[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6463616,"mediaKeyId","5785271-e290a5acc2d7d382dc25bec33c42a6f9","parentId",5785271,"title","Terrebonne Council urges president to seek approval to move Finding Our Roots Museum to smaller Main Street site","audioSeconds",1080,"startMs",600000,"endMs",1680000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5785271-e290a5acc2d7d382dc25bec33c42a6f9&start=600&end=1680","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5785271-e290a5acc2d7d382dc25bec33c42a6f9/thumbnail_600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6463616/Terrebonne-Parish-Consolidated-Government/Louisiana/Terrebonne-Council-urges-president-to-seek-approval-to-move-Finding-Our-Roots-Museum-to-smaller-Main-Street-site","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463616-5b230593d87e82c7c400345b633219e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172762&Signature=TpQSt3Sh5l~TwHclYoOgsHkmoQfn2Kz7BduE9PhWH7yc9oc25dXxIlq1ZlDsWL7D6S-DpPZqUO8PeG8S4271EjRjf17Xezvzrh1tO6hofeXijGCGopFPHjVy3tqXaw1d77A-jQrPSn4kzB~0MIP1GLuferGwbcS33fbbFx9d8~~hc6KNzx~vdrOtQuNJk6jETeg0MndY3jnuF8Saod9lKV4oOpHy-ctYb2c0q0g3I-baHAEgby3sgSrELhkf7IhpRgfH63NxjuHv2Na1I~80TlY~sjDDvLgr7HznJqVL8pRvrasRaZQnku61OtZlv1XDW8SvfC-zStPJC8v7ORDREA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, LA","date","2025-09-12T19:13:44Z","article","The Terrebonne Parish Council on Sept. 10 unanimously adopted a resolution asking Parish President Jason W. Bergeron to submit to the Louisiana Office of Community Development (OCD) an amended Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) application to designate 7928 Main Street, Houma, as the project site for the Finding Our Roots Museum.

Council members and project consultants said the smaller site would reduce the CDBG‑DR funding needed for the museum and could free about $2 million to be reallocated to other approved recovery projects. Taylor Gravois of consultant CSRS told the council “the project was approved to allocate resources to the Finding Our Roots Museum. It was not tied to any particular location,” and that moving the site will restart the same appraisal, environmental review and OCD budget amendment process required for any property acquisition.

Why it matters: The museum is one of 29 projects in Terrebonne’s CDBG‑DR action plan. Moving the site could shorten the museum’s timeline and lower the parish’s grant draw on the program, permitting savings to be applied to other approved projects — if OCD approves the change and the project meets program rules such as low‑to‑moderate‑income (LMI) benefit and appraisal limits.

What council voted: The resolution — amended on the floor and moved by Councilman Omidy, seconded by Councilman Hamner — “urges and requests the parish president to submit to the Office of Community Development an application for approval of the revised location” for the sale and cooperative endeavor agreement with Morpho Inc. The council recorded the motion as passed unanimously (recorded as eight recorded votes during a machine issue); the resolution will be forwarded to the parish president as a formal request.

Discussion and clarifications: Tanner McGee, appearing as representative for property owner Martin Faust (Morpho Inc.), said no sale proceeds have been paid to Faust and that state grant funds earmarked for the museum have not been delivered to the owner: “Martin Faust hasn’t received a dollar yet for any of this stuff,” McGee told the council. McGee and other speakers described $200,000 already placed in escrow by the museum’s sponsor and an additional $500,000 in state funds that are still pending, for a total of approximately $700,000 in state support discussed at the meeting.

CSRS consultant Taylor Gravois summarized the procedural steps the parish must follow if the council and administration pursue the new site: amend the application with OCD; obtain an appraisal by a parish‑approved, independent appraiser and a third‑party review; complete an environmental review; demonstrate LMI benefit; prepare a revised budget and submit a budget amendment to OCD. Gravois said that because the revised location is adjacent to the originally identified site, that will help meet the LMI requirement.

Budget and timing: Council members and consultants repeated that the CDBG‑DR budget used at application stage was preliminary and that final allowable costs will depend on the completed appraisal, environmental remediation needs, renovation estimates and allowable start‑up costs. CSRS and council members said moving to 7928 Main Street could reduce the parish’s CDBG‑DR payout for the museum by about $2,000,000 from the previously allocated $4,500,000; those savings could be reallocated to other approved projects subject to OCD approval. Gravois noted the program’s completion deadline was reported in the meeting as Nov. 16, 2027, which applies to project completion under the grant terms.

Concerns and next steps: Council members pressed for clarity on whether state funds could be used for operational costs and emphasized the need for transparency with museum leadership and the property owner as the parish restarts the OCD amendment process. The council’s action tonight is a request to the parish president to pursue OCD approval; it does not itself change the budget or authorize purchase. If OCD approves the new site, the parish must complete appraisal, environmental and budget amendment steps and then return to the council if a budget amendment is required.

Votes at a glance (selected routine actions recorded during the meeting):
• Approval of minutes for Aug. 13 and Aug. 27 meetings — motion passed (recorded votes on the record as 9‑0 for several routine items earlier in the meeting).
• Accounts payable bill lists (dates listed in agenda) — approved 9‑0.
• Manual check list for July 2025 — approved (motion passed).
• Ordinances to amend parish code (speed zone / no‑parking and other routine code changes) — motions adopted, recorded as passed (votes recorded in the meeting transcript as 9‑0 or 7‑0 depending on the item).
(Each routine vote is recorded in the council minutes; the museum resolution was the principal substantive policy action on CDBG‑DR funds tonight.)

What’s next: The resolution will be forwarded to Parish President Jason W. Bergeron for submission to OCD. CSRS and parish staff will prepare the revised OCD application, an updated budget amendment and the required appraisal and environmental reviews. The council indicated it expects to see detailed budgets and supporting documents before any budget amendment is adopted.

Ending: Council members and the consultant emphasized the procedural nature of tonight’s vote: it restarts a federal review and appraisal process rather than immediately moving funds or authorizing a purchase. Council members asked administration and CSRS to keep museum leadership, the property owner and the council informed as the parish pursues OCD approval.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Terrebonne Parish Regular Council Meeting held on September 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Terrebonne Parish Council on Sept. 10 unanimously adopted a resolution asking Parish President Jason W. Bergeron to submit to the Louisiana Office of Community Development (OCD) an amended Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery application to designate 7928 Main Street, Houma, as the project site for the Finding Our Roots Museum.","taxTitle","Terrebonne Parish (Consolidated Government), Louisiana","taxId",25015,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6463611,"Residents press council over locked parks, removed lights and program disruptions in Recreation District 1",5040,2400000,7440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5785271-e290a5acc2d7d382dc25bec33c42a6f9&start=2400&end=7440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5785271-e290a5acc2d7d382dc25bec33c42a6f9/thumbnail_2400000.jpg","/articles/6463611/Terrebonne-Parish-Consolidated-Government/Louisiana/Residents-press-council-over-locked-parks-removed-lights-and-program-disruptions-in-Recreation-District-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6463611-d7cd20a2d2416061987ee862d1fb23fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172762&Signature=cOTkFCTO8OTmVLaRR8NaYpaexkJqvwbiFxzEZPkof255-rLShJuadbgP4MWwBxs0bQhAUTukpNlOtCjFCy5rBn0RZVk5tXvJB2Z56ptxeJlGWXq5nt9v5iRuTmTvFnNZj3RJDsT4sr4b9B1GMTVpjql0n76ZDNjgHeRsxEn~85BhO~qcH1qs6kL6ysI50yW6cjMq~5pK8l0KbNqT34~h1uba3cYzFLaN3aV-bFKDm7eqh8NZvs7eTtYNGx5GdsKyEMy0p8irhVPz8MMmQF5AQvny5xIoPI8ZU1wF~1Vqs6ZTD~lchCiilEnA7lsvhmpvaqGXMHWQpuPxQuSax8xgbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents and former Recreation District 1 officials urged the Terrebonne Parish Council on Sept. 10 to intervene after a series of actions they say left the Gray area’s Larry Randolph Park inaccessible for routine recreation, displaced youth practices and removed lighting and field infrastructure.

Wayne Thibodeaux, speaking for residents in the Gray area, told the council the board “has been unresponsive” to requests about playground equipment and maintenance. Arnold Adams Sr., who said he served on the Recreation District 1 board for 32 years and 14 years as chairman, said the district’s membership includes several H. L. Bourgeois School employees and accused the board of choices that have not served the wider neighborhood.

Coaches and parents described repeated problems getting gate codes, locked gates at scheduled practice times and long delays cutting grass and providing restroom access. Coach Tori Adams said his teams were repeatedly blocked from fields and that, when access was given, combinations or keys did not work. Anthony Rainey, another resident, said volunteer youth activities were disrupted when staff or contractors removed lights and goal posts from practice areas.

Why it matters: Residents said the district’s actions have a direct effect on youth programming and on seniors who use parks for exercise. Speakers repeatedly invoked state recreation district statutes and the parish’s oversight responsibilities and asked the council to use its authority to ensure the parks serve the community’s needs.

Council response and next steps: Councilman Carl Harding said the matter requires clarification of ownership and management and asked the parish attorney and Quality of Life director to investigate. Quality of Life staff member Mr. Domingue acknowledged conversations with council leadership and told the meeting he would follow up to gather facts on lease agreements, removed equipment and whether the district owns the park or the parish holds title to the property. Council members said they would refer the matter for follow‑up with Quality of Life staff and the rec advisory board and warned that if residents remained unsatisfied the council would consider further action.

No formal council action was taken tonight; members encouraged residents to pursue the rec district’s next regular meeting and said council staff would seek documentation of ownership, lease terms, invoices and the reason for equipment removal. Council members stressed urgency for children’s access: “While the adults figure it out, let the children go play on those fields with grass cut and bathrooms open,” said Councilman Hamner.

Clarifying details raised at the meeting included: an allegation that removal of lighting/poles had cost roughly $2,750 (one public comment referenced higher figures circulating on social media), a claim that some board members are school employees creating perceived conflicts, and requests that the council verify whether the recreation district or the parish holds title to specific park parcels.

Ending: Council leaders asked Quality of Life staff to report back to the council with property ownership records, lease agreements and invoices for removed infrastructure, and encouraged district residents and parents to document incidents and attend upcoming district meetings so the council and administration can resolve the issues quickly.","Multiple residents and former recreation board officials told the council that equipment removals, locked gates and unresponsiveness by Recreation District 1 have displaced youth programs and blocked residents’ use of Larry Randolph Park in the Gray/Shreve area. Council members asked administration to investigate and to report back.","actionData","errors"]

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Terrebonne Council urges president to seek approval to move Finding Our Roots Museum to smaller Main Street site

Residents press council over locked parks, removed lights and program disruptions in Recreation District 1