(EDITOR’S NOTCE: A list of current and ongoing projects is included at the end of this story. Iberia Parish President Larry Richard released the list during the town hall meeting.)

Iberia Parish President Larry Richard laid out the specifics on Iberia Parish’s upcoming and ongoing projects Saturday afternoon to an attentive crowd during an Iberia Informative Event at Emerald Billiards.

The parish currently has $36,440,170 invested in projects, Richard said, that include new libraries, road and bridge repairs, Acadiana Regional Airport upgrades and a new clerk storage facility for the parish records, among others.

Richard read the extensive list of projects and hinted to the crowd of about 50, then  promised a new marketing strategy for the parish and encouraged residents to be patient with long-standing issues being addressed by  Iberia Parish Government.

“We want to keep the residents of Iberia Parish, the business owners of Iberia Parish and the community totally involved in what we are trying to do,” Richard said during the town hall meeting.

“We need opportunities for residents and businesses, and I think if we all work together we can get there,” Richard said. “There are very, very, very intelligent people in Iberia Parish that want to help. We’ll make sure if anyone wants to help we take advantage of that.”

Richard said it’s “all about results” with him, which he has reiterated to those who work for him and for whom he works: the parish, he said.

“I made it perfectly clear to the employees of the parish,” he said. “I’m not here to start to try to fire people that’s trying to build a career. I brought two employees back that used to be here and hired two. We’re making very positive changes.”

On positive changes that take longer to develop, Richard emphasized his dedication to residents’ problems, even if they take longer to solve.

“I plan on addressing concerns, but it’s going to take time to address them. I speak to people who have issues (that have) been going on since 1998 and want it resolved today. I can’t do it but (I’m) working on it as we speak.

“We report to the constituents and residents of Iberia Parish. I want to make very clear to everyone that you’re my boss. I’m going to address every issue and concern we have. Parish Government may not be able to satisfy you, but I’ll tell you the truth and what we can do.”

The speech was well-received among those in the crowd. Sisters Denise and Jane Armstead, who were raised in New Iberia, both said they valued his straightforward approach.

“I wanted to find out about the monies in Iberia Parish how much is being spent and what direction we going,” Denise Armstead said. “He was able to point-blank tell me that the  bridges are being repaired and there’s work at the airport. The city is moving in the right direction, and we will get a result.”

Armstead said hearing about the ARA developments “really woke me up.”

“I think that would bring revenue,” Armstead said. “It’s exciting that I could fly out of my own little city in Iberia Parish. So many times we have to go to New Orleans and Lafayette, but we just need someone like Larry to press the green button and go.

“Like he said it’s important we support each other,” Armstead said.

Jane Armstead said the session informed her that the ongoing projects will have an end result. She attended to hear about who was responsible for the new projects, she said.

“I like his bluntness,” she said. “He was straightforward. It is what it is.”

Currently funded and ongoing projects

• Library Fund: Coteau library, new construction, $1,190,000

• Library Fund: Loreauville library, new construction, $1,189,600

• Economic Development District (EDD): Admiral Doyle Drive/Lewis Street widening, $3.2 million

• EDD: Estis Road sewer improvements: $2.6 million

• EDD: Water District 3 U.S. 90, $500,000

• EDD: Water District 4, future service, $300,000

• EDD: Acadiana Regional Airport terminal and lighting, $1.4 million

• Communications: building construction $2.5 million

• Public Buildings: clerk storage facility, $675,000

• Public Buildings: RB Green Facility, $267,000

• Parks and Recreation: baseball field improvements at Remy Landry park, $420,000

• Royalty Fund: Hazard Mitigation House (federal) $800,000

• Royalty Fund: Admiral Doyle Street improvements: $2 million

• Royalty Fund: Bridge reconstruction/repair (bonds): Railroad Road at Poufette Road, $6 million, Bull Island Road at Bayou Parc Perdue, Bull Island Road at drainage canal L4-C Bridge, Crochet Road bridge at Tete Bayou, Gondron Road bridge, John Lewis Road bridge, the Back Road at Delahoussaye Canal, Briarwood Road bridge over the Commercial Canal, the Bull Island Road bridge at Norris Branch, the Norris Road bridge at Segura Branch, the Northside Road Bridge at Channel M11,  the Coulee Road Bridge over Duboin Canal, Hayes Road at Hayes Coulee

• Royalty Fund: Teche Lake Road Project, $473,570

• Royalty Fund: Sewer improvements (airport area) $2 million

• Royalty Fund: Water District 3 projects, $350,000

• Community Development Block Grant program: Bayou Portage (with St. Martin Parish), $1.2 million

• Community Development Block grant program: Delcambre elevation, $1 million

• Acadiana Regional Airport: Runway and lighting updates: $2.4 million

  Total: $36,440,170