Vermilion Parish Economic Development Committee narrows list down to one for new economic development director position

The brand new Vermilion Parish Economic Development Committee found the person they want to hire to be the first economic director of Vermilion Parish, however, the small hick up to hiring the person may be salary.
A few months ago an Economic Development Committee was created to help kick off the start of an Economic Development Department in Vermilion Parish. The committee is made up of 14 people from throughout the parish. On the committee are representatives from government bodies, who contributed funds to help support the newly created economic development department.
The department’s operating funds total $209,000 a year over a three-year period.
With a budget of $209,000 a year, the committee’s first challenge is to hire a director to run the department. An interview committee, comprised of five people from the committee, was created to search for a person.
There were 13 applicants from all over the state and outside the state, who applied for the position. The search committee narrowed it down to six and interviewed them over the last month.
Before the police jury meeting Monday, the search committee informed the economic development committee that they narrowed the list down to one person based on his qualifications of the person it liked. The search committee, however, did not name the person because no official job offer was made.
The search committee, which is made up of citizens Richard Guilbeaux, Pat Ross, Ben Rivera, Darin Desormeaux and Kirk Frith, explained to the police jury that the person they want created his own budget with the allotted $209,000 economic development budget.
The big difference in the budget is the salary.
When advertising for the position, the police jury put a salary range of $65,000 to $90,000. The person the committee wants to hire is asking for a salary of $120,000.
Police juror Errol Domingues was floored to learn a person is able to command his own salary, which is more than the police jury advertised.
“I have a problem with it,” said Domingues to the hiring committee.
Police juror Wayne Touchet added that Linda Duhon, who oversees day-to-day operation of the police jury, makes less than $120,000 a year.
Police juror Mark Poche´wanted to know if it was OK to pay someone $120,000 despite advertising the salary between $65,000 to $90,000 a year.
“We are changing the rules,” Poché said. “I know someone who would have applied had he known the pay would be $120,00 a year.”
Ross explained to the jurors that they asked two finalists to give the search committee a budget using the $209,000 figure. Their No. 1 candidate penciled in $120,000 for his salary and $24,000 for his assistant.
Ross said the two who met the qualifications would not come for less than $100,000 a year. She explained to the police jurors that the No. 1 person’s salary today is $150,000 a year.
Desormeaux explained to the jurors that even with the director’s $120,000 salary, it is still within budget.
Police jurors Nathan Granger and Kevin Sagrera agreed with Desormeaux and advised that the economic development committee create a “negotiating” committee to try and land this person. Two police jurors from the finance committee, Poché and Wayne Touchet, will be on the negotiating committee.