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While negotiations for the City of Abbeville to potentially take over operations of Vermilion Oaks will continue, some question whether the city running the golf course would be a good move in the long run.
During Tuesday’s regular meeting, the city council voted to allow Mayor Mark Piazza to continue to negotiate a lease with Magdalen Square IV, the LLC that owns the course. Magdalen Square IV consists of members of the Broussard family. The council also approved for City Attorney Ike Funderburk to meet with the owner’s attorney to review the lease.
No lease has been signed, and the council did not finalize any agreement during Tuesday’s meeting. All meetings, be it the committee or regular council meetings, regarding the issue of the golf course are open to the public.
Details of the potential lease presented in a letter of intent to the city that Piazza presented on Tuesday include the $1,000 a month for three years, with the possibility of two additional three-year terms. Magdalen Square IV would also put up $20,000 of the projected $90,000 start-up cost to get the course ready. Piazza said the city would negotiate an opt-out clause and that Magdalen Square IV would reimburse the city $50,000 if the course were to be sold at any point during the lease. As per the lease, the city would cover insurance and taxes on the property.
Councilman Brady Broussard Jr., Councilwoman Terry Broussard, and Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. voted to move forward with the negotiations.
Councilwoman Roslyn White, because of her connection to the Broussard family, recused herself from the vote, something she has done each time this issue has come up.
Councilman Francis Plaisance voted against the move, saying he feels numbers presented by the Golf-Country Club Advisory Committee don’t add up to the course not losing money.
“I have sat at all three committee meetings,” Plaisance said. “I still don’t know why the City of Abbeville wants to get involved with an operation that has lost money since 2012.”
Based on numbers presented by the committee, the course lost more than $500,000 between ‘12 and when the course closed in October ‘17. Touchet has said multiple times that those numbers reflect a more extensive operation, including $300,000 in salaries and a full kitchen, that the city has no intention of delving into.
“We are going to focus just on golf,” Touchet said. “I don’t think it’s going to make money. I do think it is going to break even.
“I am going to reiterate; the city is not going to operate it the way it has been operated for the past six years.”
Norma Buford, an Abbeville citizen who attended Tuesday’s meeting, said she is not in favor of the city taking over the course.
“I have concerns about this,” she said. “I don’t play golf, but my husband does. I agree with having something for the children. I have a grandson who plays golf. However, I don’t think it is feasible for the city to invest taxpayer money into something that has been failing for years.”
Touchet said the city would operate the course cost-effectively at every turn.
“We are going to do it better,” Touchet said.
To answer one of Buford’s questions, Piazza said start-up costs would be covered mainly from sales tax, funds that cannot be used for salaries and other expenditures.
“One of the items you can do with sales tax is park improvements,” Piazza said. “Just like the baseball fields at (A.A.) Comeaux Park.
“That’s not money we can use to pay insurance, salaries and things like that.”
Buford voiced another concern that she feels this issue is a “done deal” and that council member’s minds are already made up.
“My mind is not made up,” Councilwoman Broussard told Buford.
Piazza said he doesn’t get the sense of that being the case, either.
“I don’t feel like it is a done deal at all,” Piazza said. “I feel like we have to do our due diligence before we can bring enough information to the table to make an educated decision on whether or not this a good deal.”
Councilman Brady Broussard agreed, saying to let the negotiations play out.
“We can see what the final deal is to determine if it is in the best interest of the city,” Broussard said.

By Bill Decker, LSN writer

LAFAYETTE – The knives are out in Washington: indictments, investigations, name-calling tweets, intense partisanship and allegations of treason.
But Wednesday’s OneAcadiana forum for candidates who want to represent south Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District was a kinder, gentler affair.
The format for the forum at Lafayette’s Picard Center was based on the game show “Jeopardy!” and was about as lacking in animosity and confrontation.
Final Jeopardy will be the Nov. 6 primary, and the question will be whether Republican incumbent Clay Higgins goes back to Washington for a second two-year term.
There were jokes among the candidates about going out for a beer together.
“I’ve been struck by the honesty of the madam and gentlemen who stand here with me,” Higgins said in his closing statement. “This is a room full of winners, man.”
“Really, there is no personal animosity here,” said Lafayette Democrat Mildred “Mimi” Methvin after the forum. “At least I’m here because I believe it’s about the policy, what the country stands for.”
A rare exception to the friendly tone came from Josh Guillory, the Youngsville attorney and Iraq War veteran who is trying to unseat a member of his own party. Incumbent Higgins qualified using a Lafayette post office box, but his home is widely reported to be outside the district in St. Landry Parish.
Guillory seized on that point. He took a question about whether the nation’s greatest adversary is Russia or China, and he pivoted to question Higgins’ residency.
“I know who I’m going to vote for for Congress,” Guillory said, turning to Higgins. “Congressman, who are you going to vote for?”
“I’m not either China or Russia,” Higgins replied.
The incumbent noted that the U.S. Constitution doesn’t require House members to live in the districts they serve. The founding fathers were considered with residency in states, he said.
At Wednesday’s forum:
-- Democrat “Rob” Anderson, a businessman and free-lance writer from DeQuincy, is making his first run for political office. The big infrastructure work in the district involves liquefied natural gas facilities and the development of a marine highway to facilitate shipping, he said.
Other candidates referred to projects such as a new Interstate 10 bridge in Lake Charles and the Interstate 49 Connector in Lafayette.
“The most pressing need is probably all of the above,” Anderson said.
Asked about possible sanctions against Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khasshoggi, Anderson said, “The United States should strive to be what it once was, a leader in human rights.”
Anderson was among those who spoke of the friendly relationship among the candidates.
“We all get along famously,” Anderson said. “I find it hard to believe we can’t go to Washington and work together.”
Like other candidates, Anderson said the educational system should create opportunities to get two-year post-secondary vocational certificates that put people into jobs that need to be filled.
-- Aaron J. Andrus of Westlake is running as a Libertarian, and his answers revolved around the Libertarian philosophy of smaller government.
Asked about his priorities, Andrus talked about the I-10 corridor and cutting the federal deficit, which some forecasts say will hit $1 trillion by the end of the current fiscal year. He said it’s important to cut federal spending.
And he responded to a question about the wisdom of a law requiring the purchase of locally produced manufactured goods this way: “I tend to think we should keep the federal government out of it as much as possible.”
-- Guillory spoke of the same infrastructure priorities — the Lake Charles bridge and the I-49 Connector — that his opponents favor, and added another: dredging ship channels to accommodate maritime commerce.
He gave Higgins credit for obtaining funds for south Louisiana dredging projects but said the region needs a multi-year solution.
“We shouldn’t have to go begging every year,” Guillory said.
He came out strongly for a balanced budget and cast doubt on the idea of a raise in the national minimum wage that doesn’t account for different costs of living in different parts of the country.
And Guillory said he supported the cut in personal and corporate income tax rates pushed by President Donald J. Trump.
He said he favors a private sector health care solution to government involvement.
-- Higgins said he’s been willing to work with Democrats in Congress but said the minority party has been an obstruction to good legislation. Higgins has generally supported Trump on the tax cut and the need for a border wall.
“Nothing comes across our southern border, criminally, without being touched by the cartel,” Higgins said.
The incumbent gave Trump credit for an economic revival that he said could achieve a 4 percent growth in gross domestic product for three consecutive quarters.
And he said it’s important to rebuild the military, which he said slipped to such a state during the Obama administration that 70 percent of aircraft were unable to fly.
Higgins may have flipped the statistics there. An analysis by the Military Times, a respected defense news source, indicates the readiness rate for the entire military air fleet was at about 74 percent in 2014, the middle of President Barack Obama’s second term, and fell to 71 percent in 2017, the first year of the Trump administration.
-- Methvin, a former federal magistrate, was asked about the merit of lawsuits filed by local governments against the energy industry over its contribution to coastal wetlands loss.
Methvin said the industry has already accepted 30 percent of the responsibility because of work performed without permits and for waterways that cut through coastal areas. The industry would get good public relations by stepping up, she said.
“What we learned in kindergarten is you should take responsibility for the harm you do,” Methvin said.
She spoke in favor of a move toward a single-payer health care system, which is generally understood to put the federal government in the role of the single payer. Americans currently pay twice as much for health care as other advanced nations and yet have worse health outcomes in areas including infant mortality and the incidence of diabetes.
“We are not getting our money’s worth,” Methvin said.
-- Verone Thomas, a Navy veteran and Democratic businessman from Lake Charles, said it’s important to look ahead to infrastructure developments such as driverless cars.
He’s not a big fan of the state’s $50 billion coastal restoration plan, which he said doesn’t hold the energy industry accountable for its role in subsidence, which some consider to play a role in wetlands loss.
Thomas spoke in favor of tuition assistance and of a move toward Medicare for all.
He has doubts about plans to build a border wall based on his experience as a sailor in San Diego.
“I saw tunnels being dug while the wall was being built,” Thomas said.
Larry Rader, an Iberia Parish Democrat who is running, didn’t attend Wednesday’s forum.
Early voting opens Tuesday and runs through Oct. 30, excluding Sunday.

March 01, 1937 - October 14, 2018

ABBEVILLE – Funeral services for Mrs. Ethel Harris is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 20, 2018 at Faith Hope Baptist Church – 407 Duroq Street  with burial in Pleasant Green Baptist Cemetery. Bishop B. K. Stevens will officiate the service.
Ethel Harris (81), a long time resident of Abbeville passed away Sunday, October 14, 2018 at her residence.
She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, Roy J. Harris of Abbeville, LA; her daughter, Stephanie Rogers of Abbeville, LA; a son, Cecil D. Fruge’ of Abbeville, LA; her grandchildren, Trent Guidry, Christopher Cole, Sr., Brent Fruge’ Sr., Tracy Harris, Jr.; Trisica Decuir, Devin Stewart, Rosanda Boudin, LaToya Baudin, and a host of great and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her sons, Sherwin Fruge’, Tracy Harris, Sr.; daughters, Elaine Turner, Vera Stewart, Sherlyn Fruge’, grandchild, SaShawn Fruge’ ; parents, Jenkin D. Amskie, May Rankin, brothers, Leroy (Buster) Rankin, Elton Elgin Rankin; sisters, Gracie Lessin, Willie Mae Senegal, Lorain Dyson and Ella Mae Lee.
Visitation is scheduled at Faith Hope Baptist Church Saturday, October 20, 2018 from 10:00 A.M. until time of service.
Kinchen Funeral Home – 218 N. St. Valerie Street – (337) 898-9595 is in charge of final arrangements.

On Thursday at the Abbeville High Hall of Fame Banquet, one of the greatest athletes from Abbeville High will be honored by her peers.
The late René Giles Trahan will be inducted into the Abbeville High Hall of Fame. The ceremony is being held at Magdalen Place on Thursday, starting at 6 p.m. The public is invited.
When she graduated in 1996, Trahan was not only great on the parish and state level, but she was great on the world level.
René Giles Trahan was born May 3, 1978, in Abbeville. She is the daughter of Mrs. Gleeda Stelly Coleman and her husband Rick and Mr. Wilbert Trahan and his wife, Kim. René has one sister, Alisha Trahan, one Godchild, Claire Gondron and two nephews, Drake and Jeren Broussard.
René brought her talents with her when started school at J.H. Williams Middle School (JHW). As a sixth grader, she played point guard for 7th and 8th-grade teams. In seventh grade, René joined the track team and participated in the mile, half a mile, 440-yard dash, and mile relay. René was the anchor for the mile relay and placed first in every event assigned to her. She also broke two school records at the Vermilion Parish Meet, one in the mile and the other in the half mile.
As an athlete René always contributed her drive and success to her mother, her number one fan, who never missed a game, constantly pushing René to be the very best of herself. Her second attribute was none other than her uncle, Tommy Trahan. It was apparent she had a lot of his athletic abilities, and he became her role model for many years. René was in seventh grade at JHW when Tommy was inducted into the AHS Hall of Fame in 1990.
At that moment, René witnessed what a true AHS Athlete consisted of, and she saw what it took to be amongst these elite individuals. To honor her uncle, she proudly wore his number 25 on every high school jersey. René strived to be a follower of his accomplishments and well, . . . she did it!!!
René continued to excel, as she dedicated every bit of herself to AHS Athletics. René had the honor of playing with the Lady Cats Basketball Team where she made All-District and All-Parish Team for four years.
Not only was she good at offense, but she also helped spur the Lady Cats on defense, as well, claiming All-Parish championship titles, four years in a row. René also helped her team get to Sweet Sixteen semi-finals her junior year.
René had an arm to throw the distance in basketball, and that gained the attention of two AHS track coaches. It was during a basketball game that René threw the basketball across the court when Coach James Gaspard said to Coach Susan Badon, “There’s your person for the javelin.”
Shortly after that, René’s athletic spotlight turned in a new direction.
After only one year of throwing the javelin, she brought home the third place finish at the State Championship Meet; this was just the beginning of setting records and gaining distance. René set records at the Parish meet with a throw of 139’ 9”, District meet with a throw of 133’ 11”, Regional meet with a throw of 136’ 5” and her junior year, she claimed first at the State Meet with a throw of 136’ 3.”
She was also invited to participate in the International Meets in Barcelona, Spain as part of the USA Track and Field Team. René gained support and donations from the community and brought home two second place medals.
Her senior year, she reclaimed her first place at the State Meet, setting a new record with a throw of 147’ 9”; that throw was the second best high school throw in the Nation. René was also invited to compete with the Top 100 Elite Track Stars in the country at the Golden West Invitational Track and Field Meet held in Sacramento, California, where she placed fourth with her farthest throw at that meet being 132’ 3.”
René’s senior year also brought her the recognition of being named as AHS Female Athlete of the Year, lettering all four years in Softball, Basketball, and Track. She was also featured in Who’s Who In Sports for three years in a row and chosen as one of Vermilion Parish’s Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century. Rene has held the Vermilion Parish girl’s javelin record since 1996.
On April 2, 2008, René took her own life after a six-year battle with back pain and depression due to an automobile accident and two major back surgeries.
Athletics played a significant role in who René was; depression was a result of the tremendous way the accident impacted her life. René’s sister, Alisha, was determined to change her tragic loss into something positive for our community and to honor her sister. With the help of a good friend and classmate of René’s, Dr. Kelly Ryder, they have been able to spread Suicide Awareness to surrounding area track and field participants for the past six years. Having the AHS Wildcat Relays renamed the René Trahan Memorial Wildcat Relays hosted by Abbeville High, Alisha gathers donations from Non-Profit Suicide Awareness Organizations and puts together a small bag of brochures and pamphlets of information about Suicide Awareness and Prevention.