Richard issued a 2-year deal

“The end is nearing,” said an elated Elaine Richard Tuesday night following the vote to increase her husband’s contract as superintendent of the Terrebonne Parish School System to two years.

Ed Richard’s fate has hung in the balance since Jan. 24, when the school board deadlocked on a measure to extend his contract. The superintendent failed to get a two-thirds vote from the board.

The decision to oust Richard came as a shock to many residents in the community, especially given the board’s glowing review of his performance last summer.

At each meeting since Jan. 24, the board has argued Richard’s future as head of the parish school system.

The issue divided the board and prompted citizens to circulate petitions seeking the recall of several board members.

At its Feb. 27 meeting, against the advice of legal counsel, the board agreed 5-4 to extend Richard’s stay by one year. School board attorney Clayton Lovell said the minimum contract extension should have been two years in keeping with the school district’s policy.

However, school board President Clark Bonvillain said he had discussed the contract deal with a representative of the Louisiana School Board Association and was told a one-year offer was legal.

But Terrebonne Parish District Attorney Joseph Waitz Jr. weighed in Tuesday night, countering the LSBA’s opinion.

Waitz said since the board did not renew Richards’ current contract, which is slated to end in April, the Feb. 27 vote required a new contract, not an extension of the existing one. A one-year contract is illegal in Louisiana; state law mandates that superintendents be given two-year or four-year deals, he said.

Waitz urged the board to rescind the one-year deal and follow state law. “The last thing we need is for someone from the Louisiana District Attorney’s Office or the Attorney General’s Office coming down here to regulate a situation we can correct ourselves,” he told the board.

Board member Don Duplantis offered a motion to deviate from the agenda to rectify the previous vote, but the measure failed 4-5. Board members Roosevelt Thomas, Duplantis, L.P. Bordelon and Dicky Jackson voted for the deviation.

Richard supporters were force to sit through the entire meeting before the fate of their leader was decided.

When the issue did come up on the agenda, Duplantis introduced a motion to rescind the one-year deal. The measure passed 6-3, with board members Ricky Pitre, Board President Clark Bonvillain and Hayes Badeaux voting against the move.

Addressing the board, concerned resident Lee Steil said, “It is embarrassing to see three board members oppose a recommendation made by the parish district attorney.”

Duplantis offered a motion seeking a two-year reappointment, asking that the measure be decided by a majority vote. An attempt to require a two-thirds vote to OK the contract offered by Bonvillain failed, 6-3. Board members Duplantis, Gregory Harding, Thomas, Jackson, Bordelon, Roger Dale DeHart voted against the two-thirds vote.

Duplantis’ motion to reappoint Richard received a majority vote 5-4, with Harding, Bonvillain, Pitre and Badeaux voting against it.

When the issue was decided, Richard offered his thanks to the public. “Hopefully I won’t let you down,” he said.

The board’s three-member executive committee-comprised of Bonvillain, Thomas and Badeaux n will negotiate the terms of the contract, and will present it at the April 3 executive committee meeting.

Richard issued a 2-year deal