Comments for OUT OF LINE at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 13 out of 13 comments http://www.theind.com Wed, 22 May 2013 03:03:00 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25098 Why does it have to be adversarial? Nearly every citizen I've ever met from Broussard was an honest, hardworking, fair minded person, willing to understand & forgive mistakes. They take care of each other and for the most part, pay their bills. Most I know, have the attitude, "if Broussard used the water, we owe it, make arrangements to pay it". The citizens of Broussard are not thieves & those I know, want to do the right thing and don't understand why it has to be controversial. - Hope Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:53:59 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25052 It seems LUS and Broussard were both asleep-at-the-wheel. Both failed to notice the obvious, of course, considering whose in charge, it's no surprise. Maybe LUS could send Broussard some free sewage to even things out? - Always Ragin Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:43:27 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25024 Mr. Faulk -- YOU are the supposed "city planner" here, so I'd think YOU could cite legislation. What I can site is a letter from Charlie Langlinais to Joey Durel where Langlinais reminds Durel of LCG/LUS' actions blocking legislation that would have allowed Broussard to provide water/sewer services to outlying areas. Read it right here--Water Wars, June 8, 2011. I never said LUS has a monopoly over the entier parish, I said they have and actively protect a monopoly in Lafayette Parish. That is 100% true, is it not? I'll paste what Langlinais said in his letter to Durel. "AND DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU that you opposed our legislation last year to provide water/sewer services to out lying areas!!!! Flat out wrote a letter AND appeared before the legislative committees reviewing same……I suspect that I could get a copy of minutes in which your 4 or 5 people (and you) stating on the record your opposition!" As for my assertion that LUS is a for-profit business, you don't have to take my word for it--go read LUS' website. It proudly states that LUS contributes 10's of millions of dollars a year to LCG General Fund. It is run, and rates are set, to make money for LCG, and that's what this whole deconsolidation fuss is really all about--control of the cash cow that LUS has become. "Broussard and Youngsville do operate their own municipal water services" Right, but can they operate anywhere in Lafayette Parish like LUS does? No. Not according to what Langlinais wrote in his letter to Durel. "As for regulatory power, the Public Service Commission oversees electric utility providers in the state, but this apparently to my knowledge does not cover municipal-owned electric utilities, which are regulated by their own city councils (or LPUA in this case)" I know it. That's exactly what they told me over the phone, and what I wrote here. Surely you can see how the same Council that receives Millions a year from LUS is not impartial when it comes to billing disuptes? Think they'd appoint an impartial appeal body? Come on, man. Would you say that City of Broussard should just go before the City Council and appeal this meter mess and ask them to waive the bill from LUS? Yeah, I'm SURE that's gonna go their way...:) - ragin_cajun Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:30:39 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25020 Southsider: Oh, my God!! I agree with you!! Great comment Jasson! - the original northsidian Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:08:52 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25018 Jason...great comment - Southsider Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:47:25 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25010 Cajun, LUS is an exclusive municipal water provider in the City of Lafayette only. It does not have monopoly on the entire parish. Is there an act of the State Legislature you can cite? As for regulatory power, the Public Service Commission oversees electric utility providers in the state, but this apparently to my knowledge does not cover municipal-owned electric utilities, which are regulated by their own city councils (or LPUA in this case) I am unclear if this is only for those municipalities on Home Rule Charter or also for those organized under Lawrason Act. The agency of appeal is the same council body which governs the water board itself in this case. I can see how that appears as a conflict of interest, except in as much in theory that the people's representatives are elected and thereby responsible to their constituents. In practice this generally works out, though it is not perfect. Usually these things are delegated to an appeal body of some kind as a best practice to conceivably produce an unbiased decision. This state legislative oversight may not apply in the case of water in any event. Can you provide more info? I would disagree with your assertion that a utility is a for-profit business as well. Most are required to set rates to allow for modest profits, but rates are capped and require votes by public agencies elected by the public in order to receive increases. Broussard and Youngsville do operate their own municipal water services, including ground water well pumping, however they are purchasing much of their water these days from LUS as day to day, it has been easier to pass on the cost per thousand-gallon to their customers than to go through the process of acquiring capital debt to construct expanded systems. LUS apparently covers the costs of facilities under this sales arrangement without adding to the indebture of the city of Lafayette, so we are told. In addition to all this, there are many small water systems that serve individual neighborhoods not hooked up to any town, or any water works district. LUS also happens to sell water outside of the city limits on a retail basis to a few limited areas, in addition to wholesale arrangements with these small cities and water districts. And yes, Walter Comeaux was from Broussard (not sure if he was in the town or out of the town originally.) Prior to being City-Parish President, he was Parish President. Some of the present water wholesale deals were begun when he was City-Parish President with C-P Council support, though some began prior to Consolidation. There was a lengthy article about all this in this paper or another earlier in the year I believe. - Jason D. Faulk Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:10:21 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25008 Walter Comeaux was from Broussard? I didn't know that. - ragin_cajun Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:02:33 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25006 This ought to be straightforward if Langlinais has not been playing long-term complicated, deliberately deceptive games—and I'd think that'd be too risky to the principals to play at and would require an unlikely lot of forethought. I'm presuming both entities are audited and that audit is regularly reported out. Simply go to the records. LUS knows how much they've billed for in multiple input locations. Broussard knows how much they've billed for all their customers. Subpoena all records for both sides if necessary. Apply industry-standard leakage rates. (Which would be generous to Broussard given its notoriously rusty and out-of-date water system.) The difference between the two numbers is the amount of unbilled LUS water. Might not be perfect but would be transparent to the public and not subject to tons of gaming. The appearance of fair play is crucial for both sides; it's a public opinion conflict as much a technical or legal one. (I'd guess that the city wants break a lousy contract made back when a former Broussard mayor was parish president. That's the real ball to watch here.) - Ok.... Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:16:19 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25005 Why shouldn't someone at LUS be fired for this? If there's a process to prevent this kind of thing and it wasn't followed, they need to go. If there is no process in place, then Huvall needs to go. This is the simplest, most basic task of a utility company, and it looks like LUS can't handle the job. Anecdotally, I have several friends who have gotten unrealistic water bills from LUS, have caught LUS meter readers red-handed misreporting electric meter readings, and have been told by the Public Setvice Commission that they can't regulate LUS because they are municipally owned. Charlie has very little recourse here. - ragin_cajun Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:55:15 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-25002 Typical LUS screw up and attempted CYA. Broussard owes money they say, then prove it. They can't due to their own initial negligence of not putting the meter in service and continued negligence for 5 years of meter checks. LUS failed, and now wants to guess at an amount have someone else in the target, when it is them who should be on the hot seat. Anywhere else losing $800K of assets would probably get someone fired. Suck it up LUS, you are to blame. - LUS Screwup Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:30:06 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-24994 "Why does a city owned service, paid for with city taxes, provide 80% of the water for the parish? " LUS is not a "service", it's a business. It makes money, and it lobbies the legislature to maintain a monopoly in the Parish. Broussard and Youngsville probably couldn't start their own water company if they wanted to. Since that's the case, LUS can't cut them off. With the state enforced monopoly comes an obligation to supply water to the surrounding areas of the parish. So, it's not real simple. - ragin_cajun Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:43:51 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-24978 "Huval adds that LUS had been checking the Albertson Parkway meter periodically, but because it had been bypassed, there was no indication that Broussard was getting LUS water from that location." 1. It doesn't seem odd that a valve that services 9,000 Broussard residents has a meter that isn't turning? For 5 years? "We need a new valve for a growing part of town", that valve doesn't turn for 5 years, nobody thinks to go out there and check the bypass valve? LUS is a bunch of amateurs. 2. In the Oilfield, on a gas/oil/condensate pipeline that is controlled by multiple entities, there are multiple meters so that the seller and the buyer both have independent readings from their own meters, and they have some facts to present in the event of a dispute like this. LUS should meter water flow in multiple places where there are valves to municipalities. Meters are relatively cheap, why not have more than one? Broussard should have their own as well, so that THEY can prove that $800,000 is outrageous, not just say it. 3. Joey Durel needs to stay out of it. It's a billing dispute between LUS and one of their customers. He's not helping anything by ruffling Charlie's feathers, as fun as it may be. - ragin_cajun Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:22:43 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/9406-out-of-line#comment-24975 If they don't pay, cut them off. Its real simple. No negotiating. Bigger question. Why does a city owned service, paid for with city taxes, provide 80% of the water for the parish? - Southsider Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:43:52 +0100