News -> INDReporter FRI, APR 1 11:47AM by Walter Pierce

Durel resigns, takes LHA post

City-Parish President Joey Durel is adding “former” to his government title. In a stunning turn of events mid-day Friday, Durel announced that he is resigning his position as chief executive of Lafayette Consolidated Government effective immediately and has appointed himself executive director of the beleaguered Lafayette Housing Authority. The move evidently bears the imprimatur of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which assumed control of the LHA earlier this week. The switch in job titles carries with it a significant hike in pay for Durel, who will go from earning roughly $96,000 annually as city-parish president to the more substantial salary of $186,000 as head of the housing agency, with another $26,000 in perks that include use of an LHA van and a hair and clothing allowance.

“This is in the best interest of not only the LHA, but LCG as well,” Durel says in a brief press release announcing the move. “I plan to run the federally subsidized LHA just as I did consolidated government — like a business.”

Utilizing a little-known clause in the Lafayette Home Rule Charter, Durel convened an emergency meeting of the City-Parish Council Friday morning, which voted to appoint District 9 Councilman William Theriot as interim city-parish president. Theriot will have the option of seeking either his council seat or the city-parish president position this fall since both jobs are up for re-election. The council will consider nominations to fill Theriot’s council seat at its next meeting.

Reached via cell phone at Country Cuisine, where he was dining and playing bourrée wtih friends Friday afternoon, Durel defends what LCG’s Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley derides as “despotic.”

“This isn’t about the money,” Durel insists. “It’s about my most vulnerable constituents — constituents who have been underserved by an agency that’s supposed to be helping them. Yes, the money will be better, and I’ll finally be able to buy nice things and have a real River Ranch address, but this is about the children.”

In what will widely be viewed as the extension of an olive branch, Durel also announced that he is reappointing three LHA board members he ousted last year. Joe Dennis, John Freeman and Leon Simmons have each agreed to return to the board.

“With Mr. Durel’s fiscal finesse and his long-standing efforts to help the poorest in Lafayette Parish, I look forward to moving forward,” Dennis says.

It’s unclear whether Durel’s resignation and self-appointment are even legal. Reached late Friday morning, LCG’s chief counsel, Mike Hebert, confirms he’s researching the matter. However, HUD’s Dan Rodriguez, who had taken the post of acting LHA executive director, also defends Durel’s action, saying he believes it would stand up to a legal challenge. “We’re the feds,” Rodriguez says. “We can do what we want.”

Rodriguez also is quick to note that he never wanted to be in Lafayette anyway, away from his family and friends in Houston. Durel’s appointment clears the way for him to return home, as Durel is expected to begin running the agency immediately. HUD had expected to name a new executive director who would take six months to a year to train.

Durel adds that should the Lafayette Charter Commission recommend a deconsolidation proposition and voters approve it, he will consider a run in 2015 for Lafayette mayor. “I love the city of Lafayette — the parish not so much, but definitely the city,” he says. “But right now I got to do what’s in the best interests of LHA clients and Joey Durel.”

[Editor's Note (April 4, 2011): This story is an April Fool's joke. Joey Durel happily remains the city-parish president of Lafayette and intends on seeking re-election this fall.]


Walter Pierce
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Comments (42)add
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written by IANDT , April 01, 2011 - 04:49 pm
Would this be April?
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written by A Reader , April 01, 2011 - 04:51 pm
Excellent satire.
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written by And now, , April 01, 2011 - 04:52 pm
APRIL FOOL!!!
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written by Compassionate One , April 01, 2011 - 04:56 pm
Good for Mr. Durel and Mr. Theriot!

TGIF Walter !)
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written by HarryJ , April 01, 2011 - 05:00 pm
Happy April Fool's!
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written by boullion cube , April 01, 2011 - 05:01 pm
I just heard through the grapevine that Kenny Bowen was thinking about running for the vacant spot! Just sayin'... that's what I heard.
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written by groundhog , April 01, 2011 - 05:04 pm
Right!!! And pigs fly and snow falls in July in Baton Rouge and hurricanes don't cause flooding.
Happy April Fool's Day!!!
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written by Datum , April 01, 2011 - 05:05 pm
Nice......"APRIL FOOLS!!!!"
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written by Nacho Ordinary Citizen , April 01, 2011 - 05:12 pm
He will really put that clothing and hair allowance to good news.
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written by haha , April 01, 2011 - 05:12 pm
Nice April Fools joke
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written by SBD , April 01, 2011 - 05:13 pm
Walter, you need to do a little better for April 1.
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written by Reader , April 01, 2011 - 05:24 pm
April 1st. Interesting choice of day to make this announcement.
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written by Connie Roy , April 01, 2011 - 05:25 pm
I truly hope that this article is an April Fools' Joke. When I read the headline, I became truly disappointed and upset that such an upstanding leader of Lafayette Consolidated Governmental had resigned. What a terrible loss his resignation would be to the citizens of this area!
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written by citizen , April 01, 2011 - 05:30 pm

What a circus...........
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written by LAFAYETTE NATIVE RESIDING IN CA , April 01, 2011 - 05:34 pm
Any questions, suckers! Remember, when the peasants comes to realize the republicans big lie, they will grab their pitchforks and torches and run them out of town.

Its starting to happen, too. Look at Michagan, and Ohio.

These republican clowns and their tea party imbecils with rotten teeth and living in shacks with hardly a good meal to eat-they are taking everything from them and giving it to themselves.
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written by wow , April 01, 2011 - 05:42 pm
How much more egotistical can one man be? Quite the narcisist.
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written by April Fools , April 01, 2011 - 05:43 pm
Hi-LAR-ious y'all! ROFL
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written by Walter Guillory , April 01, 2011 - 05:49 pm
APRIL FOOLS !!!
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written by The Holy Goofus , April 01, 2011 - 05:55 pm
And just when I thought a deal with Gannet was imminent.
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written by tlsosu1962 , April 01, 2011 - 06:01 pm
APRIL FOOLs!
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written by MollyBloom , April 01, 2011 - 06:03 pm
LOL! What a great April Fools' Day story!
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written by Joe Politico , April 01, 2011 - 06:05 pm
WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
APRIL FOOL!!!!!!!!!
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written by realitychecks , April 01, 2011 - 06:05 pm
The best April Fool's story is the believable one!! Self-coronation would be believable. . . caring about anything in this geographic area - hardly!
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written by Monica Huval , April 01, 2011 - 06:16 pm
Nice to know he cared so much about the people who don't live in the city. JERK!! Hope he enjoys his River Ranch address while he is working for the poor.
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written by Cool dude , April 01, 2011 - 06:17 pm
The pay was twice the salary, will double in a year and he gets to bring along all his friends!
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written by Wendy , April 01, 2011 - 06:23 pm
No wonder we don't have money for education, if all the gov't people get paid that amount then I can see why we don't have this money for education.
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written by leaderless now , April 01, 2011 - 06:30 pm
Who's that gonna leave as head of LCG. Lemme guess Ricky Hardy is going to quit his job and take the LCG chief position. But what gets me is that Durel didn't even give a two week notice. Most of the rest of us are required to give a two week notice. But for a 100 grand a year salary increase, I guess he could forgo any severance that he may have been entitled to. Just saying.
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written by Clint Reno , April 01, 2011 - 06:30 pm
If it were not April 1st, this could be plauasable...rainbows and unicorns.
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written by JP , April 01, 2011 - 06:41 pm
I absolutely love this day...This is my favorite day of the year!
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written by Clint Reno , April 01, 2011 - 06:45 pm
Climb back in your hole
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written by Bria Hobgood , April 01, 2011 - 06:46 pm
This is great! The best prank today! Joey Durel IS the BEST and he deserves twice the pay hike because he is a great city-parish president and business man! And this is a sincere, not joking statement. Well done and a very good laugh. It is well written and extremely entertaining on today!
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written by Marsha Miller , April 01, 2011 - 07:33 pm
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha--a really good one! Thanks for the laugh; I'm still holding my sides! Well done, Ind staff..
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written by George T.. Parker , April 01, 2011 - 08:53 pm
Hey, I have a section of the Golden Gate Bridge for sale.........cheap!! I'll throw in on of OJ's orange suits for freeeeeeeeee!!!! Nice! Happy April Fools!!!!!
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written by Johnny M , April 01, 2011 - 08:57 pm
That is hilarious. Thanks for the laugh. And for the psychotic moron that took this thing seriously, please stay in California.
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written by dodger , April 01, 2011 - 09:03 pm
If you didn't know this was an April fools joke you are an idiot.Better, it was great satire and an appropriate send up of those boobs in the LHA.
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written by Monica Huval , April 01, 2011 - 10:42 pm
I apologize Mr. Durel, I thought this story was true. I am especially embarrassed that I actually used my real name. I am so ashamed.
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written by A reader that is tired , April 01, 2011 - 10:46 pm
I am tired of the negative talk about this program adn the nature to write such an article, whether it is April Fools or not is not only idiotic but thoughtless. People have lost their livelhoods working in and serving the commuinity. Evidently, the Independant staff has too much time on their hands to create an entire story of BS. Possibly they get paid too much too! Very poor choice of topic. Anyone who thinks this is funny, is not caring about anyone but themselves. You even mention people's names without their prior approval. I think you are all going to HELL! I will pray for your souls!
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written by made by NB , April 02, 2011 - 04:56 am
Mr. Tired get a life and smile you'll see things better.
So, to continue the story farther, The new LCG president has just fired the new LHA directer Mr. Durel. It's a circle of chaos. Who's on 1st. Stay tuned to the election LCG President at
the end of this year.
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written by BoFred , April 02, 2011 - 08:54 pm
That was just too obvious. You shoulda tried, "Lafayette Parish School Board says No to more taxes!"
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written by Gaius Cilnius Maecenas , April 02, 2011 - 10:32 pm
Clever! However, in learned Foolery there are more than a few elements of Truth!
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written by Paul Chaney , April 03, 2011 - 02:50 pm
You had me going until the mention of the hair allowance.
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written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , April 04, 2011 - 12:31 pm
" A READER that is tired, There are two options in life , "to take things serious or to laugh at that which you have no control over, either way at the end, when it is all over, it is all over. There is "no hell, live and let live, you get one ride and there is no gold ring......
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