The Daily Iberian 124 E Main St, New Iberia, LA 70560 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | The DAILY IBERIAN & ACADIANA LIFESTYLE are owned by Wick Communications. District II Wanda B. 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). Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population.This encompasses all city, county, and special district elections appearing on the ballot within those cities. His response was, 'Yes I did,' Cedars said. 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. Lawsuit:Despite judges ruling, LCG uses identical quick take to seize land for detention pond. Box 1280 Cameron, LA 70631 (337) 775-5718 EMAIL www.cameronpj.org. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. A public records request for electronic communication between Fortier and LCG officials is pending. 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. 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 along the Vermilion River in St. Martin Parish. He makes it clear that hes always promoted the use of masks while indoors and touches on the subject of the lack of vaccinations among adults. Those spoils banks were keeping areas in St. Martin Parish from flooding, parish leaders say. Get it first. 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. [1] At the 2020 census, the population was 51,767. A no-trespassing sign is displayed near a blocked off area of the parking lot near the boat launch at Lake Martin Monday, November 23, 2020, in St. Martin Parish. Cedars said he continued with a second question: 'Why didnt you tell me?' If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Tel: 337.441.0229, District III 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. 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. LCG removed about 1,200 feet of the dirt levees without St. Martin Parish's knowledge in a bid to reduce flooding in Lafayette. Parish President I am personally pleased that you have devoted time to view this website. 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. St. Martin sues Lafayette to rebuild dirt levee in Cypress Island Swamp The Corps of Engineers in New Orleans said through a spokesperson that it opened an investigation into the spoil banks' removal. 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. Negotiations stall for public access to Lake Martin boat landing, St. Martin council to seek Supreme Court review of Lake Martin lawsuit, Acadiana Regional Airport fuels up F-18's, Homicide suspect wanted after car crashes with person dead inside, Winning back-to-back Opens starts with OBriens bass-zilla, Big man, big moment: Randall-Bashay's bucket seals win for Yellow Jackets, Jordan brings experience, discipline to Athletic Director role, Louviere finds a slow approach key to nailing big bass for big W, New Iberia police searching for felon in Friday shooting incident, BERRY TALES: Stein's means another 'good-bye'. St. Martin Parish turned the tables on Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory's administration Wednesday with a new lawsuit asking a local judge to order Lafayette to rebuild the Cypress Island Swamp spoil banks. Cedars gives update on expected St. Martin impacts - KATC 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. Chester Cedars - Parish.. - St Martin Parish Government | ZoomInfo Public Works Committee @ 4:30 on the 3rd Tuesday; Administrative Committee Meeting follows Parish President. 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.. According to Cedars, LCG had initiated a study for a potential project that entailed the removal of the spoil banks in April 2021. 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. and last updated 8:09 PM, Feb 27, 2023. 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. "I want to give a full report to the council to the public at one time," he said. Cedars accused the parish government of removing spoil banks along the Vermilion River in St.. Cameron P. O. The investigation could force changes to the project to blunt its impact on the Black and low-income neighborhoods that will house it. Coupons are available only to seniors who reside in St. Martin Parish. Durand said the value of the individual properties was low, about $1,000 apiece. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Lafayette beats St. Martin Parish to court with lawsuit over spoil bank St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, who has disputed the merits and risks of removing the spoil banks, said Thursday he was given no advance notice of LCG's plans to "surreptitiously" remove the spoil banks. C) Multi-Parish Races. Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 Pending the governors signature, both the spoil banks project and the catchall Bayou Vermilion Flood Control project are set to receive more state dollars in the 2022 capital outlay budget. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars has promised to hold responsible Lafayette officials and anyone connected to the secretive spoil levee removal, which he fears may send more flood water . As for rural communities dealing with water issues in the rest of the parish, there is no word from the parish government yet as to when improvement efforts will be underway. Our parish extends a very cordial invitation to visit us. 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. The same cant be said for us, said Yvonne Romero, a St. Martin Parish resident who attended the meeting. 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. In the days and weeks before the contract was signed, Rigid CEO Cody Fortier, Rigid itself and Fortiers CF LLC each made $2,500 donations to the mayor-presidents campaign, as did another company associated with Fortier, Sunshine Homes LLC, for a total of $10,000, according to campaign finance records. ONLY10th&11th graders will report to their respective high schools on Tuesdayto take their required ACT exam. 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. Vital . This document is available in PDF format. After the shooting, Reddit drove to a Baton Rouge hospital for a stab wound he said he sustained during the incident. Meet Our Board of Control | St. Martin Parish Library Logan and Guillory have defended the approach and use of quick take expropriation, characterizing the suits as negotiating tactics on the part of landowners looking for a better price in the case of Homewood and Lake Farm. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars says St. Martin Parish is no longer going to be one of them. 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 . St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. 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. LCG did not turn over any evidence that the costs were negotiated within the percentages allowed by the contract, that a 5 percent retainage was withheld or that a new performance bond was posted by Rigid. Call 337-828-4100 ext. Its unclear how much information the bidders were given about potential projects to come and whether they knew of LCGs plans for St. Martin Parish. St. Martin Parish Council approves new trash pickup contract 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. Whether LCG devised the as-needed contract to slip the spoil banks project through unnoticed is unclear. It's whether the law was broken (and, I THINK we can all agree, millions more spent than necessary) in doing so. Having already lost two major expropriation suits related to stormwater projects at the district court level, the Guillory administrations speed has potentially sunk tens of millions of dollars into projects that may never be completed. Attached to it was Rigids half page invoice. 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. P.O. . On Friday, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars levied the allegations against LCG. Cedars also mentions questions he frequently receives about the local government imposing crowd limitations or a potential lockdown. There was a problem saving your notification. The auditors office places the facts out there. Make a Donation . dwayne.fatherree@daily-iberian.com. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Our restaurants offer authentic, renowned, and award winning Cajun cuisine. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. All rights reserved. four other contractors sent bids that ranged from $568,000 to $1.1 million. This might be a risk-free endeavor for Lafayette Parish, but it is not a risk-free endeavor for St. Martin Parish, Cedars said. 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. British Chemical Manufacturer to Build First U.S. Facility in Acadiana View the job description, responsibilities and qualifications for this position. And surreptitiously LCG went out and removed those spoil banks and, in our opinion, has put our citizens at peril, contrary to what they may postulate.". St. Martin Parish President brushes off 30-year-old lifeguarding skills during NACo Annual Conference Like any good executive, Parish President Guy Cormier has to delegate to get things done, day in and day out, in St. Martin's Parish, La. All rights reserved. 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 to sue, investigate removal of spoil banks by var today = new Date() Recognizing the best in local architecture, planning and design, we are pleased to announce 12 winning projects for The Current In Design Awards 2023. Senator (Class II) U.S. Representative (District 3) 15TH JDC District ATTORNEY; 15th JDC Judge (Div. " Cedars said he asked. At this point in time, there is absolutely no articulable, cogent reason most of our community should continue to refuse to wear masks in indoor setting or refuse to even consider receiving a vaccine. Im pretty sure all of this was done with her permission or her approval.. One contractor interviewed by The Current defended the pricing in the contract, noting its what he would charge for the work. {0} important information hidden . Its parish seat is St. Martinville, and the largest city is Breaux Bridge. It was a very short call, Cedars said. St. Martin Hospital (SMH), located at 210 Champagne Blvd. Box 9. It's uncalled for and unwarranted," Cedars said Thursday. Lafayette's spoil banks project in St. Martin Parish avoided public bid [2] St. Martin Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan area in the region of Acadiana, along . Russel C. Foti I did not get a formal response, Cedars said. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. LCGs drainage projects are already costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in city-parish legal fees, plus millions in re-mobilization costs. Parish President Chester Cedars speaks during a meeting of the St. Martin Parish Council on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. U.S. President; U.S. We have one of the best procurement lawyers in the state that works for us out of New Orleans, attorney Logan says. 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. Chester Cedars has been working as a Parish President at St Martin Parish Government for 21 years. Since then, nothing has been done. "The perception is this is just talk [], it's not just talk," he tells KATC. Tel: 318.906.0582, District V 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. 1.2k. 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 LCG sued again on St. Martin spoil banks project - The Current Now, they might win it back, Despite judges ruling, LCG uses identical quick take to seize land for detention pond, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 600 Corporate Blvd Louisiana, 70517 Breaux Bridge - USA. :And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? Lafayettes spoil banks project in St. Martin Parish avoided public bid law and netted a contractor millions. 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. St. Martin sues Lafayette to rebuild spoil banks along Vermilion River St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission | Louisiana Travel St. Martin Parish - Acadiana Work Force Development