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Mardi Gras club dispute surfaces in public comment as parade permit plans draw criticism
Summary
Members of the Mystic Kings crew sought council attention about plans for a pre‑Carnival parade, while other speakers alleged unpaid wages and urged the council not to enable the club’s organizers to run an event in New Orleans.
A public-comment exchange Thursday put a planned Mystic Kings pre‑Carnival parade under public scrutiny and prompted council members to reiterate that the council does not approve parade permits outside the official Mardi Gras season.
Cecil Robuck, describing himself as a Mystic Kings organizer, told the council the group has spent two years planning a pre‑Carnival parade for Jan. 5 (Twelfth Night). Robuck said organizers had consulted with police lieutenants about a route and had prepared floats and doubloons for the event.
"We have been sitting now for over 2 years planning this, building parade floats, having doubloons made," Robuck said.
Shortly after, a speaker identified as Dominic Graves addressed the council as someone who said he and other workers had been harmed by Robuck’s past business practices. Graves alleged Robuck routinely left workers unpaid after projects and warned that giving Robuck access to run a parade would put more workers at financial risk and could embarrass the city’s Mardi Gras community.
Council staff corrected an identification of the police official discussed in Robuck’s remarks, saying the parade-permit official is Buddy Michu (not Buddy Boudreaux). Council President Moreau reminded the public that the council does not issue parade permits outside the official Carnival season.
Ending: The council did not take a permit vote; public speakers raised concerns about unpaid workers and urged further scrutiny by police and permitting authorities.
