Lafourche Parish Facts And Opinions

FACTS:

What aren’t the tax payers of Lafourche Parish reading or hearing about from their local media?  It is alleged that Lafourche Parish District Attorney Cam Morvant met with representatives of US Flood Control on the pending 5 million dollars invoice to Lafourche Parish.  The meeting was held outside of Lafourche Parish.

OPINIONS:

In my opinion, My good friend the DA would like to pay US Flood Control for the use of 102 inflatable bladders and have the whole situation settled and out of sight by election time.  Mr. “V” (the owner of US Flood Control) is alleged to have said “NO DEAL”, he expects to be paid for all 500 flood devices as originally invoiced and approved by the parish.  At the latest above mentioned meeting, it is alleged that Mr. “V” told the DA that he would consider decreasing the invoice by something like 25%.  It is alleged that the DA re-interviewed Mr. Ray Cheramie and asked him if it could have been more than 102 devices used.  It is alleged that Mr. Cheramie stated that he was only guessing when he reported 102.  Was the Parish administration guessing when they approved the US Flood Control invoice for the use of 500 devices?  They are the people in charge of protecting our tax dollars.

Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph is alleged to have stated that she is standing by Mr. Ray Cheramie.  The Lafourche Parish DA, in an effort to have this whole fiasco go away is alleged to have said that he will negotiate with US Flood.  It appears that the parish president and DA would like to become country singers after loosing their next election. 
Ms. Randolph is trying to pull a Tammy Wynette when it comes to Ray Cheramie, “Stand by Your Man”.  My good friend Cam (DA) is pulling an Eddie Arnold by singing, “make the world go away, Get it off of my shoulders”.

In my opinion, the Lafourche Parish Council should adopt a resolution sending the FEMA funds back to FEMA until a federal investigation clears up the entire matter. 

Stay in touch, we will review the latest information once it is in our possession.   

FACTS:

After enduring 3 years of the present day Lafourche Parish Council and its Administration, one could say it is the epitome of failure and alleged public corruption.  Ignoring the bias media and applying sound research logic, it is evident that Arron Caillouet was the best parish president of Lafourche Parish and the 2000-2005 Council, by far, superseded all other Councils in serving the tax payers with intellect and intelligence.
It is obvious that the present day Sheriff and DA will not attempt to stop the alleged public corruption in Lafourche Parish.  The tax payers’ only chance is the Lafourche Parish Council.

OPINIONS:

At tonight’s Council meeting, the Council will decide on the expenditure of FEMA monies received for the alleged flood control scam.  The council might want to consider applying a method they learned in high school, known as the scientific method.
1. State the question.
A. Were the flood protection devices necessary?
B. How many flood devices were actually used?
C. Why was the parish invoiced for rental of 500 devices for 30 days, three days before the devices were actually ordered by the Parish President?
D. Can the Parish President prove that she still had authority to order the devices when she did?
E. Will the President of the North Lafourche Levee District (Mr. Ronald Adams) and the District’s engineer (both were on the levee during the so-called high water event) attest to the fact that the devices were necessary and that they actually witnessed 102 devices inflated and in place?
2. Collect information.
A. Collect written data, question all parish employees and the trustees, question levee district personnel and apply common sense.  Collect the numerous photos of the area and especially the ones with the alleged doctored dates.
3. Form a hypothesis.
A. EXAMPLE:  A kick-back scheme at tax payers expense?
4. Test the hypothesis>
A: Pay US Flood Control nothing and have the company challenge the tax payers in court.  Hire private council rather than allowing the DA to represent the tax payers.
5. Observe.
A. How many people will undergo Federal indictments?
6. Record and study data.
7. Draw a conclusion.
A. Do not draw a conclusion based on the administration or DA’s words.  Allowed the investigative process and the federal judicial system to work.

Stay in touch. After all is said and done, the guilty party only have to apologize, say they didn’t know they were breaking the law and go to rehab.  The Lafourche Parish tax payers will forgive them.

FACTS:

It appears that this Lafourche Parish “CUME-BA-YA” Council cannot get through the budget process without having unprofessional arguing.  Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph is exercising her Charter given right of vetoing the budget amendments made by the majority of the Lafourche Parish Council. 
According to informed sources, Ms. Randolph has much more than budget amendments to be concerned with.  It has come to our attention that a serious situation will be discussed at the next Lafourche Parish Council meeting.  It is alleged that the company renting the flood control bladders to the Parish is refusing to negotiate price with the District Attorney.  It is now up to the Parish Council, not the Parish President or DA, on paying US FLOOD CONTROL for what is alleged to be a scam.

OPINIONS:

Correspondence recently received from the Lafourche Parish District Attorney informs the Parish Council that they will have to make a decision on disbursement of the FEMA money.  The placement of the flood control devices and the amount of devices were kept a secret from the Lafourche Parish Governing Authority.  Now, the Governing Authority is left holding the bag for its constituents (Lafourcht Parish Tax Payers). 
In my opinion, the parish may want to pay US FLOOD CONTROL $0.00.  Force Mr. “V” to take the tax payers to court.  Prove the necessity an actual use of the devices.  Mr. Ronald Adams and the North Lafourche Levee District board engineer was on site between Lockport and Larose.  Allow them to testify under oath if the devices were necessary or ever used.  Allow Joe Picciola to testify under oath that a certain amount of devices were ever used.  Allow the parish employees and trustees to testify under oath on what actually took place on the levees.  In my opinion, there was never a necessity for the devices. It is also my opinion that no more than three devices were set up for a PHOTO-OP.

It is alleged that Charlotte Randolph, Phillip Gouaux, Brent Callais, Ray Cheramie, Cullen Curole and a few others may be implicated should the truth about the flood control devices be exposed.  This is Lafourche Parish, so the Council do not have to worry about exposing the truth.  With this Sheriff and DA, there will be no investigation or indictments.  All the alleged corrupted public officials will be given an opportunity to resign.  It is public record that this Sheriff and DA will arrest and prosecute a mother for alleged phone harassment toward an adult child, but will do nothing to stop public corruption.  Ask yourself why, Lafourche Parish Tax Payers. WHY?   Go to court and the tax payers will win.  Put up or shut up Lafourche Parish Council.  For once, do what is in the best interest of the tax payers, pay Mr. “V” nothing, go to court and expose the truth.

Stay in touch, observe the actions of your elected officials and do not offer advise to your adult children over the telephone, or this Sheriff and this DA will lift their heads out of the sand.  When it comes to little old ladies, they become aggressive bullies.

FACTS:

The following is an excerpt from correspondence written on FEMA letterhead stationary.  Dated November 27, 2006, the correspondence is referenced Lafourche Parish reimbursement on levee dams:
The correspondence reads, “On  November 9, 2006, we wrote you to advise of our decision on the reimbursement requested by Lafourche Parish, regarding the cost of portable levee dams.  We will not repeat the substance of that letter here, but we did advise that Lafourche Parish should retain $1,016, 400.00 of a total FEMA payment of $4,915,545.oo, and return the balance to the State.  The State was advised that the funds should be retained in the State’s Smart Link Account, and remains available for disbursement by the State “to pay approved projects.”

Lafourche Parish Government wrote this office on November 17,2006.  This letter was copied to you.  I regret to advise that the Lafourche Parish Government has misread my Nov. 9,2006 letter.

At no time did I advise the state or parish that if the levee dams issue became a litigated matter that the FEMA funds authorized for payment of the original rental invoices would be available to pay a judgement.  At no time did I advise the state or parish that the Parish “would not, under any circumstances, have to pay these invoice amounts or any associated costs of litigation with parish funds.”  The Parish Council’s letter also asked that if his letter did not state the FEMA position correctly, that the parish be advised by Nov. 28, 2006.  Please provide the parish a copy of this letter and advise them that the parish council’s letter incorrectly states FEM A’s position.

FEMA understood that the parish was originally invoiced for the rental of 500 dams for a period of 30 days, at a cost of approximately $5.2.  FEMA authorized payment toward this cost of $4,917,545.00.  Subsequently, FEMA was advised the parish actually used 102 portable dams, and that the cost of that use was $1,016,400.00.  As you know, FEMA pays reasonable costs for necessary expenses.  FEMA will therefore not pay for portable dams which were not used.

We remain hopeful that the parish will negotiate this matter to a reasonable conclusion, and utilize the $1,016,400.00 paid by FEMA to pay for the levee dams actually used.  The balance of the $4,917,545.00 advanced to the parish should be reimbursed to the State and retained in the State’s Smart Link Account to be available to pay for approved projects”.

The above excerpt is from correspondence sent to Colonel Tom Kirkpatrick of the State Coordinating Office, from Jim Stark, FEMA Director of the Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office.

OPINIONS:

In my opinion, it is obvious from the above letter that the Lafourche Parish Council Administration submitted a fraudulent claim when they submitted the invoices for “Water Weenies” which weren’t used.  In many informed people’s opinion, the “Water Weenies” were NEVER NECESSARY, and certainly not for 30 days.  When will the tax payers of Lafourche Parish realize that this is alleged to be nothing but a GET RICH QUICK SCAM, at the expense of the tax payers?  Charlotte Randolph, Ray Cheramie, Phillip Goaux, and others is alleged to have stated that they witnessed the placement of the levee dams.  Don’t the letter prove that they lied?  No one witnessed that 102 levee dams were ACTUALLY USED.  No one can prove that they were ever necessary.  Payment for 102 levee dams is alleged to be as fraudulent as payment for 500 as originally invoiced.  It has the appearance that FEMA and the DA just want this exposed alleged scam to “JUST GO AWAY.”

It appears that the Sheriff and District Attorney have their heads in the sand and are saluting the tax payers with their posteriors.  WHY?  WHY?  WHY?

Maybe they are being pressured by an outside force.  There was a group known as Lafourche First.  They existed to get rid of the 2000-2003 Council and replace them with individuals who had the same core values as members of Lafourche First.  They convinced the voters of Lafourche Parish to vote for the present day elected officials, and Lafourche Parish would have GOOD GOVERNMENT and a cum-ba-ya Council.  Members of Lafourche First claimed not to be self-servant.  YOU DECIDE, LAFOURCHE PARISH.

The President of Lafourche First was Ronald Adams, who is now president of the North Lafourche Levee District.  Did Mr. Adams witness the placement of the levee dams?  The Secretary / Treasurer was Al Danos of Danos and Curole Contractor fame.  It is alleged that Mr. Danos was influential in getting Ray Cheramie the position of Director of DPW.  Did you really believe that Mr. Cheramie was placed into his position because of qualifications?  Board member Jane Birdsall have a sister known as Charlotte Randolph, who just happens to be the Lafourche Parish President (“WATER WEENIE QUEENIE”?).  Board member Harold Block’s son-in-law just happens to be Lafourche Parish Councilman Michael Matherne.  Board member Cullen Curole, is now Lafourche Parish Council Administrator.  Board member Jake Giardinia is also a member of the board of Thibodaux Hospital.  A short time board member was Larry Weidel, who is still the PR person for the present day Sheriff.  Board member Chick Martin is a Chouest employee, as is Councilman Brent Callais who is alleged to have participated in keeping the levee dams information a secret from his colleagues on the Parish Council.  You, be the judge Lafourche Parish tax payers.  If you were Sheriff or DA, who would you answer too?  The tax payers of Lafourche or the influential of Lafourche First?  If you were the media (radio, TV, or news paper), who would you answer too?  The media was quick to report that Randolph received her 5 million $ from FEMA.  Will they report on the above mentioned letter?

For our elected officials, the knock on their door at Christmas may not be Santa Claus.  Stay in touch, pay attention to the blog, do not believe many of your elected officials, observe their actions. “HAPPY HOLIDAYS.”

FACTS:

A group known as Lafourche First was organized in 2003.  Their objective was to assist in providing good government for the tax payers of Lafourche parish, by supporting progressive thinking candidates for the Lafourche Parish Council and President.  They supported candidates with the same “CORE VALUES” as the members of the Lafourche First organization. 

OPINIONS:

It is my understanding that Lafourche First is proud of all of Lafourche Parish elected officials, so I decided, in the spirit of the season, I would re-frame from writing anything which may be construed as being negative.  At last Tuesday’s Council meeting, there was one incident in particular which I did not read about in news print or hear about on the local radio shows.  It is alleged that in the spirit of the season, Councilman Lindell Toups offered the administration his help in operating parish equipment on the weekends.  The Parish President, Charlotte Randolph, in her usual professional and appreciative manner replied “do you think you can pass a drug test”?  Councilman Toups, in his usual professional manner replied “I can pass one a heck of a lot better than you”.   
While shopping at a local Lafourche Parish super market, I met up with a gentleman who voiced concern over the above mentioned incident.  His remarks were, “you talk about the pot calling the kettle black”.  My remarks to the gentleman were, we now have good government consisting of a group of professionals, who are holding true to the core values of Lafourche First.  Happy Holidays.

Stay in touch.  It is the season to be positive but truthful.  Keep reading your truthful blog.