Lafayette's spoil banks project in St. Martin Parish avoided public bid TOLL-FREE,24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Not only could the millions spent digging ponds and removing spoil banks be money down the drain, but the city and/or parish could be on the hook for property owners legal fees and millions in penalties to restore lands to their original conditions. "We need dirt, and the (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) gave us a permit to build a levee on the other side.". St. Martin Parish Government. St. Martin Parish Chairman Tauzin's statement to Baudin on or about September 4, 2021 demonstrates the fact that a Restraining Order was filed against Petitioner based upon the false portrayal that Defendant Fatherree published in The Daily Iberian on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. The Corps added it would determine whether a permit for this work was required or not. Wanda B. 2023 www.theadvertiser.com. Parish president saves California woman Page 5 St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars says St. Martin Parish is no longer going to be one of them. St. Martin Parish Government | St. Martin Clerk It is likely a court would find, based on the facts specific to this project, how it was bid, and the quick resulting change order which appears to have changed the scope of work that LCG did not comply with Louisianas public bid law, says David Vicknair, an experienced public bid law attorney with the firm Scott Vicknair LLC in New Orleans. When asked if the project would harm residents of St. Martin Parish, Guillory said, We surely wouldnt bless off on a project that would hurt anybody, but the science is clear. St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. The auditors office places the facts out there. Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory said a spoil bank removal project on the Vermilion River that prompted harsh criticism by St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars and will likely lead to St. Martin Parish dealing with trash disposal issues St. Martin Parish School Board Breaux Bridge, LA 2 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants See who St. Martin Parish School Board has hired for this role St. Martin Parish officials beginning to crack down on vandalism at . It's whether the law was broken (and, I THINK we can all agree, millions more spent than necessary) in doing so. Its parish seat is St. Martinville, and the largest city is Breaux Bridge. British Chemical Manufacturer to Build First U.S. Facility in Acadiana 600 Corporate Boulevard / PO Box 1000,Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 Ochsner Health Announces PPE Production Facilities in Lafayette, St {0} important information hidden . This might be a risk-free endeavor for Lafayette Parish, but it is not a risk-free endeavor for St. Martin Parish, Cedars said. St. Martin council passes ordinance restricting dumping, burning Nobody is going to block Rookery Road without a visit to the courthouse, Cedars said. It is also my understanding that the USCOE recommended removing the spoil banks, back in 1994?, after the 1993 flood. The landings are privately owned. LWDB #40 is one of 15 local workforce development boards in the State of Louisiana and services . Lafayette, St. Martin parishes are arguing about a strip of dirt by the river, Five years later, Lafayette is still defined by the catastrophic 2016 flood, LCG took their land and razed it in a week. You have permission to edit this article. St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. St. Martinville, LA 70582 St. Martin Parish president expecting appellate ruling on lawsuit soon Cedars would not say exactly what St. Martin Parish's plan is to address LCG's removal of the spoil banks but did say that he plans to give a full report on the situation at the St. Martin Parish Council's next meeting on Tuesday, March 15. Senior Advocacy | St. Martin Council on Aging, Inc C) Multi-Parish Races. The operation was done just weeks after Lafayette's City Council voted on Feb. 2 to offer $500,000 as a match to $1.5 million in state funds to get the spoil banks removed. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. He can be reached at dwayne.fatherree@daily-iberian.com. I guess I should have, Guillory reportedly told him. "I can give you 14.3 million additional reasons it's not just talk, and that's the $14.3 million we've committed to making this consolidation work. Corps of Engineers, LCG quietly purchased an undivided interest in a 41-acre tract from both the Guilliot family and Blanchet Land Company for $42,000 each (leaving a third owner out of the transaction), and it had to be only hours before Rigid was working the site (the sale was not recorded with the St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court until March 9). Recognizing the best in local architecture, planning and design, we are pleased to announce 12 winning projects for The Current In Design Awards 2023. Log In / Sign Up. Flooding:Five years later, Lafayette is still defined by the catastrophic 2016 flood, "We bought the property, took the dirt off the spoil banks and put it on the Chappuis (Dentention Pond project) side," he said. Chester Cedars wins St. Martin Parish President seat "We were told that additional modeling had been done and that we would get a chance to review it. Andre Redditt, 27, was charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said in a press release. The attorney general can pursue that violation. But rather than bid the markedly different contract, LCG accepted a single quote from Rigid valued at $3.7 million, the sole documentation for which appears to be a half-sheet of letter-sized paper with seven line items Rigid refers to as Bid Item(s) with an eighth line it calls Total Base Bid. To be clear, there was no advertised bid. ALLother St. MartinParishSchoolswill beopen on Tuesday, March 7th,for IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION. BREAKING: Lafayette quietly removes spoil levee from St Martin Parish And the peculiar vehicle for awarding such a large contract, in effect side-stepping the transparency and cost controls required of public contracting, may itself have violated public bid law, according to interviews with a dozen contractors, engineers, lawyers and former LCG employees. 314 Elmer St Lafayette City-Parish Attorney Greg Logan responded to the new lawsuit Thursday by saying he believes there are inconsistencies in St. Martin Parish's arguments and that LCG will make its response in due time. Those spoils banks were keeping areas in St. Martin Parish from flooding, parish leaders say. Guy Cormier is the president of St. Martin Parish, and was a Police Juror back in 1999 when the change was adopted for good. Guillory has made clear hell do whatever it takes to push projects through faster. It is also is my understanding that the USCOE 50+ years ago, by putting spoils on the St Martin banks of the Vermilion, inadvertently obstructed that natural flow to Cypress island swamp. You cant sign a contract or pass an ordinance that allows you to ignore public bid law, says one former LCG official. dwayne.fatherree@daily-iberian.com. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. There were some models that were given to us, and we looked at it and weren't satisfied with the conclusions of those 'models,'" Cedars said Thursday. On Feb. 23 Rigid invoiced LCGs Public Works Department $3.7 million for the work, billed as a change order, and was paid five days later out of the city general fund, according to LCGs Open Book, an online financial transparency tool debuted by the Guillory administration in 2020. There was a problem saving your notification. St. Martin Parish wants Lafayette's spoil banks lawsuit thrown out for Corps of Engineers, leaving a third owner out of the transaction, On Feb. 23 Rigid invoiced LCGs Public Works Department $3.7 million for the work. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars says St. Martin Parish is no longer going to be one of them. 1.2k. Billy Broussard sues Daily Iberian for "nothing short of journalistic LCG sued again on St. Martin spoil banks project - The Current In an intense special council meeting attended by more than 100 angry St. Martin Parish residents, Cedars vehemently expressed his dismay toward LCG Mayor-President Josh Guillory. With multiple boil advisories in the recent past, Cedars says it's no secret the parish and others with outdated equipment and infrastructure like it have issues with the systems, especially in rural areas. 500 Henry C. 'Bo' LaGrange Chief Administrative Officer Henry C. 'Bo' LaGrange, is currently the Chief Administrative Officer of St. Mary Parish Government, a position he has held since 1996. Though LCG initially sued St. Martin Parish in Lafayette over the dispute, Wednesday's filing will put the case before 16th Judicial District Court Judge Tony Saleme, of Franklin, unless LCG tries to move the case. Public Works Committee @ 4:30 on the 3rd Tuesday; Administrative Committee Meeting follows Parish President. Why? Cedars has been serving as the interim parish president since former President Guy. Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 In May, Cedars wrote in another memorandum that he prepared and submitted a position paper in response to LCG application for a permit from the Corps of Engineers. Tel: 337.394.4436, District II 600 Corporate Blvd Louisiana, 70517 Breaux Bridge - USA. St Martin Parish Government is part of the Government industry, and located in Louisiana, United States. Breaux Bridge City Court Marshal; Parks Chief of Police; St. Mary Parish. LCGs drainage program is itself unusually massive in scope and speed. In our last feature, we exposed the fact that St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars barely let the ink get dry from him going on a 19-minute masterful performance to convince the St. Martin Parish Council (SMPC) to approve an ordinance to ban the importing of vegetative debris from other parishes into St. Martin Parish before he sued . St. Martinville, LA 70582 Theyre speaking with regulatory agencies about imposing penalties on LCG if they find they did violate the law. Flood fight:Lafayette, St. Martin parishes are arguing about a strip of dirt by the river. He was eventually taken into custody by the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff . Tel: 318.906.0582, District V Durand said the value of the individual properties was low, about $1,000 apiece. When you did not have a permit, Romero added. 'Did you remove them?' [1] At the 2020 census, the population was 51,767. His response was, 'Yes I did,' Cedars said. Now, they might win it back. Coupons are available only to seniors who reside in St. Martin Parish. Tel: 337.342.2993 Welcome to St. Martin Parish Government St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. Vicknair also notes the original December bidders could go to court to enjoin the remainder of the as-needed contract, which has options to be extended another two years, if any of that work is out of scope of the original bid work. All 10th & 11th graders must bring their fully charged Chromebooks to school on Tuesday for testing. St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission | Louisiana Travel UPDATE: Corps investigating work on spoil banks on Vermilion River - KATC Departments - St. Mary Parish Government four other contractors sent bids that ranged from $568,000 to $1.1 million. I did not get a formal response, Cedars said. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. The engineering is clear.. Photo by Travis Gauthier In all likelihood, St. Martin Parish would have gone to court to stop the work, and indeed Cedars has since threatened to sue everyone involved. This Tuesday (March 7th) is ACT Testing Day on our high school campuses. 15th JDC Judge (Div. Cedars also mentions questions he frequently receives about the local government imposing crowd limitations or a potential lockdown. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This story has been edited to include Fortier's $10,000 in donations to Mayor-President Josh Guillory's campaign and to note that the original as-needed contract was limited to work "throughout the Lafayette City-Parish." I trust that my fellow elected officials in St. Martin Parish want for their constituents the same thing that I want for mine, which is to do all we can to protect life and property. Jeremiah, I see that you failed to read the story. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. One contractor interviewed by The Current defended the pricing in the contract, noting its what he would charge for the work. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Tel: 337.409.9518, February 18, 2022 - Special Board Meeting, September 7, 2022 - Regular Board Meeting, September 1, 2021 - Regular Board Meeting, September 2, 2020 - Regular Board Meeting, December 10, 2020 - Special Board Meeting, September 4, 2019 - Regular Board Meeting, February 22, 2018 - Special Board Meeting, September 5, 2018 - Regular Board Meeting, September 6, 2018 - Special Board Meeting, September 11, 2018 - Special Board Meeting, December 19, 2018 - Special Board Meeting, September 6, 2017 - Regular Board Meeting, November 18, 2017 - Special Board Meeting, December 19, 2017 - Special Board Meeting, September 7, 2016 - Regular Board Meeting, November 16, 2016 - Special Board Meeting, February 19, 2015 - Special Board Meeting, September 2, 2015 - Regular Board Meeting, February 19, 2014 - Special Board Meeting, September 3, 2014 - Regular Board Meeting, September 10, 2014 - Special Board Meeting, September 04, 2013 - Regular Board Meeting, September 25, 2013 - Special Board Meeting, November 20, 2013 - Special Board Meeting, February 01, 2012 - Regular Board Meeting, February 08, 2012 - Special Board Meeting, February 29, 2012 - Special Board Meeting, September 05, 2012 - Regular Board Meeting, November 07, 2012 - Regular Board Meeting, December 05, 2012 - Regular Board Meeting, December 19, 2012 - Special Board Meeting, February 02, 2011 - Regular Board Meeting, February 23, 2011 - Special Board Meeting, September 7, 2011 - Regular Board Meeting, September 21, 2011 - Special Board Meeting, December 21, 2011 - Special Board Meeting, February 03, 2010 - Regular Board Meeting, February 24, 2010 - Special Board Meeting, September 1, 2010 - Regular Board Meeting, September 15, 2010 - Special Board Meeting, February 4, 2009 - Finance Committee Meeting, February 18, 2009 - Special Board Meeting, April 22, 2009 - Finance Committee Meeting, September 02, 2009 - Regular Board Meeting, September 16, 2009 - Special Board Meeting, November 04, 2009 - Regular Board Meeting, December 02, 2009 - Regular Board Meeting, February 13, 2008 - Regular Board Meeting, February 20, 2008 - Special Board Meeting, June 18, 2008 - Finance Committee Meeting, August 13, 2008 - Finance Committee Meeting, September 10, 2008 - Regular Board Meeting, September 24, 2008 - Special Board Meeting, October 29, 2008 - Finance Committee Meeting, November 05, 2008 - Regular Board Meeting, November 19, 2008 - Finance Committee Meeting, December 03, 2008 - Regular Board Meeting, December 17, 2008 - Special Board Meeting, St. Martin Parish SchoolBoard Office Morgan City Mayor; Vermilion Parish. Make a Donation . Rather, it seems we are more interested in protecting and advocating our individual ideologue rather than adhering to the advice of medical science and thus protecting our fellow citizens, our businesses, our employers/employees, our healthcare system, and our children.. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact the Council on Aging at 337-332-3063. LCG removed about 1,200 feet of the dirt levees without St. Martin Parish's knowledge in a bid to reduce flooding in Lafayette. Waste Connections is taking over trash pickup in St. Martin Parish. Some members of the St. Landry Parish School Board say they are in favor of changes to the student dress code. document.write(year) Years ago, when there was a tax sale in the city, the property was adjudicated to the city and the parish, Parish Legal Counsel Allan Durand said. Joyce Haynes is the president of the school . First, to authorize Cedars to "pursue litigation against every single person, farm and entity that may be complicit in the removal of the banks," including LCG officials. P. O. The $3.7 million project, now the subject of a barbed lawsuit with St. Martin Parish in federal court, was top secret and never competitively bid. It's uncalled for and unwarranted," Cedars said Thursday. Project Coordinator Job Opening in Saint Martinville, LA at St. Martin Lafayette Parish residents deserve to know and understand this issue. No records of such documentation have been produced in our records requests, besides the half-page bid table pricing the rush-ordered work. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said Tuesday evening that the administration is looking to fund several ambitious initiatives using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act: Water system consolidation $1 million Broadband expansion $3 million Water infrastructure in Water Works District 5 and along Highway 94 $3.8 million residents cited for shooting geese from moving, 30 Iberia Parish jail inmates baptized behind bars, Wanted Louisiana fugitive arrested by U.S. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars told News 10, "It just disrupts the ability of the public to feel comfortable utilizing our facilities." Close Thanks for signing up! Martin Parish line. You had a 12 feet levee, and youre reducing it to 6 feet. Im just so happy were able to help both Lafayette Parish and St. Martin Parish, Guillory added. Check out our map of Lafayette drainage projects here. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Workday sued on suspicion of discriminatory hiring, 86-year-old woman honored for years of community, Attic Trash and Treasure organization hosts three-day, Scary video: North Carolina kids nearly hit at bus, Southern University experiences power outage across, No. On October 14, 2021, I met with Mayor-President Guillory and several members of his staff. This would have saved many hundreds of millions of dollars of property damage, reduction in property values and tax base, not to mention the risk to public safety. Lafayette Consolidated Government beat St. Martin Parish to the punch Wednesday by suing over the removal of the Vermilion River spoil banks at the center of the two parishes' recent feud . ST. MARTINVILLE Parish President Chester Cedars said that he expects the parish should be getting an appellate ruling soon on its lawsuit against a business owner on Lake Martin. Parish President Chester Cedars speaks during a meeting of the St. Martin Parish Council on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Cedars did say he had productive conversations with members of one family about their concerns and proposed a possible compromise. His reasoning for writing to the community about his concerns for the parish during this COVID surge sparked after reading a local newspaper article online describing the pressure local hospitals are feeling at this time. Turnarounds of days, rather than weeks, is atypical, according to sources. Lawsuit:Despite judges ruling, LCG uses identical quick take to seize land for detention pond. Cedars is accusing Lafayette Consolidated Government of removing spoil banks along the. Fifteenth Judicial District Judge Valerie Gotch-Garrett is presiding over the case and St. Martin Parish's request to have it dismissed on the grounds that it should have been filed in the 16th Judicial District, which covers . Theres a process to this, and the process was definitely not followed, resident Chad Boyer said. ST. MARTINVILLE, La. You can experience nature at its finest and tour the Parishs natural gifts such as Bayou Teche, Lake Martin, and the Atchafalaya Basin. City-Parish Attorney Greg Logan confirmed in a phone interview that work on the St. Martin project started soon after the as-needed contract was awarded in December. Apply for the Job in Project Coordinator at Saint Martinville, LA. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said it seems to him that "There is a large number of our citizens who are not participating in the mandatory waste program." Lafayette organization. The investigation could force changes to the project to blunt its impact on the Black and low-income neighborhoods that will house it. The current modeling of the spoil bank removal project shows that there is no threat of harm to St. Martin Parish.. How a St. Martin Parish agency connects seniors to vital services Call 337-828-4100 ext. Cedars said he continued with a second question: 'Why didnt you tell me?' I know it took a month, and equipment came from all over the country. Three days later, on Feb. 21, before obtaining permits from either St. Martin Parish or the U.S. Executive Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Lt. Col. Billy Guidry briefed members of the St. Martin Parish Council on projections so far for this years spring water levels in the parish. District I As of Tuesday afternoon, Jamie Angelle, Guillorys spokesperson, did not respond to questions regarding the removal of the spoil banks and didnt provide any comment about the alleged phone call. of our parish leaders are excited about the decision of Ochsner and Trax Development to locate this PPE facility in our parish," said St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. After the shooting, Reddit drove to a Baton Rouge hospital for a stab wound he said he sustained during the incident. Parish Government Information - Police Jury Association of Louisiana Whether the amended contract was awarded illegally hinges on if the work on the spoil banks falls within the scope of the original contract. Thank you for the well written synopsis of this million dollar project. Payment records show at least three other projects were billed to the as-needed contract, including excavation work for detention ponds on Coulee Ile Des Cannes. What are spoil banks? Cedars cites the latest COVID hospitalization data in the Acadiana Region 4 and positivity rates within the parish. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Acadiana Boil Advisories and Water Shutdowns, New Iberia community celebrates life of slain teen, Jury convicts Patterson man of second-degree murder, DeRidder man killed in Vernon Parish crash, Man sentenced after caught with over 3 lbs of meth, Acadiana Kidcasters Apply for your child to do the weather on KLFY-TV, Lafayette woman missing after reportedly driving customer to Texas, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, Injured Laf. You have to go out and re-bid it, says former Louisiana Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera. (BRPROUD) - St. Martin Parish President Chester R. Cedars wrote a message addressing the community on the "stark reality" of this fourth surge of COVID-19. Lafayette, St. Martin Parish levee feud escalates, lawsuit possible ONLY10th&11th graders will report to their respective high schools on Tuesdayto take their required ACT exam. Cedars said LCG removed the spoil banks without the appropriate regulatory licenses or permits required by law. I trust the significant engineering that has gone into this project. district5@intmartinschools.org, District VI Corps of Engineers to remove the spoil banks along the Vermilion River in St. Martinville, but that request was ultimately withdrawn, according to Cedars. St. Martin Parish president expecting appellate ruling on lawsuit soon, Parish suing business owner on Lake Martin over blocking access for public, DWAYNE FATHERREE Tel: 337.441.0393, District IV Vice President: Kevin Martin. Although there are concerns from high water that has moved south from Cairo, Illinois, and through Jackson, Mississippi, Guidry said it is expected most of those floodwaters will remain north instead of cycling through the Teche. The district attorney can pursue that violation. Local experts say they are, however, typically for more focused projects, like ditch cleaning, small drainage projects, water line maintenance, asphalt overlays those with set costs and typically make changes in the thousands of dollars, not millions. Removing the spoil banks could help drainage throughout Lafayette by lowering water levels on the Vermilion by almost 8 inches in a 2- to 10-year storm, similar to the one in May 2014, and by a little over 2 inches in a storm similar to the August 2016 floods, according to a study by the University of Louisiana at Lafayettes Watershed Flood Center. One former public official is willing to give LCG the benefit of the doubt on the contract amendment. St. Martin Parish to Pursue Legal Action Against Lafayette - KPEL 96.5 "Aquaspersions is delighted to be investing in Broussard and with the welcome we have received," Bewsher said. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said the parish is expecting an appeal courts ruling on a lawsuit regarding the zoning enforcement in the Lake Martin area. The suit aimed to stop LCGs clampdown on panhandling which district and appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court have repeatedly found to be protected speech under the First Amendment. St. Landry Parish School Board May Ban Hoodies Many of these communities do not have the necessary funding to repair or maintain the water systems. var today = new Date() The removal will allow the river to flow into the swamp during storms. Why didnt you tell me? St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said he asked Guillory when the two spoke after the operation was completed. Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the businesses who have chosen to invest in St. Martin Parish.
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