Abbeville Council, Parks and Rec Board to meet about department’s future

The future of the Abbeville Parks and Recreation Department will be made by all who have a vested interest in the program.
The Abbeville City Council voted Tuesday during its regular meeting to call a special meeting to discuss in what direction the city will take the parks and recreation department. The council will hold the special meeting in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Board, as well as take public input.
An official time and place for the meeting has not been set.
The council made the decision for the joint special meeting after it officially accepted the resignation of former Parks and Recreation
Director Trenton Baudoin.
The department has had four directors since 2010. Mayor Mark Piazza said that the best solution for stability in the department may be found by having everyone in the same room.
“We have made several attempts and had some very good parks and recreation directors,” Piazza said during the meeting. “Unfortunately, a couple didn’t pan out. One is deceased now, who was doing a fantastic job.
“I would like to see us all come together to discuss how the department will be handled in the future.”
Options may include opening the job search for a new director. Another would follow the model the city uses for football, with the privately run Vermilion Football League (VFL) handling the operation under the city’s umbrella.
“There are a lot of options,” Piazza said. “I think before we just rush in and hire someone, we should discuss some of these options.”
Time is in the city’s favor.
“We have time because it’s football season and VFL is running that program,” Piazza said. “Preparation has also been made for basketball.
“I don’t think there is haste to rush and hire someone.”
Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. said he will be in favor of bringing in an outside entity.
“During the past years that we have had a recreation department,” Touchet said, “it has had some struggles here and there, one way or the other. I think this parish, not just the City of Abbeville, is moving in a different direction, as far as providing for our youth. I think we need to move in a different direction and outsource this. We need to look at what’s best for our kids. We are very successful with our VFL league. I think we can be just as successful in basketball and baseball. To say we are going to continue going down the same road, I don’t think we should do that.
“We need to see what is best for our kids in Abbeville.”
Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. said he agrees that it is not in the city’s best interest to repeat mistakes.
“It’s a common business principle,” Broussard said. “You can’t repeatedly do the same thing over and over and expect a different result. That is a proven foundation of business principle.
“What we are doing is opening the door to other ideas, to other directions, for more opportunities for our children.”
Piazza stressed that, whatever the direction, the city will have recreation.
“Let me assure the public that we will have a recreation program,” Piazza said. “And it is not just baseball. We have people starting up volleyball and table tennis leagues. We have a brand-new skateboard park.
“We are going to make sure that the recreation program is available to all citizens in Abbeville.”