New Utilities Director Likely Will Get A Big Salary

After much discussion from both Lafayette City Parish council members and the Robideaux administration, the new director of the Lafayette Utilities System will be paid well according to the Advocate.

One of the items on last week's council and Lafayette Public Utility Authority's meeting agenda had to do with adding another $88,386 to the proposed $150,000 salary that Lafayette City Parish President Joel Robideaux set aside in the budget.

The total for the new director would be $238,386.

Councilman Kennety Boudreaux asked New Gen Strategies, the consulting firm for local goverment, to get a comparison of salaries in the state.

Council members had already expressed concern that $150,000 would not be enough to attract the caliber person they want to lead LUS.

NewGen reported that salaries range anywhere from $100,000 to $400,000 depending on the community in Louisiana.

NewGen gave as an example the utilities director of Alexandria gets paid $142,000 a year, but their company's combined earnings are only half of Lafayette's.

The former head of LUS, Terry Huval, who was paid for running both LUS Utilities and LUS Fiber was paid $253,000.