Terrebonne Parish Council approves multiple routine items, schedules further review of festival fee waiver

The Terrebonne Parish Council on Wednesday, Sept. 24, approved a package of routine and fiscal items and voted to delay a separate request from a festival organizer seeking a parking-lot fee waiver.

The council unanimously accepted the 2025 property assessment list, approved minutes of previous meetings, adopted amendments to the 2025 operating budget for several grants and capital projects, and moved forward an ordinance authorizing issuance of public-improvement sales-tax revenue bonds not to exceed $25,000,000. At the same meeting the council voted to table — for two weeks — a request by the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center / Rugaroo Fest organizers to waive an estimated $7,000 parking-lot fee at the Houma Civic Center.

The approvals included several ministerial votes frequently handled at council meetings: adoption of meeting minutes, ratification of committee minutes, confirmations of board appointments and reappointments, and the council routine payable-bills lists. The council also adopted proclamations recognizing Hunger Action Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month and proclaimed Sept. 29 "Rosemary Geist Porsche Day" in recognition of a resident's 100th birthday.

Key formal outcomes recorded in the meeting record:

- Acceptance of the 2025 property assessment list. Motion moved by "Mister Babin," seconded by "Mister Champagne;" outcome: motion passed (recorded as passed in meeting). The assessor's office representative Duffy Duplantis Jr., Chief Deputy, asked the council to accept the assessment list as presented.

- Approval of minutes for the regular council session held 08/27/2025 and distribution of minutes for 09/10/2025. Motions moved and seconded as noted in the record; both motions passed (votes recorded: 8-0 in one instance; other routine approvals recorded as passed).

- Approval of council payable bills list for 09/2025 and 09/22/2025. Moved by "Mister Pletcher," second by "Miss Chauvin." Motion passed 9-0.

- Proclamation designating September 2025 as Hunger Action Month in Terrebonne Parish. Presented by a member of administration and supporting speakers; proclamation adopted.

- Request to waive fees for use of the Civic Center parking lot for Rugaroo Fest (South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center / Rugaroo Fest). After public comment and extended council discussion the council approved a substitute motion to table the item for two weeks so staff can provide additional budget and revenue-impact information. Substitute motion to table passed 7-2.

- Rescission of a condemnation order for a residential structure at 500 Kinney Street. Motion moved and seconded; vote recorded 9-0 in favor.

- Proclamations adopted recognizing Rosemary Geist Porsche's 100th birthday and declaring October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (and related community events). Votes recorded as part of routine proclamations.

- Public hearing and adoption of amendments to the 2025 adopted operating budget for specific grant and program line items (listing in the meeting: Office of Emergency Preparedness $3,564; multiple H.O.P.E./police/fire items; FEMA/FTA items; CDBG-DR support for seafood industry Phase 1 $1,500,000; CDBG-DR small business grants $3,000,000; and others). The public hearing was closed and the amendments were adopted (motions recorded: public hearing closed; motion to adopt passed 9-0).

- Ordinance to authorize issuance of not-exceeding $25,000,000 public-improvement sales-tax revenue bonds: the required public hearings were held and the ordinance was adopted following the hearing (council vote recorded in the minutes as passed).

- Routine committee minutes were accepted and multiple board and advisory appointments and reappointments were handled on the consent portion of the agenda with the recorded votes noted in the minutes.

The council clerk and administration will provide requested supplemental information on the Rugaroo Fest parking-lot waiver before the item returns to the council in two weeks. Several council members said they wanted a consistent policy for fee waivers and requested staff provide budget-impact detail before the council acts on individual waivers.

The next regular council meeting is scheduled per the council calendar; items tabled will be returned to the agenda as advertised.