councilman Russell “Red” Hornsby said. “So please, guys, get together. Work for the betterment of the fire district and the parish and get along with each other.”

Additional appointments included the reappointment of Bruce Verdun and Sandy Ostheimer to the Terrebonne Parish Tree Board. The appointment of two other seats was held over for two weeks.

Evest Voisin Jr. was appointed to the Houma Fire Protection Dist. 4 Board, while Kurt Charpentier and Gerald Arceneaux were named to serve on Fire Protection Dist. 5.

The Council named Brenda Babin and Angie Corbin to serve on the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center Commission. The filling of a third position was held over for two weeks.

Charles Bellizana was reappointed to the Recreation Dist. 8 Board.

Vacancies that remain open include positions with the Bayou Blue Fire Protection District, Recreation Dist. 1, Downtown Development Corp., Fire Protection Dist. 10 and the Broadmoor Tree Fund Advisory Board.