Jury moving against airport rentor

The Acadia Parish Police Jury will seek reimbursement of all back rent owed by the operator of a flying service at LeGros Memorial Airport.
During last week’s committee meetings, it was learned that the operator of A.J. Aviation had not paid rent to the parish since 2009.
The back rent, according to Charles “Chuck” Broussard, is upwards of $109,000.
Attorney Brad Andrus told jurors Tuesday night that there are apparently three separate contracts involving the property in question.
However, he noted, language in one of the contracts gives the rentor “credit” for improvements made to the property.
Andrus instructed the jury to notify the rentor that a more detailed discussion of the specifics of the lease will be discussed at the May meeting. The rentor will then have the right to decide whether to take the matter up in executive (closed) session or in open session.
Concerning the back rent, Andrus told the jury, “As a public entity it is your duty and obligation to recover any and all money owed to the parish.”
In a surprise presentation, Paul Kedinger, long-time managing editor of The Rayne Acadian-Tribune, was recognized for 18 years of “fairly and accurately reporting” on police jury meetings.
Kedinger will be retiring from The Acadian-Tribune at the end of April.
David Savoy, jury president, read a specially prepared resolution acknowledging Kedinger’s “dedicated service” and extending “a unanimous vote of thanks and appreciation” to him on behalf of the jury.
In accepting the resolution, Kedinger, who was unaware of the presentation, said only, “It sure doesn’t feel like it’s been 18 years.”
The original resolution was presented to Kedinger.
The Acadian-Tribune is a sister paper of The Crowley Post-Signal.
In other action, the police jury:
•-Authorized the president to execute a contract with the State of Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals for the WIC Program.
•-Declared work on the warm-up pad at the Rice Arena as substantially complete.
•-Reappointed Francis Frey, Mike Habetz, Brent Pousson, Troy Lantz and Barry Lacasse to the Iota Long Point Gravity Drainage District;
•-Reappointed E. Paul Broussard to the Acadia Parish Convention and Visitors Commission;
•-Appointed Laura Faul to the 2040 Acadiana Regional Transit Study and Plan Coordinating Advisory Team;
•-Appointed John Stefanski to the Acadiana Area Human Services District Board;
•-Appointed Chance Henry to the Acadia Parish Planning Commission board to fill the unexpired term of Evelyn Julian; and
•-Appointed John Stefanski to the Acadia Parish Planning Commission board to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Derek Bisig.