9/20/08
Terrebonne Parish’s Troubled Waters
For those not familiar with the situation, the Terrebonne Parish President and their Emergency Director have some big-time negative vibes against them.
Terrebonne Parish Emergency Director, Jerry Richard, has come under fire and was recently suspended for one week without pay due to his attendance at an LSU football game in Baton Rouge. Richard went to the LSU – North Texas game on 9/13/08. On that day, floodwaters from Hurricane Ike were rising in Terrebonne parish. At the same time the parish and many others around it were in the recovery stages from Gustav.
Terrebonne Parish President, Michel Claudet, as come under fire due to his handing over response for Ike and Gustav to Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois shortly after Gustav hit.
Both men, in my opinion, are getting too much from the public. Here are my views.
I don’t live in Terrebonne Parish, but I know the area. It is roughly 30 miles from my house. I would like to think my views would be the same had this happened in my Parish.
Jerry Richard was not wrong in attending the LSU game. Yes, he is the Parish’s Emergency Director, but when Parish President Claudet handed over the “controls” to Sheriff Bourgeois, he (Bourgeois) was in charge. Richard was actually, after that, Bourgeois’ assistant’s assistant.
Richard worked long hours for about 20 days straight when Bourgeois gave him a day off. What he did with that day off was his business. Plus on that day, he worked in the morning and worked the cell phone during the day. The bad thing is this, if he would have went home and sat on the couch and did nothing, I would be writing about something else.
There are reports however that Richard took a Parish owned vehicle to the game. THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SITUATION. If Richard was suspended for unauthorized use of a Parish vehicle, I can understand that.
Parish President Claudet is under fire and is being asked to resign. I don’t agree with this either. Claudet is a numbers guy. He is smart. He knew the Sherriff would be able to handle the disaster better, so for the betterment of Terrebonne Parish, he handed over the reigns to Sheriff Bourgeois. In my opinion he displayed true leadership.
He is under the gun though. Two former Terrebonne Parish President are leading the charge. They are claiming he abandoned his duties. It’s not like he handed over the reigns and evacuated. That would be something else.
My problem with Claudet is this. How can you suspend someone when you gave your emergency control to the Sheriff? At the time of this writing, the sheriff (to my knowledge) still has control.
One quick point. Sheriff Bourgeois and his staff should be commended for their work during this tumultuous time.
The point in all of should be evident. In a disaster, nothing will run perfect. No government will do everything right.
Does anyone remember the Katrina aftermath? Can anyone recall the disastrous day on September 11, 2001?
Terrebonne Parish’s Troubled Waters
For those not familiar with the situation, the Terrebonne Parish President and their Emergency Director have some big-time negative vibes against them.
Terrebonne Parish Emergency Director, Jerry Richard, has come under fire and was recently suspended for one week without pay due to his attendance at an LSU football game in Baton Rouge. Richard went to the LSU – North Texas game on 9/13/08. On that day, floodwaters from Hurricane Ike were rising in Terrebonne parish. At the same time the parish and many others around it were in the recovery stages from Gustav.
Terrebonne Parish President, Michel Claudet, as come under fire due to his handing over response for Ike and Gustav to Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois shortly after Gustav hit.
Both men, in my opinion, are getting too much from the public. Here are my views.
I don’t live in Terrebonne Parish, but I know the area. It is roughly 30 miles from my house. I would like to think my views would be the same had this happened in my Parish.
Jerry Richard was not wrong in attending the LSU game. Yes, he is the Parish’s Emergency Director, but when Parish President Claudet handed over the “controls” to Sheriff Bourgeois, he (Bourgeois) was in charge. Richard was actually, after that, Bourgeois’ assistant’s assistant.
Richard worked long hours for about 20 days straight when Bourgeois gave him a day off. What he did with that day off was his business. Plus on that day, he worked in the morning and worked the cell phone during the day. The bad thing is this, if he would have went home and sat on the couch and did nothing, I would be writing about something else.
There are reports however that Richard took a Parish owned vehicle to the game. THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SITUATION. If Richard was suspended for unauthorized use of a Parish vehicle, I can understand that.
Parish President Claudet is under fire and is being asked to resign. I don’t agree with this either. Claudet is a numbers guy. He is smart. He knew the Sherriff would be able to handle the disaster better, so for the betterment of Terrebonne Parish, he handed over the reigns to Sheriff Bourgeois. In my opinion he displayed true leadership.
He is under the gun though. Two former Terrebonne Parish President are leading the charge. They are claiming he abandoned his duties. It’s not like he handed over the reigns and evacuated. That would be something else.
My problem with Claudet is this. How can you suspend someone when you gave your emergency control to the Sheriff? At the time of this writing, the sheriff (to my knowledge) still has control.
One quick point. Sheriff Bourgeois and his staff should be commended for their work during this tumultuous time.
The point in all of should be evident. In a disaster, nothing will run perfect. No government will do everything right.
Does anyone remember the Katrina aftermath? Can anyone recall the disastrous day on September 11, 2001?
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3 comments:
I love it!!! As both you and I stated in a conversation we had, I don't think it would be this big of a deal if he had taken the day off to lounge around his house, so why is it such a big deal that he went to the game??
Sounds like everyone's on edge, under the microscope in south LA. Touchy, touchy, touchy. Heads roll because of it. I'm so sorry to hear it. It's a sad thing when people don't act like adults with adult responsibilities.
Well the other shoe fell, he was fired this week.
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