Letter To The Editor

Dear Editor:

Your front page article of the Friday, February 1, 2014 Abbeville Meridional entitled “Questions about Harbor Terminal District” prompted me to make these comments. Former State Senator Fred Hoyt’s inquiry about the Abbeville Harbor and Terminal District (The District) in many ways triggers other questions that I have as a businessman, citizen and tax payer living in their geographical district. Independent from Senator Hoyt’s or his group’s inquiries I have always had a concern and feeling that the District could be one of the major institutions for economic development within the Parish of Vermilion. I believe that the primary goal for its creation was to assist in the development of the inland water way passage known as Freshwater Bayou. The legislation was drafted with enough generalities for the District to be involved in other areas of economic development and to their credit in more recent years they have done so. Freshwater Bayou and Locks is a huge success. The creation of the Port of Vermilion and the construction of public boat launches in the Vermilion area are all projects worthy of their creation and management. I feel sure there are other projects in which they have created or managed since their inception 60 years ago.
Senator Hoyt’s comments and questions about the District resurrected my dormant thoughts that the District could do so much more. With some creativity and a good legislative proposal modifying the mission of the District they could serve as the primary Economic Development arm of the parish. Currently the District is the recipient of a 3.15 millage which generates approximately FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($500,000.00) per year. It is my further understanding that the District has a surplus of over TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($2,000,000) accumulated from the millage as well as from income generated from the Port of Vermilion and other rental properties. Moreover, the District has its own building with substantial office space, meeting rooms and a group of individuals who have served voluntarily as members of the Board for a number of years without pay. My thought is that any legislation considered for modification of the District’s mission should include staggered and limited terms for its commissioners, a per diem for commissioners who are devoting their valuable time for economic development, and for certain, a definitive job description including experience and stringent educational qualifications for its Director.
If the mission of the District is legislatively modified and the Director is to continue receiving a substantial salary in excess of six figure (i.e. $125,000.00 per year) plus substantial benefits he/she should be extremely qualified. Such legislation could retain the fine gentlemen and its director who are serving provided they meet the criteria set by such legislative change. The knowledge, experience and expertise gained from the long time service of the District’s current Director should be beneficial in any competing applications for this position. The same applies to some of the District’s current commissioners. They should be supportive of this possibility since it would lend more credibility to their positions and create a more proactive base for total parish Economic Development.
While the inquiries of Senator Hoyt and his group are important we should be more intent on trying to circumvent the creation of duplication in the form of economic development organizations. Vermilion has had its share of economic development groups that were organized for one purpose or another. There has been no real continuity which is what the District could offer. A review of the enabling legislation of that body indicates very broad powers and authority to conduct numerous areas of economic development and the ability to generate income independent from taxes. The authority of the District is set out in their enabling legislation and includes the authority to issue Industrial Inducement Revenue bonds, Industrial Inducement and General Obligation bonds, and can also issue Negotiable bonds for any of its purposes. This awesome power is indicative of a meaningful industrial development organization that should be considered as the prime entity to be the economic development authority of the Parish. However, from a purely business and logical approach I submit that more public awareness of the District’s current role and potential future role warrants consideration of a change.
Without going into extreme detail but from a taxpayers point of view it would seem logical that to escape duplication of effort, duplication of economic development groups and duplication of taxes that we have one central economic development organization representing the Parish. At the same time, we should not overlook the valiant efforts of Police Juror Paul Bourgeois and his success in creating enough interest in the parish to have various communities fund an economic development Board and an Executive Director. I hasten to point out however that this will be just another duplication and burden on those communities who have to reach into their coffers for more of taxpayer’s money to fund another economic development organization.
I don’t think I am alone in my thinking process but like Senator Hoyt’s inquiries, open discussions about these issues are warranted to urge the Police Jury, the Abbeville Harbor and Terminal District and Cities across the parish, prior to the final creation of another tax based Economic Development organization, to consider those options.

Yours truly,
Charles R. Sonnier