ABBEVILLE, KATC - Tuesday afternoon, dozens of frustrated Vermilion Parish residents filled the room at LSU AgCenter in Abbeville. One by one they shared their disapproval of the rails to trail plan to the Vermilion and Iberia Parish Railroad Development District Board of Commissioners committee.
The committee is composed of Chairman Homer Stelly, Vice-President Chairman Joseph Hebert, Secretary Elebert Dawson, and David Broussard.
The rail to trail proposal would convert unused railroad tracks from Abbeville, Erath, and Delcambre into a bike and walking lane.
Frustrations loomed as residents expressed concern about potential crime, loose levy;s, and financial burdens that they believe would happen if the project moves forward.
“You do away with this structure that has been built since the 1800’s and now you have a disaster, catastrophe waiting to happen,” one resident said.
“If that levy is taken out, there are a lot of potential people that’s going to flood that have not flooded in the past,” Grosse Isle Keith Lachausse said.
Grosse Isle Resident Clement Simoneaux III who built a massive “no to the rails to trails” sign on his property said this plan would strip him away from his land.
“I’m very frustrated because they are trying to take our land and this all came about without even telling us. We had to learn about it on Facebook. The paperwork that was dated in 1918 when my grandma signed the papers said it was going to be a railroad track and a railroad track only. Now, they are trying to take the tracks out, take our land and put a bike trail.” Clement Simoneaux III said.
Government officials were also put on the hot seat. One resident questioned Erath Mayor Taylor Mencacci’s position after initially agreeing with the plan and then later expressing that he was no longer in favor of the idea.
“The project was originally brought up and I researched it and every step of the way and it was dead on arrival from my standpoint and my research from that point wasn't sent to our council. It wasn’t in our or my best interest to waste their time but holistically I’m a fan of rails to trails,” Mayor Mencacci said.
After more than an hour of discussion, disapproval from a majority of the attendees and the railroad committee, they decided to move forward with a motion to go against the plan.
Chairman Stelly tells KATC that he will add the minutes from the meeting to the government website. From there, he hopes someone from the grant department can see that the railroad committee is against this project.
Abbeville Mayor Roslyn White was not in attendance due to a prior engagement. Her full statement below
