All rights reserved. Some members of the St. Landry Parish School Board say they are in favor of changes to the student dress code. At 3 oclock as of today, a week ago, we discovered that Lafayette Consolidated Government decided to remove the spoil banks, Cedars said, describing a phone call with Guillory that he said took place two hours after the discovery. 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. 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. 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). The removal will allow the river to flow into the swamp during storms. DENHAM SPRINGS, La. ------------------------------------------------------------Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere. 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. 314 Elmer St (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. ST. MARTIN PARISH, La. According to Cedars, LCG had initiated a study for a potential project that entailed the removal of the spoil banks in April 2021. 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. "With so much of our daily life revolving around internet connectivity, we are making fiber infrastructure modernization a priority for our parish. . We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. The wire transfer to Rigid came five days after LCG lost the Homewood ruling and is for work on that project. St. Martin Parish residents who live near the area where the spoil bank once stood agree this may not benefit them. 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. Morgan City Mayor; Vermilion Parish. This is a great day for our region, Guillory added. 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. I guess I should have, Guillory reportedly told him. We won't share it with anyone else. 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. 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. Now, they might win it back. Initially, he said, the landings were built using parish materials and using trusty work crews from the parish jail. The same cant be said for us, said Yvonne Romero, a St. Martin Parish resident who attended the meeting. Both Homewood and the St. Martin spoil banks are part of the Bayou Vermilion Flood Control project, the centerpiece of a $106 million capital program to stop homes and businesses from flooding. Rather, our communitys own behavior will account for any sort of lockdown,' wrote Cedars. The investigation could force changes to the project to blunt its impact on the Black and low-income neighborhoods that will house it. Of course, I fully recognize that my remarks will ignite a flurry of criticism and comments. Why would you do that? 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. ST. MARTIN PARISH, La. Corps of Engineers to remove the spoil banks along the Vermilion River in St. Martinville, but that request was ultimately withdrawn, according to Cedars. Tel: 318.906.0582, District V 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "Aquaspersions is delighted to be investing in Broussard and with the welcome we have received," Bewsher said. I asked. Invalid password or account does not exist. St. Martin Parish Federal Programs & Technology Annex 625 Corporate Boulevard, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337.332.3388. Wick Communications. 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. dwayne.fatherree@daily-iberian.com. The losses could substantially burden both city and parish finances. ONLY10th&11th graders will report to their respective high schools on Tuesdayto take their required ACT exam. Contact information. Im pretty sure all of this was done with her permission or her approval.. He was eventually taken into custody by the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff . What are spoil banks? C) Multi-Parish Races. 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 Create a password that only you will remember. 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. Want to see more results ? Copy and paste this code into your website. Guillory, Nepveaux, Logan, and Fortier, in my view are all heros. 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 All 10th & 11th graders must bring their fully charged Chromebooks to school on Tuesday for testing. His response was, 'Yes I did,' Cedars 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. Redditt, who was first hired by the St. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Waste Connections is taking over trash pickup in St. Martin Parish. St. Martinville, LA 70582 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. 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. 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. U.S. President; U.S. http://dss.louisiana.gov/page/109. Nothing was given to us to review. LCG letter:Army Corps inspection finds no permit was needed for Lafayette spoil banks removal. On October 14, 2021, I met with Mayor-President Guillory and several members of his staff. 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. Cedars said LCG removed the spoil banks without the appropriate regulatory licenses or permits required by law. 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. Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 Theyre speaking with regulatory agencies about imposing penalties on LCG if they find they did violate the law. 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. 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. Tel: 337.342.2993 If you are a St. Martin Parish resident, take a moment to enjoy our many recreational sites and renew your valued acquaintances. Check out our map of Lafayette drainage projects here. 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. Why would you do that to neighbors when you don't have a permit?. "They didn't listen and unfortunately unless you take someone's money out of their pocket, they won't listen," Boudreaux says. Both local and state officials have been in support of St. Martin Hospital and its expansion efforts since . Lafayette Parish residents deserve to know and understand this issue. Departments Have a question? Edna M. Johnson 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. Turnarounds of days, rather than weeks, is atypical, according to sources. But the contract terms require Rigid to document and justify those overages, Cedars said he asked Guillory when the two spoke after the operation was completed, Cedars has since threatened to sue everyone involved. (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. This might be a risk-free endeavor for Lafayette Parish, but it is not a risk-free endeavor for St. Martin Parish, Cedars said. And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? 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. The lake and lake bed are under control of the state through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Cedars said. 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. 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.". Vital The spoil banks, left behind from the last time the Vermilion River was dredged decades ago, run along the rivers southern bank around the swamp in St. Martin Parish, just east of the border with Lafayette Parish. 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. 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. The current modeling of the spoil bank removal project shows that there is no threat of harm to St. Martin Parish.. Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com. 600 Corporate Boulevard / PO Box 1000,Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 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. It is my understanding that the overflow of the Vermilion R to Cypress Island swamp is the natural flow of flooding relief. 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. 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. 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. After St. Martin Parish government held a special meeting Tuesday, Guillory said its come to his attention that the St. Martin Parish Council has given authorization to take legal action. The property around the lake is privately owned. 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. Lafayette Mayor President Josh Guillory says LCG removed the spoil banks to help flash flooding and drainage. Neither Rigids Fortier nor LCG Public Works Director Chad Nepveaux responded to requests for comment. Jimmy "Coach" Durio Apply for the Job in Project Coordinator at Saint Martinville, LA. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars says St. Martin Parish is no longer going to be one of them. Martin Parish line. 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. Tel: 337.441.0393, District IV 15th JDC Judge (Div. St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. Guillory, says, however, a permit was not necessary. 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. Many of these communities do not have the necessary funding to repair or maintain the water systems. His statement reads, In order to successfully sue for damages in a plaintiffs case, you must show that there was harm created. ALLother St. MartinParishSchoolswill beopen on Tuesday, March 7th,for IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION. Why didnt you tell me? St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said he asked Guillory when the two spoke after the operation was completed. The idea was proposed, however, long before. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.