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Council rejects motion to create ad hoc airport district committee after split debate

Iberia Parish Council (joint meeting with Economic Development District No. 1) · December 11, 2025

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Summary

After a prolonged debate, the Iberia Parish Council voted down a motion to form an ad hoc airport district committee to study creating an airport taxing district. Supporters said more information was needed; opponents said an existing airport authority already performs oversight and forming another committee would duplicate effort.

A motion to form an ad hoc Airport District committee failed after a lengthy executive-committee discussion on Wednesday night. The proposed committee would have included six elected officials and three members of the public to study whether creating a separate airport district would be in Iberia Parish’s best interest.

James Trahan introduced the resolution, saying the airport is “one of our biggest assets” and the council needed to make sure any change was done right. Several council members opposed creating the ad hoc body, arguing the airport authority and existing commissions already had the authority and expertise to study such a change.

“I think we can have that [discussion] here. I don’t think we need to prolong or create a committee when we already have one in place,” Councilman Marcus Broussard said, urging caution about duplicating effort. Councilman Brock Pellerin warned that an additional committee could “prolong” a process with an unclear timeline and membership.

Supporters urged deeper council oversight. “The airport is one of the biggest assets we have in this parish,” one council member said, and “you all better get a committee together to look at what assets you’re trying to give away,” urging that the council examine potential effects carefully.

The debate touched on practical questions — whether the ad hoc would be duplicative, how long it would operate, how members would be selected, and whether creating a district could affect bonding and taxation. The council agreed the merits should be fully debated at an upcoming meeting, but when members voted on the motion to create the ad hoc committee, the motion failed on a voice/board vote.

Going forward, council members said a full discussion on the agenda would allow presentations from airport authority staff and interested parties, and that whatever next steps the council takes should be based on detailed financial and governance analysis.

The most recent related item is scheduled for further discussion on the council’s next meeting agenda.