Discover Lafayette

This Discover Lafayette podcast is our second one with Paul Hilliard, who founded Badger Oil in Lafayette in 1955. Paul reflects on the WWII generation and what our country was like when the U. S. entered the war in December 1941.

The United States of America was a different place in 1941. Coming off the heels of the Great Depression, young men and women jumped at the chance to serve their country. 6,332,000 of the 16 million who served were volunteers, many in their teens. Paul Hilliard was 17 when he enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps during his Senior year in high school in February 1943, quitting school when he received permission from his mother to join the war effort.

Hilliard lived in Wisconsin which was just coming off of a severe drought. Days on the farm were tough and families were poor, having to sell off livestock to survive. Those who entered service early in the war didn't necessarily sacrifice, according to Hilliard, because they were paid a decent wage, supplied with clothing and food, and taught discipline. These thoughts, spoken by Hilliard, serve as an example of the selfless spirit of our beloved WWII veterans.

In 1940, a third of American homes had no electricity or running water, one-quarter of the population lived on farms, less than 25% of American adults had a high school diploma, and less than 3% had a college degree.  There were 132 million people in the U. S. vs. 327 million today. The war changed the world and indelibly changed the future course of the U. S.

Hilliard was trained to be a gunner, handling machine guns in the back of Douglas SBD Dauntless (Scout Bomber by Douglas Aircraft) planes in air missions conducted in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. SBD was jokingly referred to as "Slow But Deadly." He flew 45 combat missions and was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in addition to receiving the Air Medal with six bronze stars. This interview provides an opportunity to hear in Paul's own words what it was like to serve.

Following his service, Hilliard earned his law degree from the University of Texas before beginning a career in the oil and gas industry. He credits the GI Bill for the opportunities it afforded him and so many other servicemen who would not have otherwise been able to obtain an education.

In September 2018, Hilliard accepted the position of Board Chair of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. He will focus on the completion of the Museum’s $400 million campus expansion and the growth of its national education offerings. Hilliard will also assist in the Museum’s ongoing commemoration of historically significant milestones, including the 75th Anniversary of D-Day in June 2019.

Paul discussed a book by Paul Kennedy, Engineers of Victory, that details the tactical efforts utilized by the Allies to successfully fight WWII.  Particularly in the Pacific Theatre, land or naval operations weren't a feasible option and air power was an emerging tool utilized by the military in strategic bombing .  America's productivity was a key factor in our victory, as over 300,000 military aircraft were built by the U. S.

For more information on the National WWII Museum, visit https://www.nationalww2museum.org. The website is a treasure trove of thousands of oral histories and hundreds of thousands of photos depicting the WWII experience.

Thanks to Paul Hilliard for his lifelong example of patriotism and leadership. He embodies the heart and soul of the greatest nation on earth, the United States of America.

Ryan LaGrange, Manager of Workforce Development for Lafayette Economic Development Authority, visited with Jan Swift, host of Discover Lafayette, to discuss government-funded job training opportunities available to Louisiana employers.

At LEDA, LaGrange assists businesses in applying for workforce grants to upgrade the skills of their existing employees, as well as to obtain training for new hires.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission sets aside $20 million per year from funds generated by state unemployment tax contributions. Small business training for companies who have fewer than 50 employees is always funded first. Companies can send their employees to continuing education classes, obtain software or equipment training, as well as any type of training provided by a local state-approved provider.

Employees must be on the company’s payroll as a salaried worker, full-time or part-time, to be eligible for training. Once a company has been in operation in Louisiana for three years and is in compliance with the unemployment tax laws, it qualifies to receive up to $3,000 per employee per year.

Customized training costing up to $200,000 per fiscal year may also be obtained through the Incumbent Worker Training Program for companies looking to improve the skill of fifteen or more employees (companies can form consortiums to meet the minimum number required).

To learn more about all training opportunities funded through Louisiana’s Workforce Commission, visit www.laworks.net.

Local Workforce Development Boards are funded by federal dollars and are another source to help job seekers (youth, adult and dislocated workers) access employment, education, and training, and to match employers with the skilled workers.

Ryan LaGrange may be contacted at [email protected] or to download LEDA's workforce packet: http://www.lafayette.org/site343.php

Gerald Judice, proprietor of Judice Inn in Lafayette, is dedicated to sustaining his family's heritage of integrity, work ethic, and putting family first. In this episode of Discover Lafayette, Gerald Judice walks us back in time to the era immediately after WWII when Judice Inn opened.

Judice Inn was opened on April 5, 1947, by Alcide and Marc Judice. After serving in the war, Al and Marc had decided that they wanted more than working on the farm with their 15 siblings. They wanted to open their own hamburger stand, with a simple menu that only had about five choices that incorporated a secret sauce created by their aunt. The brothers, along with family members, constructed the original building under the lumination of flashlights after their day jobs were done.

Located on family property situated 1.5 miles outside the city limits of Lafayette on the newly paved two-lane Johnston Street, Judice Inn was envisioned in a time before McDonald's's golden arches had appeared in the U. S. Horses were still a common mode of transportation for patrons taking a ride out of town to sample the perfectly spiced burgers and cold beer served alongside. Ketchup or"fries" were not typically consumed at the time.

With the help and support of their wives, Pearl and Gladys, the Judice brothers opened the business on a shoestring budget toiling long hours. Marc and Al’s children (7 and 6 children, respectively) supplied a large portion of the workforce.  Typical starting age was about 7 years old and "waiter" status was achieved at 12 years of age. Through the years, the Judice family has supplied a majority of the workforce.

Gerald Judice joined his uncle, Al, as a manager during his sophomore year at USL when his dad suffered a series of strokes. Intending to just remain a few years, he's never left his role as manager, even though he graduated in Business and could have ventured out as a financial consultant. And our community is so grateful for this choice!

71 1/2 years have passed since Judice Inn opened and the menu remains the same. The love of family and focus on customer service remains the same. In this age of technology and fast-paced lives, Judice Inn is still a destination for locals and out-of-town travelers alike. And still, no ketchup and no fries.

As for the "secret sauce," it's still a secret, being made solely by Gerald Judice, and his lovely wife, Lynda. I tried to obtain the recipe but their lips are sealed!!

***Update on service during the COVID-19 stay at home order found on Judice Inn Facebook Page: Judice Inn will remain open from 10:00 am till 8:00 pm during the Corona virus situation. Delivery and pick up orders can be placed on our Judice Inn app, web page or face book page! Call in orders are welcome and they can be picked up or brought out to your car. Just call when you arrive! Walk in orders are accepted but it would be best to call in all orders so we can serve you quickly and safely! Be safe and thank you for allowing us to serve you!!

Gerald Judice

For more information on Judice Inn located at 3134 Johnston Street, please call (337)984-5614 or visit https://www.judiceinn.com.

Thanks to Gerald Judice and the entire Judice family for maintaining the original vision held by Marc and Al Judice in keeping the menu simple and delicious. Bon appetit!

This podcast is the third in a series of Discover Lafayette podcast interviews with local psychologists and therapists who work with children caught in the middle of high conflict divorces and separations.

Walter Camos, a licensed professional counselor in Lafayette, discusses reunification/reconciliation therapy which is focused on bringing a parent and child back together when the child has rejected a parent. In many cases, a child may not have connected with a distanced parent for months or years.

Families are referred for therapy during the course of family court involvement when a child refuses to interact with a distanced parent. In these families dealing with levels of conflict, the child may come to see the close/residential parent as all "good" and the distant parent as all "bad."  Many times the close parent, without realizing it, may not have provided their child with a feeling of freedom to love the distanced parent and extended family. These children often reject the distanced parent's entire family and the familial connection may be lost forever.

Reunification therapy works with the entire family to help all understand that a child benefits from a relationship with both parents. Children instinctively want to be free to love and be loved by both parents, and studies have demonstrated that positive changes can occur in 90% of the cases when warring parents learn to put their child first and allow them the right to love both parents. With therapy, over time, a loving relationship may be restored.

Studies affirm that children who are allowed to reject a parent suffer from long-term problems with guilt and depression. Experts in the field state that children who have developed loyalty conflicts because of parental acrimony "have a secret wish for someone to call their bluff" when they say they don't want to see the distanced parent.

Better Options Initiative is a Lafayette non-profit organization which supports the work of Walter Camos' therapy. With the goal of making Acadiana an inhospitable place for high conflict parents, BOI has invested funds to offer effective legal and mental health responses to cases of parental alienation, domestic violence, and child abuse. Their mission is to eliminate harm to Acadiana's children due to parental conflict.

To learn more about the work of Walter Camos, visit http://www.camostherapy.com.

To learn more about Better Options Initiative, visit https://betteroptionsinc.org.

A native of Bangladesh who moved to Lafayette in 1983 to study engineering at USL, Ema Haq fell in love with the people and region and never considered leaving. Well-known for both his culinary skills and philanthropic endeavors, this interview provides a heartwarming opportunity to hear the personal story of this beloved man who is grateful to be an American.

Ema's first job was as a "pot washer" at USL, and he moved up the ranks by waiting tables, bartending and finally learning how to cook by working in restaurant kitchens. He jokingly recounted how in the early days he didn't even know how to cook rice which was unthinkable being from Bangladesh where they ate rice at least twice a day.

Although Ema graduated in mechanical engineering from USL, his career focus turned to food and he opened Bailey's Seafood & Grill on October 2, 1993. In the years since, he has been recognized as one of Louisiana's top chefs and honored with over 30 culinary awards including the Louisiana Restaurant Association “Restaurateur of the Year” award and a "Best in Show" award from the Louisiana Gold Culinary Classic.

Bailey’s Seafood and Grill is known for its authentic French Acadian fare that focuses on fresh ingredients. A quick look at the menu is enough to send you running there to sample their plethora of seafood and steak dishes, soups, colorful vegetables, and tempting desserts. The companion restaurant, Ema's Cafe, offers breakfast and lunch and is known for its crawfish, crab cakes, and bread pudding, among other crowd favorites.

In 1999, Ema started Bailey Support Services - Offshore & Remote Site Catering, which offers catering and housekeeping services to the oil and gas industry worldwide including Brazil, Malaysia, West Africa, and locally in the Gulf of Mexico. Emaco Food Services, started in 2010, distributes food and cleaning supplies to restaurants, nursing homes, hospitals, schools, prisons, convenience stores and drilling rigs. 

On the philanthropic front, Ema Haq is acclaimed for Bailey's annual Thanksgiving luncheon which just celebrated its 26th year. Thanksgiving was an unknown holiday to Ema when he moved here in 1983. His friend from an engineering class, Jeff Jardell, invited him over to his home in Carencro to celebrate with the family. Jeff's mom, Barbara Jardell, became a second mom to Ema. When Ema opened Bailey's in 1993, Mrs. Jardell, had been cooking at home every Thanksgiving and included Ema; that year, he convinced her to join him and help with that first community-wide Thanksgiving feast, which fed around 160 people. The feast centers on offering a sit-down meal for those who may be homeless or elderly and wouldn't otherwise have access to such a treat. For Thanksgiving 2019, the restaurant served just over 1,100 meals to grateful recipients, with the help of invaluable volunteers. And, Mrs. Jardell still plays an integral part in Ema's life and is a grandmother to his children.

Ema has taken a hands-on interest in educational outcomes locally, and realized that he wanted to encourage good kids who work hard. He brings them to Bailey's to teach manners, treat them to a delicious dinner, and show them that they matter. He believes it is an obligation and duty to invest in our youngest and most vulnerable. Children hold the key to our future, and he has adopted seven schools in this endeavor.

Ema's Cafe serves Breakfast and Lunch from 7 AM until 2 PM seven days a week, while Bailey's Seafood & Grill is open Thursday through Saturday from 5 PM to 9 PM, and offers Sunday Brunch from 10:30 AM to 2 PM!  The restaurants are located at 5520-A Johnston St. in Lafayette LA. For more information, please visit http://baileyslafayette.com and https://www.facebook.com/emascafe.

Tips from Chef Ema, who still enjoys taking a shift in the kitchen:

1. “Keep it simple. It doesn’t take too much to create something.

Dr. John Storment, a top-ranked fertility specialist in Louisiana, always dreamed of being a surgeon. However, he chose to specialize in Reproductive Endocrinology when he discovered he could combine his love of surgery with the ability to help bring new life into the world. Storment’s specialty is rare, as only about 25 to 30 medical students in the U. S. graduate each year certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and they tend to practice in dense metropolitan areas with large populations.

Storment wanted to relocate to Lafayette after completing his fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. A member of St. Thomas More’s first graduating class of 1983, he and his wife, Amelie, returned to Louisiana in 1999 and have never looked back.

In this episode of Discover Lafayette, Dr. Storment shared with Jan Swift the innovations that have occurred in reproductive endocrinology over the past 15 years; medical breakthroughs have opened previously unknown methods to successfully assist couples in realizing their dream: a viable pregnancy that results in the birth of a healthy child.

Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (or six months if a woman is 35 or older). Women who can get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile. About 12 percent of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant or carrying to term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In the early days of reproductive medicine, correction of uterine and fallopian tube abnormalities was the only option available to help couples trying to conceive. Even when there was insemination of the husband’s sperm, there was only a 15% success rate.

On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown, the first “test tube baby, was born through In Vitro Fertilization. In the early days of IVF, the odds of successful pregnancy improved, but it was still only viable about 1/3 of the time. Today the odds are closer to 50% for women age 35 and younger.

IVF is still one of the most recognizable treatments for infertility. Combined with the even newer field of genetic testing, Dr. Storment is offering cutting edge medical treatments to patients whom have been unable to conceive or whom have tested positive for recessive genetic disorders.

The interview focused on three main ways Dr. Storment counsels and treats his patients:

The use of technology to increase chances of pregnancy and minimizing the risks of multiple pregnancies.

Encouraging women who have delayed having a family or are undergoing cancer treatments which may render the female sterile to cryopreserve their eggs (oocyte cryopreservation). The ability to successfully freeze eggs (versus embryos) is relatively new. New breakthroughs in the best manner to freeze eggs use vitrification that removes the water from the egg cell. Egg cells have a higher concentration of water than embryos and removing the water before freezing helps to ensure a successful the process.

He encourages his patients to focus on metabolism and diet. An unhealthy lifestyle may adversely impact ovulation and fertility. The interview definitely has some humorous stories as to how patients may resist Dr. Storment’s prescription to give up smoking and fried foods! Sometimes a few simple changes greatly enhance a patient’s ability to conceive, especially for a patient that is insulin resistant. Dr. Storment has three rules to remember: Cut back on soft drinks; throw out all foods in a bag or box, and give up fast food. Not only will you have an easier time processing nutrients and improve your health, you may not need fertility treatments.

Dr. Storment is most excited about the possibilities that preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) offers.

Odon Bacqué ("Don"), the author of "A Walk in the Park: A Vietnam Comedy," is the featured guest on this audio podcast episode of Discover Lafayette with Jan Swift. A member of the Army's Special Forces ("Green Berets"), this memoir is comedic and also poignant in its recount of how life doesn't always go as we plan.

Many of you know Don Bacqué as a loyal public servant, well-known in Lafayette for his community activism and warm and friendly disposition. Don served as a State Representative representing Lafayette's District 43 from 1988 to 1992.

In 1986, Bacqué was the founding chair of Leadership Lafayette, a program sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce to train community leaders. Hundreds of people have used the insights from Leadership Lafayette to become aware of what it takes to run a community, and have gone on to become elected leaders and supporters of initiatives to improve the quality of life in Lafayette, Louisiana. In 1982, as the chair of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Bacqué supported the consolidation of the Lafayette city and parish governments as a way to become more efficient and save taxpayer dollars. (As an aside, he supports the December 8, 2018 initiative to "Fix the Charter" that Lafayette Parish voters will have the opportunity to decide.)

Bacqué organized a Vietnam Veterans group in Lafayette and served as the state co-chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee that built a monument in New Orleans to honor the 881 veterans from Louisiana who did not return from the war.  He is currently serving as a financial service provider with Mass Mutual Life Insurance.

In 2015, Don released A Walk in the Park: A Vietnam Comedy, a comedic book about his experiences in the Vietnam War, in which he served in the Army's 5th Special Forces, popularly known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear. He stated that at least two God-inspired occurrences facilitated completion of this book: First, he found that his memories of the war were fading but when he was packing to move to his new house he came across wartime letters he had written to his wife, Cookie, that served as the basis of his manuscript; and, second: Don was encouraged by his close friend, Carl Bauer, to join Carl's writing class where he had to submit a chapter of his life story for each class, which eventually kept him on track to finish the project. Carl Bauer didn't live to read the outcome of Don's story about his feelings on the war, but Carl's life lives on through his magnetic energy which ignited Don and so many others of us to follow our path and make a difference in life.

The resulting work is one you will enjoy as you also learn about the foibles of military service and the true grit required of our men and women who serve and protect the United States of America and our allies! The adventure that began for Don Bacque on February 11, 1968 changed his life and led him to be the well-grounded man he is today. Inspirationally, Don is well aware that God's grace is real and that heroes, while not necessarily recognized, walk among us every day.

Don details the adventure that led him to Vietnam and it is one to which we can all relate as it was "never supposed to happen." He had mistakenly believed that his poor eyesight would spare him from combat: Why would the Army send a man who was legally blind into combat if he might lose his glasses and mistakenly shoot the wrong side?? How could a man who was afraid of heights be made to jump from planes and into war zone conflicts??

As Don recounts the many close friends he made, the lessons learned, and the gradual disillusionment he experienced as the futility of the Vietnam War became apparent, "A Walk in the Park" is an important read for all generations. To purchase the book, please visit Amazon here.

On December 8th, Lafayette Parish voters will decide whether or not to amend the Lafayette Parish Home Rule Charter for the first time since it was adopted in 1992, creating dedicated councils for the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette.

Discover Lafayette's host, Jan Swift, visited with Fix The Charter volunteer, Will Kellner, about the scope of the initiative and what it means for the autonomy of Lafayette in the face of changing demographics in the cities comprising the Parish of Lafayette. This is a highly informational interview you must listen to if you are unable to attend the town hall meetings explaining the changes being proposed.

Fix the Charter is a diverse and non-partisan group of volunteers composed of Democrats and Republicans, young and "seasoned," who care about the future of the City of Lafayette's autonomy to govern itself, as well as the ability of the Parish to address its pressing issues which become greater every year that unincorporated land is annexed by surrounding towns.

Background: The current governing authority of LCG is the Lafayette City-Parish Council, consisting of nine members elected from nine single-member districts in the parish. The LCG chief executive is the Mayor-President. LCG's governance structure is by the Home Rule Charter which, in its current form, was voted on by the citizenry in 1992.

In 1996, when the Lafayette City-Parish government consolidation took effect, each of the other towns in the parish maintained their own Mayor, City Councils, and government structure, but Lafayette was folded into the "City-Parish Council" without a separate governing body. Lafayette residents comprised about 60% of the Parish's residents and it was thought that Lafayette's elected Council members would maintain a majority vote on the issues affecting the city of Lafayette, such as the Lafayette Utilities System and the Lafayette City Police Department.

Today, nearly half of the Lafayette City-Parish Council members represent people who live outside the City of Lafayette. As Broussard, Youngsville, Carencro, Scott, and Duson grow, it is very likely that a majority vote on the Council of non-Lafayette resident elected officials will be able to determine issues such as LUS utility rates and how to spend taxpayer dollars on City of Lafayette initiatives.

What would the Home Rule Charter Amendment do:

Replace the nine-person city-parish council with a five-person City of Lafayette Council and a five-person Parish of Lafayette Council.

Replace the Lafayette Public Utilities Authority which oversees the Lafayette Utility System with the five-person Council representing the City of Lafayette.

Require a vote of City of Lafayette residents before LUS could be sold, leased, or managed by a third party.

Retain the Mayor-President position currently in place.

Retain the existing system of budgets, finances, and taxes.

Prohibit the four current city-parish council members who are term-limited (Jared Bellard, Kenneth Boudreaux, Jay Castille and William Theriot) from running for a new seat on the city or parish councils.

 The remaining five City-Parish Council members would be allowed to run for either City or Parish Council seats but they would be limited to the time they would have left to serve on the current City-Parish Council (total of 12 years in elected office). (Thanks to Claire Taylor of the Advertiser for this synopsis.)

The Ordinance passed by the City-Parish Council setting forth the scope of the proposed amendments may be read here.  To read an index of how the proposed Charter amendments work, please visit Lafayette Consolidated Government's website here.

For more information, please visit https://fixthecharter.com.

This Discover Lafayette podcast is the second part in our focus on Better Options Initiative, whose mission is to eliminate harm to Acadiana’s children due to parental conflict.  In 2016, Better Options Initiative brought the New Beginnings Program to Acadiana after it was identified as one of the most effective in the country to facilitate children's healthy adjustment following their parents' divorce or separation.

Our two guests, Dr. Shaunda Johnson and Sally Creed, discuss the New Beginnings Program for Divorcing and Separating Families which originated at Arizona State University in 1992.

When parents separate, their children are at increased risk of health issues, mental health problems, aggression, and academic and social problems. All family members experience great stress when parents separate. New Beginnings strives to build up the positive resources and strengths of the family in order to keep children out of the middle of conflict. Chronic exposure to conflict is most harmful to children, not the actual parental separation.

New Beginnings is a 10-session program with group meetings lasting 2 hours each, plus an hour orientation. The program teaches skills that help parents create positive and warm relationships with their children, use open communication with children, employ effective discipline, and keep children out of the middle of conflict between the parents. The program focuses on effective parenting because research has shown that the quality of parenting by both mothers and fathers is one of the most powerful resources for helping children adjust positively to parental divorce or separation.

Father's groups are led by males, and Mother's groups are led by women. The parents are not taught in the same classroom. All participants benefit from the effective parenting strategies that are easily understood and result in better relationships from "day one." New Beginnings gives parents the opportunity to start afresh in their family relationships, give their children a safe and secure childhood, and establish new traditions of fun and loving behavior.

Parents learn to refrain from pulling their children into arguments and to realize that adult problems need to be vented with"adult ears," not the ears of their vulnerable children. The first five sessions focus on building a warm relationship with the children by encouraging family connections by doing fun activities. The parent learns how to listen and have fun with their children.  The sixth session teaches participants to keep their children out of the middle of conflict with their estranged spouse. Sessions 7, 8 and 9 focus on effective discipline techniques.

ALL CRITERIA BELOW MUST BE MET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW BEGINNINGS PROGRAM:

Parents have filed for divorce, modification of custody, or went to court to establish or change parenting agreements.

Parents have at least one child between the ages of 3 and 18 with whom they spend three or more hours each week while the child is awake, or have one or more overnights every other week. (If there are unsubstantiated charges of abuse or neglect, parents would still be eligible for the program, as long as they have sufficient time with the child).

The parents must agree to participate fully in all eleven (11) sessions and three phone calls.

Parents are able to do the program in English.

Parents are not being mandated to a parenting class by Child Protective Services or the Juvenile Court.

For more information on the New Beginnings Program, please visit https://betteroptionsinc.org/new-beginnings-program.

Special thanks to Better Options Initiative for allowing Discover Lafayette to share this wonderful education program which is transforming lives in Acadiana.

In this second part of Discover Lafayette's focus on the history of LUS fiber, immediate past City-Parish President Joey Durel, and attorney Pat Ottinger, discuss the hurdles that had to be overcome in creating Louisiana's only 100% municipally owned broadband fiber network. Mayor-President Joel Robideaux opens the show and discusses the many benefits fiber offers Lafayette in the areas of traffic control and drainage, as well as the economic driver it has become.

"Fiber to the Home" defines the legacy of Joey Durel’s twelve-year administration. Durel trusted Terry Huval’s judgment and experience and had decided to keep him on as Director of Lafayette Utility System when he assumed office in 2004.  Even before Durel took office, Huval approached him with the bold recommendation to create a community-owned broadband network. While Durel questioned the wisdom of competing with private enterprise, he knew that jobs and economic development were the keys to the success of our community.

Durel had served as Chair of the Chamber of Commerce in 2001 and had a good sense of what made Lafayette "tick." When LUS had to replace its microwave communications system for its substations in 1998, the Chamber pushed for LUS to utilize a fiberoptic ring around the city which would upgrade the utility's level of service and eventually be utilized for other purposes. The infrastructure's groundwork had already begun and could now be expanded to businesses and residents alike. Durel pledged to Huval that his administration would pursue bringing this fourth "utility," Fiber to the Home, to the City of Lafayette until they reached a hurdle that couldn't be crossed. Huval's integrity, dedication to the community, and the ability to bring about a successful result, all played key roles in Durel's decision.

Pat Ottinger was serving as Durel's City-Parish Attorney. While he had never served as a government attorney, Ottinger brought the crucial level of expertise and legal acumen needed for the many hurdles that the team did, in fact, face. The fiber initiative presented a unique set of learning curves that had to be overcome early in the Durel administration.  The first challenge was in 2004, Durel's first year in office, at the Louisiana legislature when the incumbent internet providers had legislation introduced to place limits on municipally-owned internet providers, which law is known as the "Fair Competition Act." The law sets forth parameters, including the mandate to hold a referendum to allow the public to vote on the initiative, and prohibiting the local government from cross-subsidizing repayment of bonds with tax dollars. Randy Haynie, a local governmental relations expert, was instrumental in guiding LCG through the process, and the act was passed in a manner which allowed LUS to enter the field of providers.

City of Lafayette voters overwhelmingly supported the fiber initiative in a bi-partisan effort, and in 2005, voted 62% to 38% to authorize borrowing up to $125 million in bond monies to implement the project. Further lawsuits were filed to impede LUS's efforts at financing through the bond issue, and after going through the appeal process, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled unanimously in November 2006 that LUS could proceed. As a side note: This ruling took place almost 100 years to the day that the initial Lafayette Utilities System won its battle at the Supreme Court to implement our city-owned electric utility. History repeating itself.

The economic benefits hoped for in bringing the fiber initiative to Lafayette is being realized. Lafayette's economy has diversified; compared to the 1980's when 80% of the economy was dependent on the oil and gas industry, today it is closer to 40%. Lafayette's sales taxes have stayed relatively stable. While LUS Fiber cannot take all the credit, it is certainly a component of success and has laid the groundwork for fertil...