New Iberia council backs broad capital-outlay priorities and moves to accept Sugar Cane Festival site if parish transfers it

New Iberia City Council members on Wednesday approved a list of 2025–26 capital outlay priorities intended to leverage local matching funds for roads, drainage and economic development and introduced an ordinance that would allow the city to accept the Sugar Cane Festival building and adjacent park property if Iberia Parish approves a transfer.

Council members said the capital-outlay package is intended to increase the total funding the city can pursue from the state: "Why wouldn't we take $2,000,000 and turn it into 6?" Mayor DeCourte said, summing the administration's approach of using local match to win larger state awards. The council set a public hearing for the ordinance to accept the festival building for Oct. 15, 2024.

The priority list sent to state officials includes a $6 million roads request backed by a $2 million local match, a drainage package intended to turn $1 million in local funds into approximately $3 million in projects, and an economic development plan centered on the Hopkins Street parcel donated by Bill Dore. Dore's donation—which the mayor said includes $1 million in seed money—would be used as match to build rental units, a clinic and retail tenant spaces, then conveyed to the Hopkins Street Economic Development District once complete.

The mayor described the Dore project as "an economic development project" that would be turned over to the Hopkins Street district after construction. Council members pressed for contingency plans if state funds do not arrive; the mayor said the administration has plan B options including federal and regional grant programs and bonding for roads if needed.

The list also includes funding requests for two gym restroom renovations (about $200,000 total), a proposed new public pool on Emerald Drive designed for school tournaments and public use, and continued support for the Grama rail separation/overpass project (costs undetermined and acknowledged as large). A fronting access road project also was discussed; the mayor said engineering has been signed and state and MPO monies are lined up so the frontage road was not included on this year's capital list.

Debate on the Sugar Cane Festival building was extensive. Councilors and the mayor described the facility as historic and in need of work if the parish transfers the property. The mayor said the city has a modest amount budgeted ($477,000) and hopes to leverage state grants, tax credits, and other matches. He also noted that some exterior cladding contains asbestos tile that is not necessarily friable and that total restoration costs could be substantial. "If it sits there, it will only deteriorate," the mayor said, arguing the city should be prepared to accept and rehabilitate the asset if the parish transfers it.

Council members urged caution, asking for firm commitments on funding and maintenance costs before taking on long-term liabilities; others said ownership would give the city opportunities to market events, protect adjacent parkland and increase local economic activity. The council received the priority list and voted to transmit it to state officials; the ordinance authorizing the city to accept the Sugar Cane Festival building was introduced and set for public hearing Oct. 15, 2024.

If the parish votes to transfer the building, the mayor said he will return to the council with final terms and negotiate any swaps or funding to accompany the conveyance. The administration also said it will pursue federal/state grant alternatives if capital outlay funding does not materialize.

Why this matters: The projects on the list — roads, drainage, and targeted economic development — are large infrastructure items that rely on state capital outlay and matching local funds. The proposed acceptance of the Sugar Cane Festival building would transfer a long-standing regional event venue and roughly 15 acres of parkland from parish to city control, creating both maintenance obligations and opportunities for events and tourism revenue.

Next steps: The council transmitted the capital-outlay priority list to the governor’s office and set a public hearing Oct. 15 on the ordinance to accept the Sugar Cane Festival building (ordinance introduction 2024-26). The mayor said city staff will continue negotiations with Iberia Parish and pursue alternative grants if needed.