Want to see more results ? 0:36. 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. "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.". Commenting is reserved for donors. The current modeling of the spoil bank removal project shows that there is no threat of harm to St. Martin Parish.. 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. Why? LWDB #40 is one of 15 local workforce development boards in the State of Louisiana and services . 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. Nothing was given to us to review. four other contractors sent bids that ranged from $568,000 to $1.1 million. His response was, 'Yes I did,' Cedars said. Both local and state officials have been in support of St. Martin Hospital and its expansion efforts since . Even if it tries to maintain that the work was an extension of the existing contract, LCG has so far not produced a single record to suggest that it did anything more than accept what Rigid put in front of it. Created in 1811, St. Mary Parish was originally part of the Attakapas District and St. Martin Parish. LANDRY PARISH, La. {0} important information hidden . 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. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. 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. The Parish President is the chief administrative officer of parish government and is assisted by the administrative staff and the parish's operating departments. If you are a St. Martin Parish resident, take a moment to enjoy our many recreational sites and renew your valued acquaintances. 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. If you materially change the original scope of the contract, then you cant just amend it like that and be in compliance with the bid law. Cedars spent most of his parish presidents report explaining exactly how the issues with access to Lake Martin came into being. Candidly, the government will impose nothing. LCG letter:Army Corps inspection finds no permit was needed for Lafayette spoil banks removal. Stay up to date with the latest news by downloading the BRProud App from the App Store or Google Play. 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. 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. Cedars did say he had productive conversations with members of one family about their concerns and proposed a possible compromise. Why would you do that to neighbors when you don't have a permit?. The "surreptitious" move enraged St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, and led the St. Martin Parish Council to unanimously back Cedars' request to sue LCG over the removal this week.. 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. The wire transfer to Rigid came five days after LCG lost the Homewood ruling and is for work on that project. But the contract terms require Rigid to document and justify those overages. The high water mark is at Rookery Road, where the levee used to be, Cedars said. Lafayette Consolidated Government removed spoil banks along the Vermilion River last week. http://dss.louisiana.gov/page/109. 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. 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 . 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. You could argue with some validity that it is state controlled to that point.. You can experience nature at its finest and tour the Parishs natural gifts such as Bayou Teche, Lake Martin, and the Atchafalaya Basin. He also addressed rumors that some landowners might try to block Rookery Road around the lake. It is also my understanding that the USCOE recommended removing the spoil banks, back in 1994?, after the 1993 flood. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. All rights reserved. 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. "We will review the allegations and respond accordingly," Logan wrote in a message to the Daily Advertiser. Tel: 318.906.0582, District V After the shooting, Reddit drove to a Baton Rouge hospital for a stab wound he said he sustained during the incident. And experts agree there is good reason to question the scope, in large part because it increased the value of the original contract tenfold. " Cedars said he asked. Copyright Senator (Class II) U.S. Representative (District 3) 15TH JDC District ATTORNEY; 15th JDC Judge (Div. Wanda B. 120 East Refinery Street (KLFY) St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars has signed new guidelines for COVID-19 for parish-owned and operated facilities, effective immediately. Make a Donation . Im pretty sure all of this was done with her permission or her approval.. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Andre Redditt, 27, was charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said in a press release. Thank you for the well written synopsis of this million dollar project. 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. We won't share it with anyone else. The property around the lake is privately owned. 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 . document.write(year) On Friday, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars levied the allegations against LCG. LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. Mike Clay 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. St. Martinville, LA 70582 Whether the amended contract was awarded illegally hinges on if the work on the spoil banks falls within the scope of the original contract. 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 . Initially, he said, the landings were built using parish materials and using trusty work crews from the parish jail. Of course, I fully recognize that my remarks will ignite a flurry of criticism and comments. "We had requested, and were told, that we would get a chance to review all of LCG's models upon which this proposed project was going to be based. Cedars also mentions questions he frequently receives about the local government imposing crowd limitations or a potential lockdown. St. Martin Parish to sue, investigate removal of spoil banks by Lafayette Consolidated Government. Phone number 337 332 2105. :And why are Lafayette and St. Martin Parish fighting over them? Contact information. As the spoil banks are already gone, Cedars says theyre trying to fix this. 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. This Tuesday (March 7th) is ACT Testing Day on our high school campuses. 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. Why would you do that to your neighbors? The engineering is clear.. (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. 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. St. Martin Parish Operations, Maintenance & Transportation 775 West Bridge Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-909-2990. Public Works Committee @ 4:30 on the 3rd Tuesday; Administrative Committee Meeting follows Parish President. The St. Martin Parish Council is the legislative and policy making body of the Parish. In February it was chosen over The Lemoine Company to negotiate pricing with LCG on the $60 million Homewood Detention Ponds project, the largest drainage undertaking in the parishs history. Cedars eventually asked council members to adopt three measures. Now, they might win it back. The update, which was posted at about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, says that "as stated in. The removal will allow the river to flow into the swamp during storms. On October 14, 2021, I met with Mayor-President Guillory and several members of his staff. 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. Drainage:LCG took their land and razed it in a week. Invalid password or account does not exist. Romero said that she saw the first equipment coming to St. Martinville in February, but she thought LCG had permission to do the work. 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. 2023 www.theadvertiser.com. and last updated 8:09 PM, Feb 27, 2023. . LCG did not turn over any construction plans for the project, saying it had no known documents responsive to our request for them. This parish is not afraid to fight in the courts to protect the publics rights.. The lake and lake bed are under control of the state through the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Cedars said. 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. But I did get an email response Sunday night thanking me for the proposal and saying they hope to speak again soon.. I guess I should have, Guillory reportedly told him. We have one of the best procurement lawyers in the state that works for us out of New Orleans, attorney Logan says. 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. Vice President Lorem ipsum dolor consecteture adiciping. 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. 'I guess I should have,' he said to me.. There was hesitation. Dozens of projects have been OKd by the councils with scant scrutiny, even as the administration lost expropriation cases in court. 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 He was eventually taken into custody by the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff . Cedars said he continued with a second question: 'Why didnt you tell me?' Parish President I am personally pleased that you have devoted time to view this website. Lawsuit:Despite judges ruling, LCG uses identical quick take to seize land for detention pond. St. Martin Parish Parish President. The contract also requires LCG to give written instructions to the contractor increasing the quantity of work and/or change orders. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers. Whether LCG devised the as-needed contract to slip the spoil banks project through unnoticed is unclear. 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.". Log In / Sign Up. The losses could substantially burden both city and parish finances. Cedars has been serving as the interim parish president since former President Guy. Box 993 Nobody is going to block Rookery Road without a visit to the courthouse, Cedars said. 15 LSU Softball shuts out Minnesota, 3-0, Tigers hit four homers in 26-4 win over Central Connecticut, LSU Advances to Semifinals in SEC Tourney, Skenes tallies career-high 13 Ks in 12-2 victory, Geaux Nation Wrap: LSU advances to SEC Semifinals, 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, Black seniors invited to health fair in Baton Rouge, Marianne Williamson officially launches 2024 bid, Southern University celebrates 143 years of institutional, Fire at substation in St. James Parish forces road, Police up charges for man allegedly tied to deadly, Coincidence prompted Powerball winner to buy ticket, Driver dead after MD tanker explosion, fire, Ja Morant investigated by NBA over Instagram post, Mortgage rates have little reason to fall in March, Destination Louisiane: Antiques Roadshow; deadline, LSU Womens Basketball signees named Naismith All-Americans, $200K winning ticket sold at BR convenience store, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Departments Have a question? 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. Bayou Vermilion Flood Control alone was allocated $22 million from the states windfall of one-time money. Corps of Engineers to remove the spoil banks along the Vermilion River in St. Martinville, but that request was ultimately withdrawn, according to Cedars. 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.". I asked. 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. "The perception is this is just talk [], it's not just talk," he tells KATC. 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. "With so much of our daily life revolving around internet connectivity, we are making fiber infrastructure modernization a priority for our parish. I look forward to continuing our work with all of our neighbors, including St. Martin Parish, to combat flooding on a regional scale. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. 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. The only jurisdiction the parish has is through zoning, and the right to legislate the use of the land around the lake.. St. Martinville, LA 70582 St. Martin P. O. 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. It has also been corrected to reflect additional reporting confirming that LCG purchased land for the project from two property owners, intentionally leaving a third landowner out of the transaction. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars listens to a discussion at Tuesday's parish council meeting. According to Cedars, LCG had initiated a study for a potential project that entailed the removal of the spoil banks in April 2021. Bid law trumps.. 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. 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. 600 Corporate Blvd Louisiana, 70517 Breaux Bridge - USA. 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. "Aquaspersions is delighted to be investing in Broussard and with the welcome we have received," Bewsher said. 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. 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. Box 9. Let us know what's going on! Over the summer, LCG requested a permit from the U.S. His statement reads, In order to successfully sue for damages in a plaintiffs case, you must show that there was harm created. He has been Departments Read More Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission | Louisiana Travel St. Martin Parish Tourist Commission Lake Martin at sunset Location 110 N. Main Street Breaux Bridge LA 70517 Get Directions Where Cajun Began..Breaux Bridge, Crawfish Capital of the World; Henderson, the Gateway to the Atchafalaya Basin; St. Martinville, Home of Evangeline. 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. Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter or send an email to acapps@theadvertiser.com. ST. MARTIN PARISH, La. Flood fight:Lafayette, St. Martin parishes are arguing about a strip of dirt by the river. Jimmy "Coach" Durio 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. 337-909-2990, REPORT CHILD ABUSE: 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. He says it will benefit the entire region. 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. [2] St. Martin Parish is part of the Lafayette metropolitan area in the region of Acadiana, along . Redditt, who was first hired by the St. Tel: 337.342.2993 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. Serious allegations from St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars, against LCG over flood control.