IPC receives report on sewage issues in executive session

Published 6:15 am Thursday, November 15, 2018

The Iberia Parish Council spent just over an hour in executive session Wednesday night receiving a report on the sewage issues that have arisen at the Estis Road/Paul Segura Parkway project adjacent to U.S. Highway 90 at the northern end of the parish.

The problems with the project have led to the parish not signing off on payment for the contractor, who has issued a demand letter requesting payment. David Moore, the engineer who managed the project, was in attendance for the executive session.

The council did not take any action on the demand letter when it returned from executive session.

The bulk of the actions taken Wednesday night dealt with year-end adjustments to various funds to bring them within 5 percent of budget projections, as required for the parish’s audit. Some, like the 16th JDC Juror/Witness Fund, required monies to be transferred to cover revenues that did not meet projections for the year. Others, like the Texaco Royalty Fund, had earned additional monies above what was budgeted.

“If you don’t make these adjustments, you are going to get written up in your audit,” explained Iberia Parish Legal Counsel Andy Shealy.

These adjustments are a precursor to the finalization of the parish’s 2019 budget, slated for the next meeting on Nov. 28. At that meeting, the administration will present its plan to cover shortfalls in the District 10 Road Maintenance Fund left when the council voted not to move $475,000 from its Royalty Fund to road maintenance last week.

The financial pothole developed after voters shot down a proposed ¾-cent sales tax that would have provided a funding source for parish road maintenance.

In other business, the council approved an ordinance that will require contractors to provide a buffer when working on projects requiring them to move an acre or more of dirt to prevent stormwater runoff and pollution from developments.

District 8 Councilman Ricky Gonsoulin clarified that the new ordinance does not apply to agricultural land.

“I have 1,000 acres,” Gonsoulin said, eliciting some laughs from the audience. “I don’t need to be putting hay bales all the way around it.”

The council also heard from Acadiana Regional Airport Commission President Pat Norris, who informed the members that Megan McLellan, the Acadiana Regional Airport director hired earlier this year, had accepted an offer to return to her former employer, the Texas Department of Transportation and Development.

“She made it very clear it was nothing negative about working with the Acadiana Regional Airport,” Norris said. “Her former employer made a deal that she simply couldn’t refuse.”

Norris said McLellan’s last day will be on Dec. 7. The Airport Authority will begin advertising for a replacement director immediately.

The council also appointed Cecil Hymel to the Iberia Economic Development Authority board, to replace Benny Menard, who resigned from the board.