Residents describe repeated, fast-moving flooding; council pledges culvert surveys, work orders and pump upgrades

Residents lined up for more than an hour during public comment at the Lafourche Parish Council meeting on June 23 to describe repeated interior flooding and to urge quicker, clearer action from the parish.

Roz Lebouef (352 California Street, Thibodaux) told the council, “we are being inundated, as well as others, with excessive flooding down California Street,” and said trees were blocking drainage and preventing water from leaving yards. John Robinson, who said he has lived in the neighborhood for decades, told the council the problem is one of neglect and urged the parish to explain how it will be fixed.

Jermaine Guidry (304 Seaco Drive, Raceland) described interior flooding that has forced repeated repairs and said he had submitted multiple service requests without clear tracking numbers. “We’ve had to replace our flooring three times,” he said, adding that during heavy rains his household could not flush toilets because of sewer and drain backups.

DPW director Sonny Crosby told residents a work order had been submitted and crews expect to begin clearing the affected drainage and removing smaller trees “in the next couple of weeks,” and he promised the department will survey culverts and measure elevations to identify pitch and blockages.

Council members and staff described several near‑term and longer‑term responses. Councilman Araby asked residents to provide photos and addresses so the administration could prioritize work orders; Administrator Deonna LaFone and DPW staff said they will examine the specific service requests and confirm the parish’s damage‑assessment portal to ensure homes are registered.

Several residents and council members pressed for equipment and system upgrades. Property owner Ramon Barrera noted the parish operates only two vacuum trucks and urged budgeted purchases of additional trucks; he also pressed for wider SCADA monitoring of pump stations. Council members said approximately 10 pump stations are currently monitored and that expanding monitoring and maintenance will be part of budget conversations.

Council members said a capital project to rebuild and consolidate pump stations for the Green Acres/Greenville/Twin Oaks area is in development. One official described a proposed roughly $22 million pump‑station project that would add larger pumps (eight 48‑inch pumps were cited) and combine multiple stations to speed reservoir drawdown.

Several commenters raised questions about FEMA eligibility and emergency sheltering. Council members and staff confirmed the event had not met the state or FEMA thresholds for a federal declaration and that, where required, the parish will pursue available aid; they also encouraged residents to call 911 in immediate emergencies and to contact the parish’s damage‑assessment portal so homes will be included if assistance becomes available.

On the Greenville housing project, several tenants said they had received letters and feared eviction after flooding. Council members clarified the eviction notice came from the local housing authority board (a HUD program) and not from the parish; officials agreed to obtain and review the letter, to connect tenants to grievance and reasonable‑accommodation procedures referenced in the housing authority correspondence, and to coordinate with the housing authority to help affected residents.

The council did not vote on a policy or funding appropriation at the meeting, but it recorded a number of commitments: DPW will place work orders and begin targeted cleanups, the administration will catalogue resident photos and addresses for follow up, staff will perform culvert elevation surveys where requested, and the council said it will pursue capital funding for a new pump station to reduce future flooding risk. Residents were told to remain in contact with their council members about status and timelines.

The council recessed and returned to regular business after public comment; several members closed the meeting by thanking DPW and first responders for overnight recovery work.