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Well, guess what? If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Cedars is accusing Lafayette Consolidated Government of removing spoil banks along the. Steve Fuselier 120 East Refinery Street I trust the significant engineering that has gone into this project. Most of the professionals contacted for this story reviewed documents The Current received from LCG and spoke on the condition of anonymity, so as not to jeopardize ongoing relationships with local government. At issue is the removal of half of a 12-feet levee structure left behind from the last time the Vermilion was dredged that has for decades protected St. Martinville from flooding. Cedars said LCG removed the spoil banks without the appropriate regulatory licenses or permits required by law. Serious allegations from St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, against LCG over flood control. "We've got to do more to assist if we're gonna keep this structure in place, we've got to do more to assist those rural systems.". Records from LCG and Open Book reveal that Rigids invoices are typically paid within days, with one for $9.3 million for the Bayou Vermilion Flood Control project paid via wire transfer to Rigid on May 9, one working day after it was submitted. St. Martin Parish has made a commitment to develop and maintain this medium so that the residents of our great parish can have full, open, and up-to-date access to the affairs of Parish Government. 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.. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars has vowed to sue everyone involved in the clandestine removal of spoil banks in his parish. 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. 1.2k. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. There was a problem saving your notification. "When they were telling me about the project, I said, 'Wait a minute! All Rights Reserved, Opening/Purchasing a Bar/Nigh Club/Lounge, RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan, RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan-Amendment #1. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. St. Martin Parish residents who live near the area where the spoil bank once stood agree this may not benefit them. ST. MARTINVILLE, L.a. Aging water systems are causing issues for small municipalities across the country, state, and even here in Acadiana. My office and the St. Martin Parish Council recognize that business is the bulwark of our local economy, and we stand ready and willing to assist you in your ventures. Recognizing the best in local architecture, planning and design, we are pleased to announce 12 winning projects for The Current In Design Awards 2023. Lafayette Consolidated Government quietly removed the spoil banks from the southern shore of the Vermilion River in St. Martin Parish in February despite previous objections from the St. Martin Parish Government, which was not informed when the work was done. Over in Arnaudville, Paul Boudreaux shares his issues with United Water System, a service he's been a customer of since 2019 when he moved back home. ft. skate park in Lafayette, Downtown Lafayette will soon see a new residential, Contentious California nuclear plant can keep operating,, Lafayette woman attempts to fight off purse snatcher, Ragin Cajuns Fall to App State in SBC Tournament, Spanish Moss was almost called French Moss, Prep Basketball: #1 NISH advances in thriller of, Meghan Schorman Claims Sun Belt Softball Pitcher, Ella Goodies family searching for another family, Carencro Fire Department responds to fire on Braquet, Jury convicts Louisiana man of trafficking fentanyl,, Ville Platte woman arrested for felony theft, Abbeville woman thankful to be alive after shot in, Carencro man re-arrested on child pornography charges, La. There was hesitation. http://dss.louisiana.gov/page/109. He can be reached at dwayne.fatherree@daily-iberian.com. "Aquaspersions is delighted to be investing in Broussard and with the welcome we have received," Bewsher said. As the spoil banks are already gone, Cedars says theyre trying to fix this. Romero said that she saw the first equipment coming to St. Martinville in February, but she thought LCG had permission to do the work. Wick Communications. Guillory's administration already faces two lawsuits over a novel type of quick-take land grab used to secure properties to build major detention ponds, one of which was overturned by a local judge and is now on appeal. It's not about whether the removal of the spoil banks will benefit Lafayette, as there is little to no argument there. 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. Something that is now possible thanks to a $14.3 million grant. But the contract terms require Rigid to document and justify those overages. 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. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said he is excited about the project, which will bring broadband connectivity to the St. Martin Economic Development Authority's SMEDA Industrial Park, which is located on the Lafayette/St. President Russel C. Foti ; Vice President Mark Hebert ; District I Steve Fuselier 1059 Sonny Dr. St. Martinville, LA 70582 Tel: 337.394.4436. Over the past several months, The Current has reviewed hundreds of of pages of court documents and records obtained from LCG related to its immense capital program for drainage. Guillory, says, however, a permit was not necessary. var today = new Date() 1059 Sonny Dr. Marshals,, Hooded man wearing sagging pants steals $9K in purses, Acadiana foster dad fighting to get children back, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "Many residents and local business in our parish struggle to access reliable internet service," St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. var today = new Date() There can be a myriad of violations, says Shaye, who declined to comment on whether her office has been alerted to LCGs contracts. Army Corps inspection finds no permit was needed for Lafayette spoil banks removal, removed a March lawsuit by LCG against St. Martin Parish, St. Martin Parish wants Lafayettes lawsuit thrown out for being in Lafayette, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox. Rigids quote for the St. Martin work also tacked on $1.2 million for Barges/Temporary Barges, Cranes, and Rigging, $30,000 for patrol boats and $117,000 to have a mechanic on standby for the 24-hour job. 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. Im not frustrated as much as Im disappointed. ------------------------------------------------------------Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere. Im not frustrated as much as Im appalled, Cedars said. 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. This Tuesday (March 7th) is ACT Testing Day on our high school campuses. Jeremiah, I see that you failed to read the story. You have permission to edit this article. [2] St. Martin Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan area in the region of Acadiana, along . STAFF PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK After the shooting, Reddit drove to a Baton Rouge hospital for a stab wound he said he sustained during the incident. St. Martin Parish Library Board of Control Tommy Romero, President,Appointment 1992, Expiration July 2027 Freda Harrison, Vice-President,Appointment 1980, Expiration July 2025 Charlene LeBlanc,Appointment 1989, Expiration July 2023 Georgie Blanchard,Appointment 1998, Expiration January 2027 Lafayette Parish residents deserve to know and understand this issue. The council also discussed the potential sale of property within the city of St. Martinville that had been adjudicated as being co-owned by the city and the parish. LCG removed about 1,200 feet of the dirt levees without St. Martin Parish's knowledge in a bid to reduce flooding in Lafayette. The attorney general can pursue that violation. . On Feb. 18 LCG filed with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Amendment #1 to the as-needed contract, saying the parties desire to amend the agreement to add line items for additional services. The amendment was signed by Mayor-President Josh Guillory and Rigids Fortier. According to state law, change orders within the scope of the contract can be negotiated in the publics best interest or let out for bid, but change orders outside of the scope of the contract that exceed the contract limit must be let for bid., The law also suggests that it is a best use of public funds to put out for bid change orders within the scope that are more than the contract limit. D) P.O. 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. [citation needed] From 2000 to 2004, Angelle was the first parish president of St. Martin Parish and the vice president from 1998 to 2000 of the Huval Companies in Lafayette, Louisiana. Log In / Sign Up. (AP) An off-duty St. Gabriel, Louisiana, police officer was arrested Thursday for the alleged murder of a 26-year-old man, authorities say. It is also my understanding that the USCOE recommended removing the spoil banks, back in 1994?, after the 1993 flood. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said, however, it will not help their region and called it "an act of misconduct." "I do not need Lafayette Parish Government telling St. Martin . 2023 www.theadvertiser.com. A public records request for electronic communication between Fortier and LCG officials is pending. 1844-1852: Principal, Adelphian Academy, North Bridgewater, MA: 1854-1855: Teacher, Dunbarton Academy, Washington, DC: 1855-1859: Principal, Western Academy . 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. 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. If you are a St. Martin Parish resident, take a moment to enjoy our many recreational sites and renew your valued acquaintances. 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. Cedars did say he had productive conversations with members of one family about their concerns and proposed a possible compromise. 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 . I guess I should have, Guillory reportedly told him. 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. Our parish extends a very cordial invitation to visit us. It is also my understanding, as Ms Turk mentioned, St Martin has been an obstacle to the removal of the spoil banks and restoring the natural floodway. One for the removal of the spoil banks in Lafayette Parish and the other for the spoil banks in St. Martin Parish, according to Cedars' reports. Spoil banks:St. Martin Parish wants Lafayettes lawsuit thrown out for being in Lafayette. 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. Those spoils banks were keeping areas in St. Martin Parish from flooding, parish leaders say. Parish President Chester Cedars speaks during a meeting of the St. Martin Parish Council on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. 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. ST. MARTIN PARISH, La. The parish seat is Saint Martinville. Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. The contract also requires LCG to give written instructions to the contractor increasing the quantity of work and/or change orders. In recent months, private landowners around the lake have tried to block access for the public, either out of a fear of liability should an accident occur or, as in the case of the litigation the parish is engaged in, for commercial purposes. Rigids $390,000 bid last year for the 2021 LCG as-needed excavation and disposal contract for work throughout the Lafayette City-Parish (the contract does not allow for work outside of the parish) was the lowest among five bids; four other contractors sent bids that ranged from $568,000 to $1.1 million. Individuals interested in applying for positions may stop by the agency during those times. 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. Want to see more results ? 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. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. About Us. 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 St. Martin Parish Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to authorize Parish President Chester Cedars to pursue litigation against Lafayette Consolidated Government for removal of spoil banks along the Vermilion River St. Martin leaders said happened without permission. He has also served as the Director of Planning and Zoning of St. Mary Parish. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars gave a blistering rebuttal to the claims of a local businessman who said a new ordinance was targeting his business, citing more than a year's worth of meetings, correspondence and inspections with the owner as the parish sought to get the owner to comply with its zoning ordinance. 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. The spoil banks are makeshift dirt levees, nearly 4,000 feet long, that follow the river's southern bank around the Cypress Island Swamp in St. Martin Parish, isolating the river from the low-lying swampland and preventing floodwaters from dumping out of the river and into the swamp during storms. Cedars also mentions questions he frequently receives about the local government imposing crowd limitations or a potential lockdown. 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 cant sign a contract or pass an ordinance that allows you to ignore public bid law, says one former LCG official. 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. and last updated 8:09 PM, Feb 27, 2023. St. Martin Parish is a parish in Louisiana.The parish population is 51,767, according to the United States Census Bureau. Cedars eventually asked council members to adopt three measures. 1005 Big Apple Lane Executed and paid for in days, the spoil banks operation is emblematic of the quick pace of government the Guillory administration has bragged about but has nonetheless landed it in legal trouble. The spoil banks as they appear now, after LCG moved dirt from the St. Martin side of the river to the Lafayette side (above) in February during a 24-hour secret operation that landed it in federal court and facing potential public bid law violations. Aside from the limestone used for a parking lot at the lake, which is viewed as an extension of Rookery Road, the parish cannot use resources to repair or expand improvements on private property. 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 Angelle was elected at the age of twenty-five to the St. Martin Parish Police Jury, the local governing body known as the county commission in most other states. St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. LCGs drainage projects are already costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in city-parish legal fees, plus millions in re-mobilization costs. Wanda B. Created in 1811, St. Mary Parish was originally part of the Attakapas District and St. Martin Parish. (KLFY) A feud over spoil banks, levees of dirt and debris formed on either side of a river is reaching new heights and creating a major controversy between two Acadiana parishes. In the midst of French culture, exploration, and settlement during the late eighteenth century, St. Mary bears the distinction of being a primarily Anglo-Protestant settlement in the midst of French-Catholic Acadiana. Site Map; Accessibility; Facebook (opens in new window/tab) (KLFY) An investigation has begun in the firings of many former employees in St. Landry Parish [] UPDATE, 3/3/2023: Milton-Fontenot said that Bellard gave her job back . 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 Get it first. Tel: 337.394.4436, District II Share this page on your favorite Social network. Commenting is reserved for donors. St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. On October 14, 2021, I met with Mayor-President Guillory and several members of his staff. So it sounds to me like theyre in violation of the bid law.. The idea was proposed, however, long before. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Acadiana Advocate, The Daily Advertiser, Baton Rouge Business Report, Louisiana Illuminator and Gambit. Local Workforce Development Board #40 is certified by Louisiana's Governor as a local workforce development board, as required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Public Law 113-128. St. Martin Parish President has posted updates about the expected impacts for the parish from Hurricane Ida. Our restaurants offer authentic, renowned, and award winning Cajun cuisine. ST. MARTINVILLE St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said that efforts to negotiate a deal with landowners to allow public access to a. Employee Application for Summer Learning 2021, St. Martin Parish Head Start Academy Program, St. Martin Parish Early Head Start & Head Start Academy Program, St Martin Parish Type III Child Care Centers, School Based-Health Centers and School Nurse Program, St Martin Parish Virtual Learning Program, Virtual Learning Family Technology Survey, Cameras in SPED Self-Contained Classrooms - St. Martin Adopted Policy, SMPSB 2022-23 Ready to Achieve: School Reopening Plan, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Behavioral Health Services for Students (Act 696), Parental Access to Instructional Materials (Revised Statue 17:355). Box 9 St. Martinville, LA 70582 (337) 394-2200 EMAIL . Tel: 337.342.2993 'Did you remove them?' 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. Box 1280 Cameron, LA 70631 (337) 775-5718 EMAIL www.cameronpj.org. On Friday, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars levied the allegations against LCG. Lafayette-based Rigid Constructors has been paid handsomely for its role in the blitz of detention projects. Logan confirmed that it was his idea for LCG to do more as-needed contracts, which arent that unusual in public works departments. 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 Martin Parish Government is part of the Government industry, and located in Louisiana, United States. All rights reserved. Mayor-President Josh Guillory and I also last conferred on April 13, 2021, at which time he assured me that there would be no formal action relative to this proposal until and unless St. Martin Parish can fully and completely vet the proposition and conclude that it presents no threat to our Parish, Cedars wrote. The landings are privately owned. Should the Louisiana legislative auditor look into a municipalitys contracting practices, its role would only be to flag potential problems with contracts in an audit report, says Jenifer Schaye, general counsel for the legislative auditors office; violations can lead to restitution or, more rarely, criminal prosecution. Moreover, I believe that under the current circumstances, there is no reason why adults should not take the vaccine except for those with medical issues which prevent them from doing so, said Cedars. Theres a process to this, and the process was definitely not followed, resident Chad Boyer said. Im pretty sure all of this was done with her permission or her approval.. in Breaux Bridge, will host a groundbreaking ceremony today, Tuesday, July 30 at 11:00 a.m. to celebrate the start of an $11.2 million expansion and renovation project. "They didn't listen and unfortunately unless you take someone's money out of their pocket, they won't listen," Boudreaux says. The parish has no jurisdiction. Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com. Nevertheless, I cannot sit idly by and not articulate about a critical situation.. It is my understanding that the overflow of the Vermilion R to Cypress Island swamp is the natural flow of flooding relief. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Vice President: Kevin Martin. St. Martin Parish ( French: Paroisse de Saint-Martin) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, founded in 1811. "Let me just say this, St. Martin Parish is not gonna sit on their ass and allow this to go unremediated.". St. Martin Parish Parish President. 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. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the businesses who have chosen to invest in St. Martin Parish. 337.332.3388, St. Martin Parish Operations,Maintenance &Transportation Drainage:LCG took their land and razed it in a week. :And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? Third, an investigation by the congressional delegation on what happened, in order, Cedars said, that we are not going to let it happen again.. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said Thursday his government is aiming to have LCG restore the spoil banks as an immediate remedy and said it may seek other remedies as the case. Mike Clay 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. "We need clean water, that's the very first thing we need because this is not a third-world country, this is America and we shouldn't have third-world water going through our pipes.". Anytime we can be good neighbors and we can help out folks and help anybody in the region and defnitely not hurt anybody, were going to do that, Guillory said. Flood fight:Lafayette, St. Martin parishes are arguing about a strip of dirt by the river. 337-909-2990, REPORT CHILD ABUSE: 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) "The perception is this is just talk [], it's not just talk," he tells KATC. Over the last 25+ years various government agencies have spent many hundreds of millions of dollars on flooded homes, many of which could have been avoided by simply restoring the spoil banks to its original level, along with spot dredging and maintaining the required natural depth of the river. St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. The losses could substantially burden both city and parish finances. Copyright It's uncalled for and unwarranted," Cedars said Thursday. Nobody is going to block Rookery Road without a visit to the courthouse, Cedars said. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars listens to a discussion at Tuesday's parish council meeting. All 9th and 12th graders will remain home on Tuesday and participate in their courses virtuallythrough Google Classroom using their Chromebooks. 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. "We believe that we need to proceed as quickly as possible to protect the citizens from being harmed. "With so much of our daily life revolving around internet connectivity, we are making fiber infrastructure modernization a priority for our parish. Corps of Engineers to remove the spoil banks along the Vermilion River in St. Martinville, but that request was ultimately withdrawn, according to Cedars. document.write(year) He also said that there could be a legal argument made that the states area of control extends to the lakes high water mark which could be construed as Rookery Road. And if LCG intended the arrangement to avoid bid law, thats a problem, experts say. The maximum price of the projects first phase was negotiated at $30.6 million, but grew to $38 million when Rigid was forced to mobilize to another drainage project during litigation with the landowners. Waste Connections is taking over trash pickup in St. Martin Parish. 314 Elmer St Normal processes for getting the project done would not have made that possible. Vice President Lorem ipsum dolor consecteture adiciping. One contractor interviewed by The Current defended the pricing in the contract, noting its what he would charge for the work. Cedars spent most of his parish presidents report explaining exactly how the issues with access to Lake Martin came into being. Theyre speaking with regulatory agencies about imposing penalties on LCG if they find they did violate the law. (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. All rights reserved. district5@intmartinschools.org, District VI 2023 St. Martin Parish Government. You can experience nature at its finest and tour the Parishs natural gifts such as Bayou Teche, Lake Martin, and the Atchafalaya Basin. Sign up for our free newsletter. And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? The Corps added it would determine whether a permit for this work was required or not. Bid law exists to protect against cost overruns and to keep negotiations honest. Chester Cedars, the St. Martin Parish President, speaks at a Parish Council meeting, at which the council voted to pursue litigation against Lafayette Parish for the removal of a spoil bank. He was eventually taken into custody by the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff .