Vermilion, Iberia resolve long-standing boundary issue

Vermilion Parish and Iberia Parish now have an official map that brings an end to a boundary issue that began five years before the start of World War I.
Engineer Gene Sellers said his research found the issue began in 1909, with the first survey that attempted to resolve the dispute.
It ended last Tuesday, 112 years later, when Sellers presented a map to Vermilion Parish Police Jury President Dane Hebert and Iberia Parish President Larry Richard. Other officials from both parishes joined the meeting, which occurred in the meeting room at the Iberia Parish Courthouse.
“I think it’s a great day that the two parishes can work together to get something accomplished,” Hebert said. “I thank everyone involved for getting this done.”
At the heart of the issue is nearly 1,000 acres west of La. Hwy. 89/Coteau Road near Parc Perdue Drive. The area is north of Lake Peigneur. With a new, official line drawn, more than 600 people in the area, including those in Parc Perdue subdivision, will now go from Iberia Parish to Vermilion Parish.
Richard said this historic agreement makes things clear for everyone involved.
“Moving forward, we have some direction,” Richard said. “We know where our lines are now. This is going to benefit everything, from the tax assessor to the sheriff’s departments of the parishes.”
Those 662 residents in the area had previously paid taxes in Iberia Parish, but will now pay in Vermilion Parish. Vermilion Parish Tax Assessor Gabe Marceaux said he would meet with his counterpart in Iberia Parish, Taylor Barras, to discuss how that transition will take place.
“Our hope is for all the changes to be reflected on the 2022 tax roll,” Marceaux said. “That is our game plan. Taylor and I have been working together through this whole process. The offices will be meeting to ensure we have all assessments correct, to make sure nothing is doubled up.
“We are going to be working together to make sure everyone is assessed correctly.”
Sellers of Sellers & Associates began working on this issue more than 40 years ago.
“Various maps for the last hundred plus years have shown the boundary between the two parishes as an indefinite line,” Sellers said. “The action taken (Tuesday) has made the boundary a fixed-line which can be re-established today and for the next hundred years.”
Sellers said the leaders and governing bodies of each parish are to be commended.
“Over the past 100 years, efforts have been made to correct the location of the boundary all to no avail,” Sellers said. “Iberia Parish President Larry Richard and Vermilion Parish Police Jury President Dane Hebert are to be commended for their leadership with the support of their governing body to correct a wrong and do the right thing.”
Sellers said this is definitely a historic moment for Vermilion Parish, which dates back to 1844.
“For the first time in its history,” Sellers said, “it is whole with its boundary. It has a permanent boundary between Lafayette (Parish) and Vermilion, and Iberia and Vermilion.”