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In a 5-4 vote, Terrebonne Parish School Board members sent discussion regarding redistricting to a yet-to-be-determined committee, rather than adopt a reapportionment map already accepted by the Terrebonne Parish Council for its use.
In front of 82 citizens, last Tuesday’s meeting was riddled with allegations that included a lack of transparency by the school board, intentional placement of members against one another and outside interests wanting to imbed individuals into the body of educational administrators for personal gain.
With a roll-call decision, Gregory Harding, Richard Jackson, Debi Benoit, Brenda Babin and Dale DeHart blocked a proposal made by board president L.P. Bordelon that the school board adopt the identical redistricting and reapportionment map that had been accepted in 2011 by the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government for council representation and election purposes. The matter was then sent to committee.
School board members voting to acceptance of the parish council map included Bordelon along with Roosevelt Thomas, Hayes Badeaux and Donald Duplantis.
Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce Chairman William “Billy” Foster Jr. was one of three people to speak against accepting the established parish council map being applied to the school board.
Foster claimed constituents had not been adequately notified regarding the board’s consideration of redistricting and reapportionment, and how it might impact existing members.
“You don’t have to decide to accept [the adopted parish council map] tonight,” Foster told the educational decision makers.
The chamber chair did not volunteer to say – as was brought out during the public meeting – that Babin and Benoit had previously approached him, asking for intervention from the chamber, and that he had in turn invited them and Bordelon to meet with him privately about the matter.
“The public is due the ability to understand what is taking place,” Foster said. “The two ladies came to me and asked what we could do.”
“You [have] an agenda, although I don’t know what it is,” Duplantis said.
Foster denied Duplantis’ claim the Houma chamber possesses secret motives which included an implication that the body of business representatives want to insure the only two female Board members kept their seats.
“You’re putting words in my mouth, and I don’t appreciate it,” Foster told Duplantis. “We do not have any agenda.”
After the meeting, Foster confirmed, as an explanation of its interest at this time, that on occasion the chamber has been an active presence regarding school board matters.
Bordelon said the chamber was heavily involved when the school board was reduced in size from 15 to nine members in 2000. “[The chamber] started a petition and got the issue placed on a ballot for public vote,” he said. “It does not surprise me [that Foster would represent the chamber in the current redistricting matter. The chamber always looks for ways to better position itself.” The school board president noted that he is a chamber of commerce member.
A month prior to last week’s school board meeting, Babin voiced her suspicion that some members were attempting to remove her and Benoit, who came into office at the beginning of 2011, by forcing them to run against existing male board members. “I do think there is an effort to get rid of us,” Babin said.
If the parish council map were adopted and school board lines redrawn to match it, and if all incumbent school board members chose to seek re-election, because of the proximity of where they live to one another Babin would face Badeaux and Benoit would be placed on the ballot opposite Jackson.
“No school board or parish council seat is guaranteed,” Duplantis argued to the idea of saving existing members’ positions in redistricting. Badeaux responded to Duplantis’ remark by stating that he would willingly give up a section of his district closer to Houma to Babin’s district, so he could focus more on lower Terrebonne Parish schools.
“Nobody’s trying to muscle [Babin and Benoit] out,” Bordelon said after the meeting.
Bordelon countered Foster’s claim that the public had not been informed of redistricting discussion. He noted that the school board first talked about redistricting during its regular session on Jan. 18, 2011.
Public notices of agendas and minutes were published in local news outlets and on the Terrebonne Parish School District website.
On Oct. 26, 2011, South Central Planning and Development Commission CEO Kevin Belanger offered an extensive, public presentation to the school board during which he illustrated how the Terrebonne Parish Council arrived at accepting its reapportionment map. He also told school board members that they could either adopt the parish council map or tweak certain areas to better meet the educational group’s needs.
During its Nov. 15, 2011 meeting, the school board discussed redistricting and verbally agreed to use SCPDC for assistance at an offered package cost of $24,000. The decision was then made to hold the matter over until 2012, so as avoid not giving it full attention during the holidays.
No final agreement was made regarding any mapping plan and, to-date, no contract has been signed with SCPDC. “We have sent a contract over twice by certified mail and have not yet received a signed contract,” Belanger said. “I’m all for sending it to committee.”
The SCPDC CEO said in order to meet a required deadline for a final map to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval before the end of the year, all local work would need to be completed by October.
“Our main issue is the two minority districts,” Belanger said. “There is no way to change those and remain within our legal requirement. [The School Board] can make whatever changes they want. Just don’t touch the minority districts.”
The next school board meeting is scheduled for March 20. It is not known if redistricting and reapportionment will be on the agenda for public discussion.
Terrebonne school board member Debi Benoit listens as speakers offer their opinions on redistricting of the school district.
