Faced with the loss of fire-dispatch services, Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais says he's dropping a lawsuit filed against the city of Lafayette.
Durel, left, and Langlinais
Faced most recently with the threatened loss of fire-dispatch services to his south Lafayette Parish city, Broussard Mayor Charles Langlinais says he's dropping a lawsuit filed against the city of Lafayette over a disputed annexation along Ambassador South.
City-Parish President Joey Durel said last week during his weekly "Lafayette Live" segment on KPEL's "Mornings with Ken and Bernie" program that cutting off the service would have a considerable impact on fire insurance rates for residents and businesses in Broussard. It was the latest in a series of threats Durel has made regarding the relationship between the two cities, having already vowed to end animal control services to Broussard and to void Broussard's long-term contract for wholesale water from LUS.
Evidently the prospect of fire insurance rates doubling in Broussard got the attention of Langlinais, who Thursday morning issued the following statement:
I have instructed the attorneys for the city of Broussard to withdraw our objection to the efforts by the city of Lafayette to annex its golf course and the two and a half miles of Ambassador Caffery Parkway leading to the golf course. We objected to that annexation only because we felt that inclusion of any portion of the Ambassador Caffery roadbed was both unnecessary and unreasonable. Nevertheless, we will end our opposition to that annexation as a sign of good faith in the hope that Lafayette will respond in kind. We will continue to oppose the annexation of citizens that petitioned to come into the City of Broussard.
For the good of all parish citizens, and in the interest of public safety, I now call upon Mr. Durel to make a similar showing of good faith by simply agreeing to sit down with Broussard's representatives and a neutral mediator to resolve the remaining annexation dispute, the water issues, and all other remaining disputes. Pending Lafayette's response to this offer, we will continue to protect the safety of our families in their homes, children in school, elderly in nursing homes, businesses, and all others who depend upon the binding water contract signed by the parish government, and the emergency services funded by our taxpayers.