Deville is named interim secretary-treasurer

By: TONY MARKS
Editor

The Evangeline Parish Police Jury, during a special meeting held Monday, January 22, named former state legislator and former assessor, Dirk Deville, as interim secretary-treasurer. Current secretary-treasurer, Chester Granger, is retiring from the position on February 15.
President Bryan Vidrine said, “With the time frame that we do have, we do need somebody that we can put in that job to step in and keep it going while we do the search” for a permanent replacement.
Vidrine said Deville volunteered to serve in the position for free until February 15 “and be compensated accordingly after that.”
Vice President Kevin Veillon, who made the motion to appoint Deville, said, “I personally think Dirk is very qualified with (Chester’s) help in the next two and a half weeks.”
The jury then discussed ongoing issues with the sewer plants.
“It’s a problem,” expressed Vidrine. “Everyday it’s something that we’re having to fight with.”
Veillon then said, “We have to figure something out. It’s draining this parish. It’s absolutely draining the budget. It’s draining our public works guy.”
He went on to say, “We do know there are people who are interested in maybe buying them, and I’m 100% without a doubt for getting rid of them. I’ve been on the jury for 12 years, and it’s been a problem since day one.”
“Now it’s coming to a cement wall to where something’s going to happen,” Veillon continued. “It’s either going to break the parish or we got to get rid of them or we’re gonna lose our public works guy.”
After more discussion on the issue, the jury reviewed bids for work on the sewer plant at Wyble Subdivision.
As Ronnie Landreneau, the parish’s engineer, explained, the sewer plant is under a non-compliance order from the state for “a lot of work to it.”
Landreneau reported the estimated construction budget was $990 thousand, but the low bid from Bihm Construction came in at $1,099,114.
The bid, according to Landreneau, is 10% over the estimated costs.
Landreneau then explained the process of modifying the project while not substituting code specifications in order to get the budget within 5%.
“If we can get it within 5%, the (water sector) committee will automatically approve it,” Landreneau said. “If we can’t get it within 5%, they can authorize approval and then ask the Joint Legislative Council to approve it and fund it.”
No action was taken on the bid.