Council hears plan to help alleviate flooding near Port

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 13, 2018

The Iberia Parish Council heard a plan from Parish President Larry Richard to use GOMESA funds to help alleviate flooding along the Commercial Canal near the Port of Iberia.

The project, estimated to run somewhere between $170,000 and $180,000, would place flap gates along the canal to prevent water coming in during high tide or rains from flooding businesses near the port.

“I want to make sure we can use funds from GOMESA to do these kinds of projects,” Richard said. 

Currently, high tides and rains allow water to rise in the canal, then fill a pipe that allows it to flow across the street to flood businesses. The gates would prevent the backflow of water, but not affect other flow in the Commercial Canal.

“I’m insurance broke,” said Brooks Duncan, who operates the Port Quick Shop convenience store on Lewis Street. “I’m paying $19,800 a year, with a $20,000 deductible. Arcade Pipe and  others are in the same boat.” 

District 8 Councilman Ricky Gonsoulin asked if engineers had evaluated how the gates would affect other areas along the canal.

“We need to do due diligence for or residents and our businesses,” Gonsoulin said. “This is a great idea, but we need to make sure all our bases are covered.”

Richard said engineers with Sellers and Associates had looked at the flow and had submitted a letter saying the gates would not affect the up or downstream flow of the Commercial Canal. Duncan confirmed the engineers’ analysis.

“I’ve been at that location for 18 years,” he said. “Before the water affects anyone upstream, it’s going to come over Crochet Road. There’s no reason to fear this is going to flood New Iberia. That’s your safety valve.”

Richard said the project would serve a two-fold purpose. It would allow for a new mechanism for funding drainage infrastructure while at the same time addressing the needs pointed out in the former levee district’s master plan.

“We are trying to stay in line with plan CPRA came up with,” Richard said, referring to the Iberia Parish Flood Control Master Plan developed under the now defunct Iberia Parish Levee, Hurricane and Conservation District. “We have no real levee district any more, so we are trying not to use money from our drainage fund to have to do these projects.”

Richard made it clear that the project was not on an urgent timetable, although if funding can be secured, he would like to see the gates installed prior to the 2019 hurricane season.

The council voted to table further discussion of the plan until it meets in January, when representatives of Sellers and Associates could be present.

The council also discussed the reappointment of Dr. Larry Nelson to the Iberia Medical Center Board of Directors. 

Concerns had been raised prior to the meeting that other applicants had wanted to put their names in the running for the position, but were not presented to the council. Gonsoulin moved to table the appointment until the Jan. 9 meeting.

District 6 Councilwoman Natalie Broussard, however, wanted to add some language to Gonsoulin’s motion.

“We should table it, but also send it back to the medical staff to reopen applications for the seat,” Broussard said. “We also need the council clerk to advertise the position and have the hospital advertise it. The hospital should post it in doctors’ lounge and anywhere else applicants of interest could see it.”

The amended motion passed unanimously.

In other business, the council:

• Appointed Alice Robicheaux to the New Iberia Veterans Memorial Building Board.

• Appointed Calvin R. Arrington Jr. to the Iberia Parish Recreation and Playground Commission.

• Appointed Warren C. White to the Robert B. Green Memorial Building Board.

• Accepted the resignation of Tommy Granger from the Iberia Parish Planning and Zoning Commission. 

• Re-appointed Nathaniel Mitchell to the Iberia Parish Planning and Zoning Commission.

• Granted a 5 percent end-of-probation raise for Director of Planning, Zoning and Permits Sara Fawcett Gary.