13 members chosen for West Bank boat launch citizens committee

The much anticipated West Bank Boat Launch Citizens Advisory Committee has been named.

The council member and committee appointee are: Councilwoman Wendy Benedetto – Rick Whitney; Councilman Paul J. Hogan – Ron Touchard; Councilman Terrell D. Wilson – Victor Buccola; Councilwoman Mary Clulee – Doug Carter; Councilman Dick Gibbs – Gary Guidry; Councilman Billy Woodruff – Joel Faucheux III; Councilwoman Marilyn Bellock – Michael Dunn; Councilwoman Traci Fletcher – Barry Guillot, and Councilwoman Julia Fisher-Perrier – Kevin Gaubert.

Parish President Larry Cochran named Randy Zimmer and Daniel Songy to the committee.

The Ducks Unlimited representative will be Brian Landry and the CCA representative will be Sam Elliot.

Cochran also named Clayton “Snookie” Faucheux as the “facilitator per resolution,” Danny Herbert as advisory consultant and Don Edwards as senior engineer.

The appointees were appointed based on the council’s Oct. 2 resolution to name a committee to consider West Bank boat launch locations.

Council members have stated they had received considerable requests from citizens to serve on the committee.

Cochran said he would establish an 11-member committee to consider launch sites for the West Bank. Benedetto got council approval to up the number to 13 to include Ducks Unlimited and CCA representatives.

The move to create the committee came after  a land lease deal approved in August for an estimated $3 million Hwy. 90 Boat Launch drew staunch public opposition. Soon after, Cochran announced he intended to ask the council to cancel the lease and name a citizens committee to consider launch locations.

While council and public agreed the parish needed more boat launches, they strongly disagreed over the parish leasing the site for $4,500 a month for 30 years from Gerald Savoie Jr., manager and agent of Gator Cove Marina II LLC in Cut Off, La.

The public further questioned Savoie being the nephew of Neal Clulee, whose wife, Mary, serves on the council. A bill of sale also shows the Clulees sold the marina acreage to Savoie for $100 in August.

When the council met on Oct. 5, however, rather than cancel the lease it tabled the move.

Council members said the move was aimed at allowing the citizens advisory committee to decide the lease deal.