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September 25, 2013
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September 25, 2013
The director of a Terrebonne Parish development organization announced his resignation Monday night to parish council members, citing concerns that political issues and personality conflicts threaten the group’s continued relationship with the local government.
Steve Vassallo, executive director of the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority for the past two years, gave a semi-annual report of the group’s accomplishments as scheduled before the council’s community development and planning committee. Then he tendered the resignation, which committee chairwoman Arlanda Williams refused to accept.
“The Bible says where there is no vision, the people shall perish,” Williams said, after thanking Vassallo for the vision he and the organization have provided.
Vassallo and some of the organization’s board members had expressed concerns about the group’s future after a phone conversation between its president, Clarence Williams, and Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet.
Claudet refused to confirm the conversation’s contents. But Williams said the parish president told him TEDA will not be budgeted to receive parish money after February.
Williams, Vassallo and other TEDA officials have taken that to mean Claudet is going to recommend against renewing the contract.
Asked in a telephone interview last week about that possibility, Claudet said such conclusions were “premature” and “speculative” and would not answer further questions.
With no question publicly raised as to the job TEDA has done, speakers representing local businesses addressed council members, asking that the parish retain its affiliation with the group.
“TEDA is a vital and necessary resource in our community,” said attorney Joan Malbrough. “Events such as the Entrepreneurship Festival and the annual TEDA banquet allow business owners to collaborate and develop new ideas … We don’t need the world to get their impressions of Terrebonne Parish through Cajun Justice and Swamp People. We need them to get them through TEDA.”
Parish Attorney Courtney Alcock, at the request of committee chair Arlanda Williams, confirmed that because the group was created by state law, the parish cannot dissolve it.
The entrepreneurship festival held earlier this year in conjunction with state community planners has been credited by some local business owners as a plus for the parish.
Vassallo told council members Monday night that next year’s new presentation of that event will make Houma the entrepreneurship center of the state if not the region.
The group has drawn fire, however, for the work it has done forging connections between local businesses and China.
Council members listened and watched as the stream of boosters – many but not all of them TEDA board members – continued.
Then Vassallo made his statement.
“I understand there has been a lot of conversation around the parish about TEDA’s benefits or lack thereof,” Vassallo said. “I rendered my resignation to the TEDA board. I want to thank you for all the times I have had in the parish, I regret none of it. I thank all of you for the opportunities that you have given me.”
Williams, during a statement in which she refused to accept the resignation, said “its a gut-puncher because 25 months ago this board said let TEDA run TEDA the way it should be ran.”
Williams – without mentioning names – blasted the idea of personalities coming before principles at the parish’s expense.
“I don’t like to see this kind of stuff come before our parish,” Williams said. “You busted your behind for us and busted your behind for our parish.”
Council member Christa Duplantis also said she would not accept Vassallo’s resignation.
After a diatribe about how shameful Vassallo actually resigning would be, Duplantis blasted people she suspects of being behind an anti-TEDA campaign.
She would not name any names however.
Councilman John Navy expressed confusion, asking what was behind the issues being discussed.
What started with an annual report ended with a resignation, Williams and Navy noted.
Navy then asked Vassallo to return to the microphone.
“I am resigning not because of what we did do or didn’t do, I am resigning because of the parish president saying he was going to dissolve TEDA’s funding,” Vassallo said, making comments that indicated Claudet was the reason for issues.
During a conversation with Clarence Williams, Vassallo said, Claudet predicted that the presentation would be “fluff.”
Claudet did not speak and was not asked to.
Vassallo said he may change his mind but that “it will take a lot.”
“I have given this a great deal of thought, it wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction,” Vassallo said, then pointed toward Claudet. “It is really up to that man over there.”
TEDA Executive Director Steve Vassallo talks to the Terrebonne Parish Council at Monday night’s meeting. The TEDA official said he is resigning from his post because he believes Terrebonne President Michel Claudet will disband the organization in 2014.
