Parish considers intervention in suit; learns of flood reimbursement

The St. Mary Parish Council met in executive session during their meeting Wednesday in Franklin to discuss what the group’s agenda said was “possibly intervening in the matter filed in the 16th Judicial Court, styled Avoca, Inc. vs. Secretary of Natural Resources, as per the request of the St. Mary Parish Levee District.”
Details were not available because council members are forbidden by law from discussing what goes on in an executive session. What is known is that Avoca Inc. is, according to their website, “the world’s largest premier botanical extraction” company. It was not immediately clear what was meant by “botanical extraction” or what was the company’s involvement with the parish.
In other business, a statement released by St. Mary Parish Chief Administrative Officer Henry “Bo” LaGrange announced that the parish was one of seven in Louisiana that will qualify for assistance to aid in the effort to prevent damage to community members and their property from recent flooding in the area.
In response to the high-water event, multiple projects have been undertaken in recent weeks to ensure flood water would not inundate the area and LaGrange announced that the parish could be receiving financial aid to help pay for a portion of the costs of the projects.
The announcement states, “The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) has written to advise that a federal declaration has been approved for seven parishes in Louisiana, including St. Mary Parish, due to the severe flooding. The incident period is December 28, 2015-February 1, 2016. GOHSEP will be conducting Applicant Briefings to inform and educate potential applicants. St. Mary Parish has made a request for public assistance in order to receive Public Assistance funding for 75 percent reimbursement of eligible Emergency Protective Measures incurred as a result of this disaster. GOHSEP will be scheduling applicant briefing/kickoff meetings in the next few days.”
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Other business on the agenda included the introduction of an ordinance establishing a no-wake zone in the West St. Mary Port, Harbor and Terminal District Navigational Channel. Two rezoning measures were also adopted.
The council also passed two resolutions. The first authorized the Parish President David Hanagriff to execute a measure relative to the Yellow Bayou Hanson Flood Protection. The second authorized the parish president to execute a “Certificate of Substantial Completion” relative, again, to the flood protection measures on the Yellow and Hanson Bayou.
There were also two requests for funds from Commissioner Rev. Craig Matthews. One was for playground equipment at an undisclosed location and the other was for community programs.