Business Scene

ABiz Scene, Feb. 20, 2014

by Walter Pierce

Sterling Ford-Lincoln of Opelousas ribbon cutting and the State of the Parish address

Sterling Ford-Lincoln of Opelousas held a ribbon cutting and open house to celebrate its new $6 million dealership on the I-49 North Service Road, the first ground-up Ford-Lincoln dealership in the state to feature the innovative Ford Trustmark brand imaging concept. Sterling Ford-Lincoln, now adjacent to the Sterling Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram dealership, was previously housed at the Bordelon Motors location in downtown Opelousas. The new two-story facility encompasses more than 50,000 square feet, including an indoor showroom, customer lounge with refreshments and Wi-Fi, a service and parts department and a separate, self-contained carwash and detail operation. The second floor houses business and operations offices for all three of Sterling's Opelousas dealerships. The dealership is owned by Art LeBlanc and Robert Cook.

1. Ben Gaiennie, Stacy Alford, Pettis Milner and Ryan LeBlanc
2. Marie LeBlanc and Deanna LeJeune
3. Bobby LaFleur, Kim Nehrbass and Anthony Dupont
4. Bill Flynn and Mike Ulczynski
5. Thomas and Janna LeBlanc, and David and Faye Meaux
6. Charlotte Couvillon, Rita Kleinpeter, Tim Corzine and Judy Stelly
7. Burton Kolder, Hilman Popillion and Allen Gordon
8. Mike Ulczynski, Brett Strebel, Msgr. Keith DeRouen, Art LeBlanc, Sean Sachdera and Bill Flynn
9. Art LeBlanc, Msgr. Keith DeRouen, Frankie Bertrand and Mayor Donald Cravins
10.  Ribbon cutting ceremony at Sterling Ford-Lincoln Opelousas

In his penultimate State of the Parish address Feb. 5 in the Cajundome Convention Center, City-Parish President Joey Durel mixed some bold ideas about consolidation and revenue into an otherwise optimistic speech. Most notable among Durel's proposals was a so-called "One Cent, One Year, One Project" sales tax plan - that is, asking Lafayette voters to approve a 1-cent sales tax that lasts only one year and is earmarked for a single, specific project. First out of the gate would be to expand Lafayette Regional Airport by building a new terminal and making other improvements. "A new terminal would meet the needs of larger aircraft, provide more boarding gates for more planes and better facilities like parking, security, boarding and baggage claims," Durel said. "If we move quickly, a vote could take place in time for a 1-cent sales tax to start Jan. 1, 2015, and sunset Dec. 31, 2015." Durel added in a post-presentation Q&A with IND staff members that a "One Cent, One Year, One Project" could also be applied to projects like the South College extension/Vermilion River bridge, either as a parish-wide or city-wide sales tax.

1. Flo Meadows and Liz Hebert
2. Steve Oubre, Frank Neuner and Jim Prince
3. Lynette Blackburn, Veronica Williams and Stephanie Bernard
4. Molly Richard, Bobby Cormier and Carlee Alm-LaBar
5. Relative Pitch sings the National Anthem
6. Joey Durel
7. Gerald Boudreaux, Tony Gordon and Brett Mellington
8. Nicole Hebert, Lynn Durel, Joey Durel and Natalie Broussard
9. Steve May and Gerd Wuestemann
10. Stefni Lotief and Eric Maron
11. Tommy Hebert, Dee Stanley and Rob Davis
12. JJ Walker and Missy Andrade
13. EB Brooks and Conrad Comeaux
14. Flo Meadows, Susannah Malbreaux and Courtney Reynolds
15. Gretchen Vanicor and Kate Durio
16. Rob Eddy, Julie Simon-Dronet and Jean Paul Coussan
17. Steve Oubre and Tom Carroll
18. Bill Fenstermaker, Bobby Cormier and Joey Durel