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The Vermilion Parish School Board is still dealing with repairing school roofs from a pair of hurricanes that occurred two years ago, while at the same time, trying to find ways to save money to run the school system.
Two years ago, Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta damaged school roofs. The schools had more than $20 million worth of damage, most being the school roofs.
At Thursday’s meeting, the school board approved another $200,000 to repair the roof at Kaplan High School. The repairs have been taking place over the last month and the total bill thus far for the new roof is $1.7 million.
The additional $213,000 was to replace piping used for the drainage. The cost includes:
• The PCV pipes.
• Two plumbers charge $80 per hour.
• A plumber’s helper at an hourly rate of $60.
• Speaking of plumbers, the school board is now in the market to hire a Master Plumber to work for the school board.
The qualifications for Master Plumber:
• Must have a valid Louisiana Masters Plumbers license
• Able to lift 80 pounds
• Read and interpret blueprints
• Must be able to compile a bill of materials from blueprints or drawings
• Must know about all applicable plumbing and sanitary codes.
The salary of Master Plumber was not mentioned.
In other business, the school board rehired LUBA Casualty Company insurance company to be the school system’s workers’ compensation insurance company.
Out of the 14 insurance companies requested to send a quote, only LUBA responded. The 13 others declined to give a quote.
LUBA provided workers’ compensation insurance for the school system last year for around $300,000.
LUBA’s new price is $523,695, which is $223,000 more than a year ago.
The school board approved rehiring LUBA despite the $223,000 rate increase.

Sister Leah Sellers, O. Carm. Returns to God

Sister Leah Sellers, O. Carm., a Sister of Mount Carmel, died June 17, 2022 at Eastridge Nursing Home, Abbeville, LA. She was 83 years old and in the 65th year of her religious profession.
Sister Leah, formerly Sister Mary Alphonse, was born on January 9, 1939 in Abbeville, LA. She was the last of three children born to the late Alphonse J. “Sam” Sellers of Abbeville, LA and Nella DeRouen of Jefferson Island, LA. She entered the Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 1954 and received the habit of the Sisters of Mount Carmel in 1955. On Aug. 1, 1957, she made her first profession, and pronounced perpetual vows in 1962. She celebrated her 60th Jubilee in 2017.
Sister attended Mount Carmel Elementary, Abbeville, LA and Mount Carmel High School, Abbeville, LA. She received a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University, New Orleans, LA.
Sister Leah devoted 49 years to Catholic education. She served on faculties of Cathedral Carmel School, Lafayette, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Westwego, St. Louis King of France, Metairie, Mount Carmel, New Iberia, St. Joseph Elementary, Thibodaux, St. Dominic School, New Orleans, and Trinity Catholic School, St. Martinville, LA. She also served as principal at St. James Major Elementary in New Orleans and St. Joseph Elementary in Rayne, LA. Sister worked as Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Erath, LA, and as a full time teacher she started a literacy program at St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, Breaux Bridge. She also served as full-time teacher at St. Landry Parish Jail which, through the Diocese of Lafayette, started an Adult Basic Education Program. She volunteered at Pelican Point Nursing Home, Maurice, LA and she served as spiritual advisor to Lay Carmelites in Abbeville, LA.
Sister was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Loretta Faulk and brother, Paul Daniel Sellers. She is survived by nieces and nephews.
Services will be celebrated at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 300 Pere Megret Street, Abbeville, LA on Saturday, June 25, 2022. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Saint Paul Cemetery, 515 Jacqulyn St. Abbeville, LA. Arrangements entrusted to Martin & Castille Funeral Home, Lafayette, LA.
View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com
Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN-330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311.

An Abbeville man is behind bars, accused of firing a shot that injured another person.
Tyreik Broussard, 21, faces attempted 2nd-degree murder charges for his alleged involvement in a shooting that occurred on Sunday.
​On June 19, at approximately 10:45 p.m., officers with the Abbeville Police Department received a call of “Shots Fired” in the 1700 block of Fairmont Ave.
​Responding officers located a male victim in a yard. Acadian Ambulance transported the victim to an area hospital. The victim suffered a single gunshot wound.
The Abbeville Police Department detective division was contacted, and an investigation was immediately started. The investigation led to detectives obtaining a warrant for the arrest of Broussard of Abbeville for Attempted 2nd Degree Murder. On June 20, officers apprehended Broussard on the warrant. Offices transported Broussard to the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.
​The victim in this incident, whose identity is being withheld, is listed in stable condition at an area hospital. Abbeville Chief of Police William Spearman would also like to thank the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.
The Abbeville Police Department is asking anyone who may have any information regarding any crime to contact the Abbeville Police Department by calling 893-2511. Additionally, you may contact our “Tips” line at 892-6777. All callers may remain anonymous. Citizens may also send anonymous tips through CrimeStoppers of Vermilion by calling 740-TIPS or the P3 app, which can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

DELCAMBRE — The Delcambre Board of Aldermen introduced an ordinance on Monday to reapportion voting districts based on 2020 Census population numbers.
Todd Vincent of Sellers & Associates explained the process to the board, beginning with the town population dropping from 1,866 in 2010 to 1,793 in 2020.
The town is required to have an equal number of residents in each of its districts, within a 5 percent plus or minus range, Vincent said. The number would be 359 if each district is exactly the same size, but the required range within the 5 percent margin is between 341 and 377 people per district.
That meant four of the five districts had to be adjusted to be in the required range.
The adjustments made in the ordinance move eight blocks on the southeast end of the current District 1, located north of La. 14, into District 3. One block on the west end of District 3 moves into District 2, and three blocks on the southeast corner of District 3 move into District 5. District 4 remains unchanged.
“Once these are finalized we’ll send them to the state and to the Census Bureau so the maps that will be released for the next census will be these correct districts,” Vincent said.
District 1, represented by alderman Garrett Frederick, was required to have at least 82 fewer residents to be in the proper range. The district proposed for 2022 would have a population of 372.
The proposed new District 2, with Sarah Trahan serving as the representative, needed to add a minimum of 10 people and would have a population of 359 in the 2022 reapportionment plan.
District 3, with Christopher “Tipper” Esponge serving as alderman, needed a minimum increase of four residents to be within range. The proposed new district would have 342 residents.
District 4, represented by Steve Broussard, was within range and remained at 365 residents.
District 5, with Bryan Glatter serving as its alderman, needed an additional 40 residents within its borders and would have a population of 355 in the 2022 proposed ordinance.
District 2 remains a minority-majority district under the plan.
The board unanimously approved the introduction of the ordinance.
In other business, the board:
• approved the introduction of a proposal to annex Bayou Carlin Cove, with the exception of two acres of RV park property, and put it up for a public hearing next month;
• tabled a decision until next month after discussion of costs of constructing a sewage line, lift station, and meter platform to bring utilities into Bayou Carlin Cove for a proposed Dwight’s restaurant and bathroom facility; Port Director Wendell R. Verret said the Twin Parish Port Commission would cover whatever costs the town does not pay for to bring the utilities there;
• heard from Glenn Armentor of Benefits Copliance and Support Services LLC on three alternate employee insurance coverage plans, all less expensive than the option of renewing the existing plan; the board opted for a plan that would reduce costs 7.39 percent from the year before, which combined with the previous year’s 23 percent reduction in cost meant a savings of 30 percent over two years; dental, eye and life insurance remain unchanged;
• discussed the town trash ordinance, deciding to work on clarifying the ordinance and giving it more teeth;
• voted to revise the abandoned house ordinance and voted to revise the ordinance to tear down and clean up said houses;
• discussed the town noise ordinance, adopted in 2020, and decided enforcement of the ordinance was a better plan than revising it;
• got an update on property needing to be cleaned up on N. Central and E. Hickman streets; the owner is cleaning one up, and the town has been unable to contact owners of the other property;
• approved an IT service contract with E Solution Group;
• approved purchase of a 2022 Kawasaki Mule