Family: Murder victim cared about welfare of others
July 5, 2011
CDBG flow should ease future disaster
July 7, 2011The Lafourche Parish Council drew a line in the sand last week, voting to fund only half of the cost of relocating a boat launch access road at the behest of the South Lafourche Levee District, which places the onus on the SLLD to finance the remainder of the project.
The original ordinance proposed using Road Sales Tax District 2 to pay in full the $591,500 needed to move Clovelly Road about 100 feet farther inland. The SLLD maintains the relocation is necessary to widen the slope and increase the elevation on the Clovelly section of the Larose-to-Golden Meadow flood protection system.
Councilman Daniel Lorraine introduced an amendment that would designate half of the funds. The council approved Lorraine’s amendment by a 5-4 vote, with councilmen Jerry Jones, Michael Delatte, Lindel Toups and Phillip Gouaux opposed.
“I think it’s unfair that they’re telling us to move the road and they want me to pay for it,” Lorraine said. “It’s time somebody sets them straight. They’re telling us to move the road, that’s fine, let them pay for it.”
The amended ordinance passed 5-3-1, with Jones, Delatte and Gouaux opposed; Councilman Matt Matherne abstained.
The segment of the levee in question needs to have its base widened by about 70 feet and height increased by 3 feet, according to SLLD General Manager Windell Curole. Curole added that the levee district would move forward with the project and make up the difference in funding.
“The parish has control over those funds and they decide what they want to do with them,” Curole said. “I guess the majority felt the people benefited more from having better roads in some places rather than having better flood protection.”
Curole said it is a no-brainer for the levee district to provide the remaining funds, citing the importance of providing flood protection to the entire area. Immediately following hurricanes Rita and Ike, the water levels nearly topped the Clovelly segment.
Clovelly Road is about one mile in length, made up of limestone and connects to East 36 Street in Cut Off. It extends outside of the ring levee system and leads to a public boat launch that provides access to Little Lake.
Parish President Charlotte Randolph spoke out against Lorraine’s amendment. She addressed the project’s importance and stressed maintaining a good relationship with the levee district.
“I’d also like to remind the council that when the Coastal Impact Assistance Projects began in Lafourche Parish, the federal government was not forthcoming with the money,” she said. “In order to continue those projects, we turned to the South Lafourche Levee District.
“Until that money comes in, we are indebted to the South Lafourche Levee District for $2.5 million.”
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, formerly known as Mineral Management Services, has yet to reimburse the parish for the projects, more than three years after they began.
Lorraine’s opposition to the original ordinance stemmed from the allocation of the sales tax district’s funds.
The councilman has long been a public steward of the fund, which encompasses the non-municipal southern part of the parish, starting at Valentine Road.
“I strongly feel that the levee district should take care of that on their own instead of digging into Road Sales Tax 2,” Lorraine said. “Everybody wants to touch Road Sales Tax 2.”
