Terrebonne Parish Council approves election, construction and service contracts; schedules multiple public hearings

Terrebonne Parish Council members voted unanimously on several resolutions and contract awards during their Jan. 15 meeting, approving a local election for Recreation District No. 11, awarding bridge and parks contracts, scheduling public hearings on a lease and budget amendments, and ratifying multiple board appointments.

The council passed a resolution allowing Recreation District No. 11 to call an election on May 3, 2025, to renew a special ad valorem tax in the district. Councilwoman Kim Chauvin moved the resolution; Councilman Pleasure seconded it, and the vote was recorded as 9 ayes.

The council also awarded a contract for hurricane-related repairs on the Bouquet Bridge over Grand Caillou Road to Lehi Construction LLC and authorized the parish president or his designee to execute the contract. The motion, moved by Councilman Danny Babin and seconded by Councilman Kevin Champine, passed by voice vote (9 ayes). Separately, the council awarded parks and grounds maintenance services (RFP 24-PARKS-41, Service Contract 1) to NEAT Lawn and Pressure Washing Service LLC; that motion passed 9 ayes.

On staffing and legal matters, the council voted to hold over for two weeks the parish attorney appointments submitted by the parish president (pursuant to parish code references read into the record). A separate motion to accept a set of assistant parish attorneys was approved. The motion to hold the parish-attorney slate was moved by Babin and seconded by Chauvin (9 ayes); the assistant-attorney appointments were moved by Truschler and seconded by Chauvin (9 ayes).

The council introduced an ordinance authorizing the parish president to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and approving waivers of fees for use of the parish’s civic center on Jan. 30, 2025; the council set a public hearing on that ordinance for Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. The motion passed with 9 ayes.

Budget items and hearings: the Budget and Finance Committee’s recommendations were accepted and two public hearings were scheduled. The council set a Jan. 29, 2025, 6:30 p.m. public hearing for a proposed lease of space at 7910 Main Street to U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins. The council also introduced an ordinance to amend the 2025 adopted operating budget and budgeted positions, listing specific line-item changes (animal shelter: $25,000 and $22,038; Houma Police Department: $11,331; general fund: $3,106; public safety opioid: $881,852; drainage tax fund: $94,022; and adding one full-time electrical services position at grade 211). The record states the public hearing for these budget amendments as “Wednesday, June 29, 2025, at 6:30 PM” as read into the minutes. The budget motion was moved by Councilman Pleasure and seconded by Councilman Truschler and passed 9 ayes.

The council also closed public comment and moved forward on an ordinance amending Chapter 30 (election districts and precincts) to merge certain precincts; the close-of-public-comments motion was moved by Truschler, seconded by Pleasure, and adopted without recorded opposition.

Finally, the council ratified dozens of appointments and reappointments to parish boards and commissions during the appointments portion of the agenda, including reappointment of Dr. William Thibodeaux to the Municipal Civil Service Board and reappointment of Wayne Ingram to the 9-1-1 Communications District board, among many others. Most appointment motions were adopted by voice vote (votes recorded as 8 or 9 ayes depending on the item).

Votes at a glance - Recreation District No. 11 election (May 3, 2025): moved Chauvin; second Pleasure; 9 ayes; outcome: approved. - Bouquet Bridge repairs, award to Lehi Construction LLC: moved Babin; second Champine; 9 ayes; outcome: approved; authorization for parish president to execute contract. - Parks and grounds maintenance (RFP 24-PARKS-41) to NEAT Lawn and Pressure Washing Service LLC: moved Chauvin; second Champine; 9 ayes; outcome: approved. - Parish attorney slate: held over for two weeks (motion by Babin; second Chauvin; 9 ayes). - Assistant parish attorneys (multiple names read into record): moved Truschler; second Chauvin; 9 ayes; outcome: approved. - Ordinance (cooperative endeavor agreement with Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority; fee waivers for civic center use on Jan. 30, 2025): moved Babin; second Chauvin; 9 ayes; public hearing set Jan. 29, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - Budget amendments and position changes (line items listed in minutes): moved Pleasure; second Truschler; 9 ayes; public hearing called in the minutes for June 29, 2025, 6:30 p.m. (as read). - Ordinance to merge precincts (Chapter 30): motions to open/close public and adopt moved by Truschler and Pleasure; adopted by recorded voice votes. - Dozens of board and commission appointments and reappointments (multiple motions across agenda items): voice votes recorded (typically 8–9 ayes); outcome: appointments ratified.

The council’s actions were largely unanimous; most motions passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Several items were scheduled for public hearings or held over for further action.