Attorneys for St. Martin Parish Government wrote that the spoil banks were removed without a parish permit and asked a local judge for an order requiring LCG "to restore, replace and reconstruct (at [LCG]'s sole expense), the spoil bank Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government illegally removed in St. Martin Parish.". 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. Created in 1811, St. Mary Parish was originally part of the Attakapas District and St. Martin Parish. 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. According to St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars October 19, 2021, President's report, Josh Guillory was no longer pursuing the spoil bank removal project. 1005 Big Apple Lane St. Martinville, LA 70582 The makeshift levees isolate the river from low-lying land east of the Lafayette Regional Airport and rise several feet over the river in most areas, preventing the rivers flood waters from flowing into the low-lying land and out of the riverand adjoining coulees, during storms. 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 Parish Federal Programs &Technology Annex, St. Martin Parish Operations,Maintenance &Transportation. Rigid CEO Cody Fortier, Rigid itself and Fortiers CF LLC each made $2,500 donations to the mayor-presidents campaign, The contract was awarded for one year, with options to renew for two additional one-year terms, soon after the as-needed contract was awarded in December, one for $9.3 million for the Bayou Vermilion Flood Control project paid via wire transfer to Rigid on May 9, with LCG paying via wire transfer only 11 times out of 35,000 payments, Rigid-half-page-quote-for-spoil-banks-removal.pdf, On Feb. 18 LCG filed with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Amendment #1, before obtaining permits from either St. Martin Parish or the U.S. St. Martin Parish. Cedars also mentions questions he frequently receives about the local government imposing crowd limitations or a potential lockdown. Residents and parish leaders say theyre now also concerned over the legality of removing them. "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.". St. Martin Sheriff's Office 400 St. Martin Street, St. Martinville (337) 394-2532 Approved by: St. Martin Parish Government Planning & Zoning Coordinator License issued by: St. Martin Sheriff's Office Parish Zoning Ordinance Click below to access the Zoning Ordinance for St. Martin Parish in its entirety. Why didnt you tell me? St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said he asked Guillory when the two spoke after the operation was completed. We have one of the best procurement lawyers in the state that works for us out of New Orleans, attorney Logan says. (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 . 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. Phone number 337 332 2105. All Rights Reserved, Opening/Purchasing a Bar/Nigh Club/Lounge, RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan, RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan-Amendment #1. 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. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. {0} important information hidden . (AP) An off-duty St. Gabriel, Louisiana, police officer was arrested Thursday for the alleged murder of a 26-year-old man, authorities say. You have permission to edit this article. 1844-1852: Principal, Adelphian Academy, North Bridgewater, MA: 1854-1855: Teacher, Dunbarton Academy, Washington, DC: 1855-1859: Principal, Western Academy . St. Martin Parish to sue, investigate removal of spoil banks by Lafayette Consolidated Government. 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. 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 . St. Martin Parish Parish President. 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. 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. 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 Other questions:[email protected]. The Guillory administration did not respond to requests for comment on this timeline. http://dss.louisiana.gov/page/109. Attached to it was Rigids half page invoice. "Aquaspersions is delighted to be investing in Broussard and with the welcome we have received," Bewsher said. Breaux Bridge City Court Marshal; Parks Chief of Police; St. Mary Parish. "That doesn't preclude any other type of actions which may occur.". 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. Martin Hospital (SMH), located at 210 Champagne Blvd. I also trust in the science and all of the engineers who have spent years analyzing the benefits of restoring the natural hydraulic flow in this area. "We tried to be civil, we did, we tried to go over there and ask them good questions to try to get the solutions rolling voluntarily, but they didn't listen, so what's the next step?". 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. The investigation could force changes to the project to blunt its impact on the Black and low-income neighborhoods that will house it. Their clandestine removal has led to a firestorm of accusations between Lafayette and St. Martin parishes. LCG officials have said they believe removal of the banks, which risse several feet above the river, will lower river levels in Lafayette Parish. 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. The St. Martin Parish facility will employ 976 direct employees with an annual salary of $38,000, plus benefits, and will result in 793 new indirect jobs. The attorney general can pursue that violation. TOLL-FREE,24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK How a civil rights investigation could alter the I-49 Connector, LCG settles federal panhandling suit for $42,000, Here are the 2023 Current In Design winners, Rigid has been paid a total of $37 million from LCG for various projects, $1.6 million in all of the previous fiscal year, 2021 LCG as-needed excavation and disposal contract. Vice President: Kevin Martin. The district attorney can pursue that violation. And its connected to all three stormwater projects mired in lawsuits. Turnarounds of days, rather than weeks, is atypical, according to sources. St. Martin P. O. 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). We don't want anyone to be harmed, and therefore we believe that the way to mitigate that is to restore the property to its state before the removal of the spoil banks," he added. Login & subscribe to unlock. With multiple boil advisories in the recent past, Cedars says it's no secret the. Lafayette Parish residents deserve to know and understand this issue. 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 . Its parish seat is St. Martinville, and the largest city is Breaux Bridge. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The Corps added it would determine whether a permit for this work was required or not. 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. Logan confirmed that it was his idea for LCG to do more as-needed contracts, which arent that unusual in public works departments. LCG has been in a tiff with the St. Martin Parish Government for months over removing the spoil banks, which LCG believes will lower water levels on the Vermilion River during storms. Theyre speaking with regulatory agencies about imposing penalties on LCG if they find they did violate the law. Website Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. As for the spoil banks, theyve stood by the merits of the project and accused St. Martin Parish of trying to obstruct it. Why would you do that to your neighbors? 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. 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. 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. Census facilitator Tomika Scott gave council members a briefing on plans for the 2020 Census in St. Martin Parish and went into depth on the importance of getting an accurate count of the parishs population. 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. 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. Lafayette Consolidated Government may be drawing itself into a lawsuit with St. Martin Parish after quietly removingspoil banks, or makeshift levees,along the Vermilion River without St. Martin Parish's approval. 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. Three days later, on Feb. 21, before obtaining permits from either St. Martin Parish or the U.S. 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. Some members of the St. Landry Parish School Board say they are in favor of changes to the student dress code. Box 9 St. Martinville, LA 70582 (337) 394-2200 EMAIL . Corps of Engineers to remove the spoil banks along the Vermilion River in St. Martinville, but that request was ultimately withdrawn, according to Cedars. All 9th and 12th graders will remain home on Tuesday and participate in their courses virtuallythrough Google Classroom using their Chromebooks. 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. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. And experts agree there is good reason to question the scope, in large part because it increased the value of the original contract tenfold. LCGs drainage projects are already costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in city-parish legal fees, plus millions in re-mobilization costs. Contact information. He was joined at a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday (Nov. 30) in Broussard by state and local elected officials and economic development leaders as well as SafeSource Direct President Justin Hollingsworth. 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. It was a very short call, Cedars said. I dont see anything else MP Guillory could have done more reasonable to finally get something accomplished to protect the interest of Lafayette residents at risk of flooding, due to changes in the landscape, beyond their control. (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. Im pretty sure all of this was done with her permission or her approval.. The study found removing the spoil banks would have little impact on the overall water level in the swamp during storms, but Cedars has said his engineers determined the removal wasn't without risk for the people who live near Cypress Island. Just $4,800 was spent on tree clearing and $260,000 on excavation and fill. Rigid billed $1.9 million for expedited mobilization, a sum that, according to the original contracts terms, should have been included in the contract pricing. firefighter Brent Haynes recovering, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, First look at new 13,000 sq. Create a password that only you will remember. St. Martin Parish President has posted updates about the expected impacts for the parish from Hurricane Ida. LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. Cedars cites the latest COVID hospitalization data in the Acadiana Region 4 and positivity rates within the parish. The current modeling of the spoil bank removal project shows that there is no threat of harm to St. Martin Parish.. [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. 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 Now, they might win it back. Research salary, company info, career paths, and top skills for Project Coordinator 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. Lafayette-based Rigid Constructors has been paid handsomely for its role in the blitz of detention projects. Mike Clay Open Books 10-digit check numbers, which seem to indicate wire transfers, show Rigid as the sole contractor paid by wire transfer this fiscal year, with LCG paying via wire transfer only 11 times out of 35,000 payments made so far this year. Vital . Waiting for a judge to be assigned to the suit, according to public records at last check on Friday. 120 East Refinery Street [2] St. Martin Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan area in the region of Acadiana, along . 337-909-2990, REPORT CHILD ABUSE: 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) The parish seat is Saint Martinville. 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. 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 . 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 progresses. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers. 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. I did see something that it was done in two days, but the equipment that was brought in from as far as Idaho, and a lot of that Rigid had to pre-pay I remember was going on. The problem a challenging bidder is going to have in a damages claim, which LCG may have assumed when they structured the contract this way, is that theres a lot of case law from various appellate courts and the Louisiana Supreme Court requiring a losing bidder in a damages claim to show good cause on why they did not seek injunctive relief to stop the work before making a claim for damages, Vicknair continues, so the question really is could they have known within the very short period of time from when that change order was publicly recorded until the work was performed to file for injunctive relief?. Fax N/A. What is clear is that advertising the operation would have put LCGs furtive plans in the public eye, something it had an interest in avoiding. [email protected]. ST. MARTINVILLE The St. Martin Parish government is seeking a new solid waste collection provider after a tumultuous experience over the last two years with Pelican Waste, the current 600 Corporate Blvd Louisiana, 70517 Breaux Bridge - USA. The latest lawsuit, filed by SMPG Wednesday in St. Martin Parish, comes a day after a federal judge removed a March lawsuit by LCG against St. Martin Parish from federal court, freeing the two to resume their fight in front of a local judge instead. LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. 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. There was hesitation. 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. All rights reserved. In all, the as-needed contracts value alone has ballooned to approximately $5.2 million in a few short months. In other reports, the council heard from Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Executive Director Lt. Col. Billy Guidry about the projected water flow along the Bayou Teche this coming spring. Joyce Haynes is the president of the school . Rigid played a limited role in the Lake Farm Road detention project that first landed LCG in court over property rights, having been paid $61,000 to clear and burn trees on the Randol family land near Costco in May 2021. Our parish extends a very cordial invitation to visit us. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Since then, nothing has been done. The engineering is clear.. 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. It is my understanding that the overflow of the Vermilion R to Cypress Island swamp is the natural flow of flooding relief. Martin Parish line. 15th JDC Judge (Div. Spoil banks:St. Martin Parish wants Lafayettes lawsuit thrown out for being in Lafayette. 314 Elmer St But even against that backdrop, the spoil banks project stands out. St. Martin Parish's objection the spoil bank removal could cause legal trouble for LCG, as Lafayette's local government did not get a necessary permit to remove the spoil banks from St. Martin Parish, according to Cedars. But I did get an email response Sunday night thanking me for the proposal and saying they hope to speak again soon.. If LCG was to successfully pull off its plan to go into the Cypress Island Swamp area without St. Martins knowledge or cooperation, it needed to move quickly and quietly. A public records request for electronic communication between Fortier and LCG officials is pending. The St. Martin Parish facility will employ 976 direct employees with an annual salary of $38,000, plus benefits, and will result in 793 new indirect jobs. Wanda B. St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. And certainly going from $300,000 or $400,000 to $3 [million] or $4 million would be a material change in the contract. 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.