Lafayette City Parish President Joey Durel tells NewsTalk 96-5 KPEL that the relationship Lafayette has with the City of Broussard in reference to water is over.  Durel says that based on Broussard's lawsuit against Lafayette dealing with water from Lafayette Utilities System along with the adversarial attitude of the town's mayor, the relationship between the two towns must end.  He says it has nothing to do with the citizens of Broussard, but about the administration.

The dispute over the water issue has been going on for some time now.  Near the beginning of last month, Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais sent a letter to Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel over comments Durel made during “Lafayette Live” on “Mornings with Ken and Bernie”.

The city of Broussard is in an ongoing dispute with LUS over three connections that cross the Broussard system with Lafayette’s system. LUS Director Terry Huval said previously that those three connections are new. But the city of Broussard says those connections have been there for more than 16 years, they are all entirely within the Broussard system, and LUS has known about them all along.

In the letter to Durel, Langlinais details dates of meetings and emails between members of the two sides. Langlinais also says he “would really like to make some progress in resolving this dispute.” Langlinais then recommends “suspend(ing) further action in the lawsuit, and…go(ing) to mediation with an experienced mediator” to solve the problem among other recommendations.

For a copy of the letter, click below:                                                                                                                          //townsquare.media/site/36/files/2012/04/Scanned-from-City-of-Broussard001.pdf

The dispute began when Lafayette Utilities System realized that Broussard had been taping into the lines for some time, and LUS contends the city of Broussard owes Lafayette's customers close to a million dollars in fees.  The city of Broussard did not agree with the numbers presented, and they filed suit.

Durel tells KPEL his reason for announcing this separation is because he is tired of getting calls from frustrated businesses who want water, have placed their businesses in Broussard, and are now upset because Broussard can't provide them with what they want.  Durel says, about the city of Broussard, "funny, they use it when it is convenient for them".  He adds, "the time has come to make these business owners and others aware that they will spend there money for something they can't get, LUS water.' Durel says it was time to make this move because the relationship has been strained, and Lafayette, and Durel have no jurisdiction over Broussard based on Lafayette's Home Rule Charter.  He says the ball keeps getting kicked into Lafayette's court when they have no control over the problems in Broussard.

To hear more on the issue, be sure to tune into "Lafayette Live" this Thursday morning at 7:30 as Ken Romero welcome Joey Durel back into the studio to discuss this issue and others.

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