Council settles lawsuit

BY HEATHER MILLER THE DAILY IBERIAN
Published/Last Modified on Thursday, October 9, 2008 2:11 PM CDT

Iberia Parish Council has decided to settle litigation with Gordon Doerle, permitting him to continue to operate his pickup station and expand his landfill into Iberia Parish.

After an executive session at Wednesday night’s Iberia Parish Council meeting, Assistant District Attorney Eric Duplantis, the council’s legal adviser, announced the parish will settle its lawsuit against Doerle for operating his pickup station without a permit and Doerle’s countersuit against the parish for denying his landfill expansion, under a few conditions:

• Doerle will completely enclose his pickup station, located near the Acadiana Regional Airport, in accordance with guidelines from the state Department of Environmental Quality and the Federal Aviation Administration.

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• All trucks exiting the closed pickup station will be covered.

• Smaller trucks entering the facility cannot stay for longer than a certain time, which has not been decided on yet.

• Doerle will be responsible for cleaning and collecting waste water and discharge that is acquired from the transfer of debris from one truck to another.

The parish initially denied Doerle’s pickup station permit because it goes against a solid waste ordinance and regulations from the Acadiana Regional Airport stating that solid waste facilities cannot be located within a certain proximity to the airport.

The parish has the authority to issue a variance, but has denied the variance until now. Under the provisions of the settlement, Doerle will grant the parish servitude, which means if the landfill poses a threat to the airport or if the FAA steps in and objects at any time, Doerle will be forced to remove whatever objections are made or potentially face immediate injunction from the parish.

“It is a mutual agreement, and the DA’s office will work out the rest of the settlement details,” said Council Chairman Bernard Broussard.

Though the parish will issue a permit for Doerle to expand the landfill, DEQ makes final decision for the landfill to operate. The DEQ has stated in past letters that Doerle must be in compliance with the parish to go any further with his permit application.

The council also went into executive session to discuss former Parish President Will Langlinais’ lawsuit against the parish. After the session, Broussard announced the council supports Duplantis in moving forward with the lawsuit.

Langlinais is suing the council over unpaid vacation and sick leave benefits he says he accrued while in office.

Comments

    To Always Right wrote on Oct 12, 2008 10:46 AM:

    " The only ones who look like fools are the District Attorney, the Iberia Parish Council & the Airport Authority. How did they know they were going to lose the lawsuit? Why was the District Attorney's office so adamant to settle this case? Were they crying wolf all this time or were they bought off?

    Our legislative delegation did what was requested of them, represented their constituents, the IPC & the Airport Authority. Why have these three entities (DA, IPC & AA) portray our legislatures as the "bad guys?" What a cowardly act on their part. "

    Doesnt make sense wrote on Oct 12, 2008 10:25 AM:

    " What happened to Naray Hulin who has been screaming @ the top of his lungs for the last few years? How can the IPC @ AA unanimously vote that the airport is in imminent danger with this expansion then silently say it's okay? What's going to happen when FAA shuts the airport down? Doesn't make much sense. Their cowardly act leaves the impression of ignorance or "good ole' boy" politics.

    Hopefully Senator Hebert, Representative Champagne & Representative Mills will treat them the same, with silence, when asked to stick their necks out again. "

    parish resident wrote on Oct 10, 2008 12:04 PM:

    " to John Broussard. Everyone in parish government accumulates annual leave, sick leave, and compensatory time. Get a copy of the personnel policy and you will see for yourself.No one punches a clock. Oh well, does it really matter. I for one wishes he were still in office.He helped me many times, as well as my neighbors.Know the facts. "

    parish resident wrote on Oct 10, 2008 11:58 AM:

    " Gordon's landfill operation has been in that location for years.Did anyone actually believe that the parish government was going to win this suit? As many times as I pass in front of his business, there have been no birds. If you want to see birds, follow the farmers bush hogging on the base property and you will see many, many birds. Here is a case that proves you can beat city hall sometimes. "

    Always Right wrote on Oct 10, 2008 6:59 AM:

    " Good for you Doerle!!! They knew they were wrong and that they would lose the lawsuit. The next time they try to circumvent the Law, sue them for twice as much!!!!

    Troy Hebert sure does look like a fool, making ridiculous laws that apply unfairly to one specific company. "

    John Broussard wrote on Oct 10, 2008 6:58 AM:

    " How can an elected official accumulate vacation and sick leave? If he is sick, he stays home. If wants to go on vacation, he goes. Did Will punch a time clock? His salary was set by the charter whether he went to work or not, he was paid, wasn’t he? "

    A New Iberia Resident wrote on Oct 9, 2008 11:04 PM:

    " We should not be awarding criminals! He should not even get his retirement. "

    Why wrote on Oct 9, 2008 8:43 PM:

    " Why does it matter how long the smaller trucks stay in the facility?

    "Smaller trucks entering the facility cannot stay for longer than a certain time" "

    Pretty Boy wrote on Oct 9, 2008 7:37 PM:

    " Without his name even being mentioned in this article, you know who looks the most ridiculous in this whole debacle? Pretty boy Troy Hebert. Troy tried to say that he proposed his law and got his buddies to pass it all in support of the airport, meanwhile the airport does not seem to mind Gordon's landfill at all. Troy went after Gordon because Gordon supported Jeff Landry. I sure hope Troy never finds out who I am, he will try to shut me down too. "

    maybe next year wrote on Oct 9, 2008 7:32 PM:

    " It looks like Todd and Simone lost this battle. Maybe next year they can use some more tax payers money to get mean bad old Doerle. "

    Jarred James Breaux wrote on Oct 9, 2008 4:54 PM:

    " I think this is a good settlement with Gordon Doerle. It brings the landfill into compliance. "

    Little Bird wrote on Oct 9, 2008 3:10 PM:

    " "Watch". Since the Police Jury gave Mr. Doerle permission to continue his landfill operation and expand his land fill this is what is going to happen.If a bird or birds that are attracted to the garbage at the landfill, is sucked up into the engine of a plane and that plane crashes and people get killed the family members will file a lawsuit aganist Doerle & Iberia Parish. Thanks Police Jury for including all the people of Iberia Parish because it will be our TAX dollar that pays in the long run. "

    David wrote on Oct 9, 2008 2:35 PM:

    " Glad to see some kind of comprimise. Too bad the same did not happen to AGL Resource expansion at Lake Peignuer. What company would want to do business here when the rules change. "

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