Family makes case for access to Avoca Island land

FRANKLIN — A family with a claim to property on Avoca Island dating to before the Civil War now has St. Mary Parish government support for access to that land.
Members of the Singleton family were told at the March 11 Parish Council meeting that the parish will look into what happened to a public road on the property. Family members in turn told the council that they have only recently been allowed to reach the land by ferry or private boat after years of being denied access.
Also at the March 11 meeting, the council heard an audit report that shows some improvement in the parish’s financial picture, but with a red flag about funding for road improvements.
The council also rescinded the resolution calling for a June election on proposed home rule charter amendments, hoping to save money by moving the voting to November.
Singleton
property
The Singleton family claim to the property dates back to an 1844 land purchase by Marcelite Verdin. Descendants lived on the property into the current century.
But ownership of the land, variously described in legal documents as either 88 or 135 acres, has been disputed at least since the 1970s. Family members say relatives were effectively forced to move from the property.
A 2011 court decision favored ownership claims by adjoining landowner Avoca Inc. and a related entity, Southeast Quarter LLC.
But in 2013, District Judge Lori Landry vacated the 2011 ruling, saying Avoca and Southeast Quarter had failed to establish its ownership.
Attempts to contact representatives of Avoca for comment have been unsuccessful.
Members of the Singleton family told the council at a February meeting and again March 11 that they have been refused access to the property, sometimes by arrest.
“That’s a long time not to have access to this land,” family spokesperson Maureen Joseph told the council.
But family members said that since the February meeting, they’ve been allowed to use the parish government’s ferry to the island. Sheriff Gary Driskell reported no recent arrests in connection with the property.
That satisfied Councilman the Rev. Craig Mathews, who had spoken in support of the Singletons.
Then attention turned to a road on the island leading to the property.
Family members said the road hasn’t been maintained and is now overgrown.
“We have to find a way to make sure that road provides access to everyone who owns property on that island,” Mathews said.
Chief Administrative Officer Paul Governale said he will look into what happened with the road.
Audit
Tim Matte of the Pitts & Matte accounting firm summarized the 2024 audit report.
The firm gave the parish government an unmodified opinion, meaning it found no major defects. The government took in about $1.4 million more than it spent and raised the general fund balance by $720,000.
But two major funds ran deficits: the road construction and maintenance fund, $2.5 million in the red for 2024, and the capital improvement fund, which had a $1.7 million deficit.
The road fund is supported by the parish’s share of state royalty revenue, which dropped from $3.3 million in 2022 to $1 million in 2024.
“It’s an issue that’s going to have to be dealt with,” Matte said.
Election
The council’s decision to put off the charter amendment election could save money.
The original resolution called for a June 27 election. That would also be the runoff date for the newly instituted separate party primaries for U.S. House and Senate, which begin May 16.
But no federal runoffs may be required.
After the meeting, Councilman Patrick Hebert of Berwick said estimates are that the charter election would cost the parish $15,000 if it coincides with a federal election. Without a federal election at the same time, the cost would be $80,000.
Moving the charter election to Nov. 3 would ensure that it will coincide with the general election for congressional offices.
The council has yet to adopt a new resolution resetting the date.
The Charter Revision Commission has proposed the elimination of the three at-large Parish Council districts; effectively making the parish president post a full-time job; and imposing 1-1/2 term limits for the president and council.