Ronald J. Dubois Sr.
May 19, 2008
Edna Besson
May 21, 2008
Lngtime South Lafourche Levee District Executive Director Windell Curole is in the midst of expanding his job duties. With the recent departure of Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District Director Jerome Zeringue to a job with the state Office of Coastal Activities, Curole will also fill the executive director duties for the Terrebonne Levee District on an interim basis. He will also perform the same duties for the North Lafourche Levee District.
Curole’s new title is interim regional levee director for Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes.
Done with the blessing of the state and two local levee boards, the move was initiated in order to expedite Zeringue’s move to Baton Rouge.
“Having a local guy in Baton Rouge like Jerome will help the area, especially when it comes to talking to state officials about the local angles of these projects such as rights of way and construction issues,” Curole said. “This is a regional agreement, which was agreed to on an interim basis, at least through this year’s hurricane season, with the understanding that Jerome is a telephone call away.”
While all the details of the position, including salary, are still being worked out by the respective boards, Curole said it was important to move quickly. “The faster we get Jerome up there and the quicker I can get up to speed on the details of the other systems, the quicker things will get done,” he said. “There are good staffs and field crews in all the areas so working amongst all three should not be a problem.”
Curole noted that should any of the boards determine that the arrangement is not working out, the option remains to return solely to his work at the South Lafourche Levee District.
Area levee projects face unique challenges. The South Lafourche ring levee project faces a possible decertification from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding elevation issues, while the Morganza-to-the-Gulf levee protection project overseen by the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District faces a lawsuit accusing it of violating environmental laws.
The Morganza project is also undergoing a reassessment by the Corps due to its escalating costs. Initial claims by the Corps are calling for a new authorization of the project by Congress because of its escalating price tag.
