Joey Durel Responds To Lafayette Parish’s $3.4 Lawsuit Settlement

Two weeks ago Lafayette Parish agreed to an out-of-court settlement that ended the Parish owing Waste Facilities of Lafayette $3.4 million dollars. The settlement was the result of a dispute over the development of a waste transfer facility on Sunbeam Lane.

Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel stopped by “Mornings with Ken and Bernie” for his weekly “Lafayette Live” segment today to discuss the lawsuit and how the Parish chose to pay the $3.4 million owed.

Durel explained why the Parish chose the Mosquito Control fund to pay the debt.

We thought the ideal place, if the judge would agree and see it that way, was to take it from mosquito control because in the ordinance that was voted for, it was for health, and insects. - City-Parish President Joey Durel

Durel felt that using the surplus in the Mosquito Control fund would be the most painless way for the Parish to cover the $3.4 million.

Your choices were very easy, you either take it from a millage that had a surplus, you could take it from the general fund which would completely shut down parish government, or you could offer to raise a tax to pay that debt. - Durel

The choice to use the Mosquito Control fund did not go unopposed. Three council members have made their displeasure known, though Durel contends that three have not offered any solutions.

I've challenged them to come up with a better idea. It's the one thing I have to say about these three is that they never come up with solutions, they just hide in the bushes and throw stones.

Mr. Durel made clear that the settlement was a parish issue and would not affect the City of Lafayette's budget.