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New Iberia hires part‑time compliance attorney to speed up demolition and nuisance enforcement
Summary
The council approved a contract with local attorney K. (Kay) Pitman Clark to provide hourly compliance and demolition legal services aimed at accelerating enforcement of blighted properties and nuisance code violations; administration described a trial phase funded from the existing budget.
The New Iberia City Council approved a contract to engage K. (Kay) Pitman Clark to assist the city’s compliance and inspection efforts on a part-time, hourly basis to address demolition, nuisance properties, and other code-enforcement work.
City attorney Jeff Simon and the mayor described a backlog of dilapidated houses, junk vehicles and other public‑safety-related compliance matters and said the new contract — billed at $175 per hour — is intended as an experiment to speed enforcement and improve notification and process compliance. Administration said available budget funds were set aside for an initial trial and that the mayor and staff will monitor results and return for additional funds if needed.
Pitman Clark addressed the council and explained she has 25 years of local practice, including real-estate and city-court matters; she said she will follow statutory procedures precisely, ensure notifications and public‑hearing steps are handled correctly and coordinate with city staff. Council members asked about reporting, communication with district council members and whether the engagement would be full-time (administration said no — initial plan is hourly/as-needed).
What happens next: Administration will compile lists from council members and staff of priority cases, coordinate referrals to Pitman Clark, and return if additional budget authority is required.
