The Iberia Parish Council will not consider a lawsuit against Bedminster International or Wayne Labiche Engineering until it hears from the lawyer who drafted the contract it wants to end.

At its Wednesday meeting, the council tabled a resolution that would have authorized the district attorney’s office to file a lawsuit if necessary to get the three-party contract “off of public record.”

Assistant District Attorney Wayne Landry drafted the parish’s contract with Bedminster, and recommended Parish Consulting Engineer Wayne Labiche’s name be on the contract as well.

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Parish Consulting Engineer Wayne Labiche said Bedminster wants a letter from the parish stating the company fulfilled all the duties of the contract that they were authorized to before the contract is officially ended.

“I sent them a letter just like that, because I feel they did do what they were authorized to do,” Labiche said.

Labiche also wants a letter from the parish to him stating the same thing, and said he does not understand why his name is being mentioned in a possible lawsuit because he signed a document with the district attorney’s office that would cancel the contract on June 4.

“I’ve gotten a real bad wrap on this project, and it’s not even my project, it’s your project,” Labiche said. “When the contract was structured, Wayne Landry thought it would be a good idea for me to be on the contract, but it’s really between you and Bedminster.”

The parish contracted Bedminster to develop and build a composting and waste management facility near the wastewater treatment plant in New Iberia, but could not reach an agreement on where the site would be located.

The parish paid $77,028 to Bedminster for the first phase of the project, which included a study and report on the proposed project, but that was the only part of the project completed.

The Parish Council voted to cancel its contract with Bedminster for an accelerated composting facility months ago, but Bedminster officials still have not signed off on it.

“I think you should give Wayne (Landry) the authority to do what he thinks is necessary to end the contract,” said Assistant District Attorney Eric Duplantis, the council’s legal adviser.

Councilmen Jerome Fitch and Naray Hulin spoke out against the proposed resolution and said the council should get a letter to Bedminster that had the out clause that Bedminster wants.

“We can resolve this peacefully,” Fitch said. “There’s no need to ruin this man’s reputation. If he’s already signed the contract, why’s he included in the lawsuit?”

Duplantis said a petition for court does not necessarily mean someone has done something wrong, and added Labiche’s name was included in the resolution because his name is on the contract.

“You’re petitioning the court and Wayne (Labiche) was involved,” said Councilman Tommy Landry. “I don't think we meant any ill-intent toward Mr. Labiche.”

The council decided to wait to take action until Landry can come to a meeting and explain the status of the contract.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to give its full support for a new VFW post to be built in Iberia Parish by VFW Post and Auxiliary 12065.

“There is currently one facility in the parish,” said Fred Wesley, post commander. “But it’s very old. We have a lot of veterans in this parish, and this program is for veterans and their families. It will give them a place to go.”