Back up for discussion Tuesday before the Lafayette City-Parish Council is a $150,000 public works project that has become a source of discord between the Durel administration and a councilman, and Tuesday’s tone could be a precursor for Thursday’s budget finalization.
At issue is a parking-lot paving project at Judice Park in Councilman Jared Bellard’s fifth district — a project approved by the council a year ago when it overrode a veto by City-Parish President Joey Durel. A similar project in council Chairman Jay Castille’s district in Carencro, also approved by the council via a veto override, is scheduled to go out for bid in November. In a case of acrimony detailed a couple of weeks ago by The Advocate, Bellard accuses Durel of blocking the project because Bellard has been an adversary of some of Durel’s budget priorities, namely Lafayette Consolidated Government’s funding of arts and social service agencies as well as the proposed purchase of the UL horse farm by LCG. Durel told The Advocate that more pressing needs have pushed the Judice Park project to the bottom of the list, but did imply that Bellard’s unwillingness to cooperate with the administration figures in to its willingness to make the parking lot a higher priority.
Durel’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, including the horse farm purchase and external agency funding, is up for final adoption Thursday. The outcome of Tuesday’s discussion on Judice Park could figure heavily into Bellard’s willingness to acquiesce.
... written by ragin_cajun , September 28, 2010 - 03:59 pm
Well, you knew it was coming. Bertrand and Durel have both made comments about this before--to the effect that spending for the arts is just like spending for parks and recreation. I took that as a veiled threat at the time, and I'm not surprised to see this happening now.
Durel gets bitchy when he doesn't get his way. We've seen it from him before.
... written by Farrow , September 28, 2010 - 05:17 pm
That's real good, Durel . . . punish the people who live near and use the park because of a spat with a council member. How mature!
... written by ragin_cajun , September 28, 2010 - 06:45 pm
Not just the people...the CHILDREN! Why can't we pave it for the children's sake? How can Durel punish the children this way? I think I'll show up at the next council meeting with a bunch of posters of cute young kids playing softball, baseball, football, coughing in the dust of the gravel parking lot. I wonder if I can find an EPA study showing air quality in a paved lot is better than in a gravel lot.
JOEY DUREL IS KILLING OUR CHILDREN! And more Cajun kids than "Americain" kids live in Judice, so I think it's because Durel has a secret agenda against Cajuns. DUREL IS AN ANTI-ACADIANITE!!!! THIS IS GENOCIDE!
Does Mary Tutwiler know about this? LOL....
... written by Whatababy , September 28, 2010 - 06:52 pm
Bellard has proven to be ineffective in his lack of maturity. Could be that it will go in his favor when he grows up. I haven't seen this from this administration in all the years they have been there. Could it possibly be that Bellard and and his good buddy Shelvin are the problem?
... written by Southsider , September 28, 2010 - 07:13 pm
Farrow...whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Cooperation works both ways. I would think Mr. Bellard would know this, but who knows?
... written by Northsidian Shotgun , September 29, 2010 - 03:04 am
Southsider wipe that brown crap off your nose, Your kids are playing in the dust on West Bayou Parkway or JOEYS (Almost Kenny's Coup), COUP the park by da RIVAH RANCH. AMERICAIN children don't play in dust bowls, Only the cajun children outta the River Ranch LAFAYETTE CITY area, have to play in the DUST BOWL ! Someone needs to paint a 4" reddish gash on the middle of his bald head, so he would more closely fit his name description ! I guess all the black children that would like to hear the sound "SWOOOOOSH, when the ball goes thru the hoop can go on vocalizing the sound when the ball goes thru the hoop, in their dusty playgrounds. OH Joey you are goin to Protestant Purgatory !
... written by Northsidian Shotgun , September 29, 2010 - 03:06 am
Bellard show durel hair don't grow on SS ! He has never seen that !
... written by RCajunrunner , September 29, 2010 - 04:23 am
"Farrow...whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Cooperation works both ways. I would think Mr. Bellard would know this, but who knows?" ------------------------------------
So Bellard should just keep his mouth shut about what he believes might be irresponsible spending, or things such as government appropriations to NGOs, which is basically forcing taxpayers to subsidize non-government entities, whether they want to or not?
... written by What the? , September 29, 2010 - 02:40 pm
"Bellard show durel hair don't grow on SS ! He has never seen that !"
Can anyone translate the Northsidian Shotgun's posts?
... written by Southsider , September 29, 2010 - 05:46 pm
Rcajunrunner...you got it!Maybe now you know(if you live in that area or the unicorporated areas) how we, the city of lafayette homeowners feel about subsidizing the other towns with our tax monies.
... written by beheard , September 29, 2010 - 07:02 pm
Why must the people of Mr. Bellard's district suffer because their councilman refuses to bow down to a "DICtator"? Joey Durel continues to flex his muscle and try to intimidate people he can't control. Mr. Bellard stick to your guns and expose this political machine that is wrecking havoc on this city. Durel over the past year has his hand in many under the table deals, and now it's being exposed. The Mayor of Broussard was tryin to make this point a few months ago.
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Durel gets bitchy when he doesn't get his way. We've seen it from him before.