Lafourche, Terrebonne cancel schools Friday because of boil water advisory
January 18, 2018
HOLIDAY DANCES AND FOOTBALL
January 19, 2018
The Lafourche Parish Council would like to know how a $370,000 Spray Park was built and completed in Bayou Blue, without the proper parish and state permits. And they are asking District Attorney Kristine Russell to look into the matter as well.
Stumped over the issue after questioning Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle, the council has requested their clerk to contact Leonard Chauvin, who was the engineer on the project, and Byron Talbot, who was the contractor, to appear at their next meeting on Jan 23rd, hopefully with answers.
The council questioned Cantrelle during their first meeting of the year, Jan 9th; however, he could not answer their questions over the permits.
So Councilman Jerry Jones offered a resolution, requesting that Russell investigate the park, specifically who authorized the contractor to proceed without coming before the council.
Councilman Daniel Lorraine then opened the discussion on the issue.
“If they made a mistake with the permits, all you have to do is look after the fact. That’s what’s going to happen. Why go to the D.A.? We go there so much, we should move the council chambers there,” Lorraine said.
Jones, who said the project’s cost could be closer to $400,000, said the practice of building and construction without permits, anywhere in the parish, reminds him of how the parish used to do business in 1992, when he was first elected to the council.
“We all know the bid for this park was awarded. And we all know who signed off on it. The problem is this no one came before the council with permits in hand, asking for a letter to proceed on the project. And that’s wrong,” Jones said. “If a constituent wants to construct a building in their back yard, or add-on to their home, we hold their feet to the fire, and not allow them to budge, until they come before us with everything in their hands. This principle should apply to everyone else.”
Councilman Corey Perrillioux answered a question by Council Chairman Luci Sposito, who was curious as to whether a ribbon cutting was held.
“Yes it was… in the winter. And that struck me as odd who cuts a ribbon for a water park in the winter?” Perrillioux asked.
Councilman Michael Gros blamed the engineers and contractors for not having the proper permits, saying you can’t put the blame on anyone else.
Councilman James Bourgeois said he agrees there should have been permits on the project.
“We have a professional contract- what happened?” he asked.
Two councilmen also took issue with the parish administration on two other topics, who negotiated a contract with the South Louisiana Economic Council (SLEC) for services, and can a councilman hire a civil service employee.
Council Chairman Sposito offered the resolution approving the endeavor agreement between SLEC, tagged with a fiscal year 2018 service fee of $25,000.
Councilman Lorraine asked who negotiated the contract.
Sposito then asked the same question to Parish President Cantrelle, who replied, “I don’t know.” Lorraine answered, “Well who has to sign the contract?”
Cantrelle replied, “The parish president.”
Sposito then interrupted, “This came from the administration. It’s nothing I brought before the council.
Lorraine asked, “Well I guess someone from administration is doing something they should not be doing.”
Jones chided, “I thought everything goes through the parish president.”
In another matter, Jones offered a resolution, which the council passed, to request the parish district attorney to render opinions on whether a council member can hire a civil service employee, supervise a civil service employee, and what is the violation if a council member interferes with an administrative function.
Lorraine asked Jones, “What is this about?”
“Something you’ve been a big part of for 30 years. Do you do any hiring?”
“If I can do the hiring, I’d be in the parish president’s chair, “Lorraine said.
“Well you’re there already,” Jones said.
“I just want to be informed and correct on these policies, and that’s why I am requesting the D.A. look into this,” Jones said.
