Parish cancels Shread contract

St. Pierre: The work, results didn’t justify the money

Back in February, the parish hired an engineering firm to examine all of its contracts to determine if those that received them were the most qualified. Five months later, that audit has led to a cancelled contract.

“The review is going well, and C.J. Savoie Consulting is saving the parish some money by looking over our contracts to make sure the parish’s interest is at heart,” Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said. “As of last Thursday, we have cancelled the parish’s contract with Shread-Kuyrkendall on the West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee.”

The parish’s contract with Shread-Kuyrkendall began in 1991 and was for construction of the levee. So far, the parish has given the engineering firm $7.3 million for the work they have done since then, which includes construction of the first phase of the project. St. Pierre says the work and subsequent results didn’t justify the money that was being spent.

The parish is currently re-evaluating the project to determine which step to take next.

St. Pierre thinks the parish should try to acquire rights of way for the proposed Donaldsonville-to-the-Gulf levee, which could follow the same route as the parish’s planned levee. That way, the parish wouldn’t have to build a levee on its own.

Working strictly for the parish, C.J. Savoie Consulting Engineers has looked over current parish contracts and their specifications. Back in February, the parish sent letters to everyone who currently has a parish engineering contract to discuss its status and percentage of completion. The parish and Savoie then began to evaluate the contracts to determine if any get pulled.

Even though the parish will examine all of the contracts, 17 of those going through evaluation are  Shread-Kuyrkendall & Associates’ projects.