It’s been nearly 1.5 years since The Independent first reported on the financial troubles of City-Parish Councilman Brandon Shelvin, and although he found $1,900 earlier this month to pay off an ethics fine so he can seek re-election, he’s yet to make good on the more than $90,000 he owes various creditors.
But let’s be clear on that March 2010 cover story: It was about much more than a local politician falling behind on his financial obligations. The poor decisions Brandon Shelvin made that got him into so much legal hot water back then continue to dog his tenure and raise issues about his leadership capabilities. Our investigations into Shelvin’s history in the Lafayette business world revealed deeply troubling questions about his ethics, honesty and suitability for the public office he holds — an office he may never have even been legally qualified to seek. Read “The Problem with Brandon Shelvin” here.
Shelvin still owes four plaintiffs in civil lawsuits filed against him approximately $90,000. And they all have taken action to garnish his C-P wages. Castille Financial Services was first in line and began garnishing his C-P check in July 2010. Castille sued Shelvin in November 2009 for defaulting on an $8,300 personal loan he took out in August of that year. Once Castille is paid off — the amount is now about $10,000 according to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, which handles the garnishments — Whitney Bank is next in line. It’s owed $15,027. In September 2009, Whitney National Bank filed suit to collect $9,712, a loan Shelvin took out in May of that year but soon after defaulted on.
The largest amount owed — and the most significant because it is tied to Shelvin’s shady dealings at his former used car lot, ThriftyWay Car Sales — is $57,663 to IberiaBank.
When Shelvin owned the dealership, the warranty company he used, Atlanta-based EasyCare, was never forwarded money he collected from customers for extended warranties on approximately 20 vehicles he sold between July 2008 and February 2009, according to EasyCare’s records. Depending on factors like the vehicle’s make and model, mileage at time of purchase, term, coverage and deductible selected, the cost of the service contracts ranged from $700 to $1,800.
After several months of investigating his dealings in early 2010 and minutes before the story on his financial problems hit the press, this newspaper was advised by EasyCare via e-mail that Shelvin had made good on the contracts. EasyCare received a wire transfer from Shelvin on the morning of March 2, 2010, and was paid in full. At the time, it was a mystery how someone so deep in debt managed to get his hands on what likely amounted to anywhere from $20,000 to almost $40,000. But when IberiaBank, which had financed the majority of the car loans, sued him in December 2010 for defaulting on a $41,000 loan it made to him in January of that year, it became clear where he got the money. Interest, late fees, attorneys’ fees and court costs have since pushed the debt to $57,663.
Also in line to collect, via garnishment, from Shelvin is Hancock Bank. He now owes it $13,682. In October 2009, Hancock Bank sued Shelvin in state district court for $8,319 he owes on a 2007 $10,000 preferred line of credit and the following month got a judgment against him.
Garnishment orders were sent to the sheriff's office for both IberiaBank and Hancock this month.
The Independent’s March 2010 cover story noted that the state was already garnishing Shelvin’s salary for child support. In 2002 the state increased his child support to $608 a month, plus a 5 percent administrative fee, and issued an immediate Income Assignment Order. That means each month $638 comes out of his city-parish council pay to support his daughter from a prior relationship. That’s about 30 percent of his $25,480 annual council salary. (A public records request made Monday to city-parish government for information on whether the state garnishment for child support was still active was not filled by press time Tuesday.)
It is widely known that Shelvin also earns, or at one time earned, money as a salesman for Mello Joy Coffee. But Danette Gary, a supervisor in the sheriff’s department’s civil division, says the only garnishments are against his C-P salary. No one who has won a judgment and order for garnishment has requested that any other wages be seized.
A voice mail message left on Shelvin’s cell phone was not immediately returned.
MAY 20 This post by blogger CB Forgotston draws parallels between Gov. Bobby Jindal and two individuals he probably doesn't want to be aligned with: President Obama and former governor Edwin Edwards. CB says Jindal's trying to jack up the debt ceiling (an Obama play, according to CB) and buy votes from GOP leges who normally wouldn't go for that (an Edwards play, CB says).
MAY 20 Here's a post in the Baptist Message from an alumnus of Louisiana College. The author, Larry Burgess, calls on the leadership of the private school to take care of some pressing problems. Physical plant issues are critical and unaddressed, some faculty make so little they need government health care, and there is an atmosphere that does not encourage honest discussion, he writes. It's time to get things back in order, he says.
MAY 20 This post in Gambit tells of a benefit concert scheduled to raise money for the 19 people shot during a Mother's Day second line on Frenchmen Street in NOLA. Among them was Gambit blogger Deb Cotton, who spoke frequently about violence in the city and reported on the city's second line culture. Gambit's foundation, along with other NOLA non-profits, also is selling t-shirts to raise money for the victims.
MAY 20 Blogger Robert Mann is critical of the personal interest some legislators take in their work here, sharing the comments one NOLA solon made in explaining his decision to vote against a bill that would require people to stop discriminating against female workers. His wife might lose some salary, so he was going to have to vote against the equal pay bill, Conrad Appel said. Appel and everyone who heard him should have been ashamed, but they weren't, and that's what is wrong in that building, Mann argues.
MAY 20 American Press columnist Jim Beam writes about the budget again here, urging kudos for the House and its efforts to try to fix the budget as opposed to passing on a flawed and messy rubber-stamped document as it usually does. The Senate already is poo-pooing the effort, but instead Senators should be trying to find a way to improve it as well, Beam argues. He also has some predictions in here from LABI and CABL.
MAY 20 Here's a link to the photo gallery from Tulane's graduation this past weekend. Dr. John and Allen Toussaint played together and received honorary degrees. The Dalai Lama was so entranced by their performance he got up from his seat and walked across the stage to stand next to them. He even participated in a second line with his own personal, saffron-colored umbrella. To the graduates, he urged them to think about creating a peaceful, hopeful life and society.
MAY 20 This Picayune story questions the rhetoric of NOLA officials who say the city, aside from having a "murder problem," is safe. The talking points generally are that the criminals are killing each other, but everything else is OK. The police chief there says that even Lafayette is more dangerous than NOLA. But crime experts interviewed here say that NOLA's numbers indicate one of two things: either people are so used to violence they don't report it, or somebody's "fudging the numbers."
MAY 20 The Advocate's Mark Ballard writes about some of the background maneuvering that took place during the development of budget alternatives in the Legislature. From Rep. Joel Robideaux being called a "tax and spend liberal" to robo-call influence, Ballard lets us in on some of the work that happens behind the scenes but usually doesn't make it into the Advocate's daily coverage of the session.
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