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The St. Mary Parish Council on Wednesday voted to remove the members of the Consolidated Drainage District 2A board, who saw years of controversy escalated to urgent by Hurricane Francine’s home flooding in Morgan City.
The district, or at least the pre-consolidation portion of the district that covers Morgan City and Siracusa, operates the pump stations designed to move flood water outside the levee system. Those stations were overwhelmed during the 8- to 10-inch deluge Sept. 11, when Francine came ashore nearby.
Water ended up in more than 300 homes. But even before that, officials had identified deficiencies, including inoperative and poorly installed pumps.
In advance of Wednesday’s council action, Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna spoke in a Facebook video about ending the agreement under which the city government handles pump station operations 7 a.m.-4 p.m. and mows grass for the district.
“I care about Morgan City,” Dragna said, “but I can’t handle you all,” referring to the parish government, with which the mayor has clashed before.
He also warned of trouble ahead.
“It’s coming like a freight train,” Dragna said. “It’s rolling downhill like there’s no tomorrow. And the only people who will be hurt are the citizens of Morgan City.”
Wednesday’s debate was between those who said the board failed to keep the pumps in good working order and didn’t manage money wisely, and those who said the current board members inherited a bad hand from their predecessors.
The vote to remove the board members was 8-3. Voting for removal were council members Jimmy Davis of Morgan City, Mark Duhon of Amelia, Patrick Hebert of Berwick, Gwendolyn Hidalgo and David Hill of Bayou Vista, Rodney Olander and J Ina of Franklin, and the Rev. Craig Mathews of Jeanerette.
Voting against were Dean Adams of Morgan City, Les Rulf of Patterson and Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink of Centerville.
“We should be ashamed of ourselves,” Rink said after the vote.
Hebert put the removal proposition on the agenda. He told the council about long delays in obtaining public records he requested from the district.
And when he received the information, he found that the district had paid for repairs to a leased excavator and passed up a chance to purchase the equipment economically before entering yet another lease agreement.
Based on Hebert’s account of board meeting tapes he reviewed, members didn’t seem to know that pumps that were supposed to operate automatically were switched to manual, and that the board was spending $27,000 a month for rental pumps to make up for pump station deficiencies.
“The board was astounded about it,” Hebert said.
Don Hicks, a Gravity Drainage District 2A board member whose resignation was also on Wednesday’s agenda, said even he has had difficulty obtaining information about the district.
“I didn’t agree with the way things were being done,” Hicks said.
Duhon talked about difficulties getting ditches mowed.
And former Parish President David Hanagriff described the district board as overwhelmed and not competent to do its jobs. Hanagriff linked board Chairman Charlie Solar, who is also Morgan City’s chief administrative officer, to Dragna, who has been a rival of Hanagriff.
Adams defended the board, and said some of the members complaining about its operations haven’t been attending the district’s meetings.
“If we’re going to remove these members, let’s get involved,” Adams said.
He also objected to the description of the board members as incompetent.
Adams said he doesn’t know board member Oscar Toups well, but doubts that Solar, Chuck Walters and longtime Port of Morgan City board member Tim Matthews could be described as lacking competence.
“I can’t believe that in the middle of hurricane season, two weeks before,” Adams said, “we’re going to remove a board when it’s going to take probably a month and a half or two months to get a new board assembled.”
Rink said one big problem is Pump Station No. 9, which was moved to near Lake Palourde from the area near Ochsner St. Mary. Officials have said the new pump station’s design is flawed and that it can operate only at 30-40% capacity when the water level is below 4-1/2 feet.
The deal to build Pump Station No. 9 was complete before this board was seated, Rink said.
Chief Administrative Officer Paul Governale will be in charge of the district's operations until a new board can be seated.
Parish President Sam Jones, who played a key role in obtaining $12 million-$14 million for a pump station upgrade, said the parish charter gives him little power to intervene.
“Until that’s changed, this is going to be happening over and over again,” Jones said.
Dragna has called a public meeting for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium to discuss the drainage district.

Central Catholic High has named the four top graduates for the 1 p.m. Saturday commencement ceremony and Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Morgan City.
The top graduates are:
1. Bryan Cordero
Bryan Cordero, son of Yanet and Ariel Cordero, is a four-year member of BETA Club and ARK Club. He served as secretary in both clubs his senior year.
He is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and Retreat Team. He is a one-year member of the Key Club.
He is a four-time Eagle of the Month recipient. He placed third in the state and eighth in the country for BETA Spanish Testing his junior year. Athletically, Bryan is a four-year member of the varsity baseball team.
He received Academic All District and All District honorable mention for pitching in his junior year, along with second team All District for pitching and Composite Academic All State his senior year.
Bryan is attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to major in biology with plans on becoming a dermatologist. He is the recipient of the Cypress Scholarship, the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Scholarship and the UL Valedictorian Scholarship.
2. Austin
Michael Cornes
Austin Michael Cornes, son of Tiffany and Steven Cornes, is a four-year member of the BETA Club, where he serves as treasurer. He is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and the Retreat Team.
He is a one-year member of the ARK Club. He is a four time Eagle of the Month recipient. Athletically, Austin is a four-year member of the varsity track team and a one-year member of the varsity tennis team.
He has been awarded Academic All District and
Composite Academic All State in tennis his senior year. For varsity track, he has been awarded Academic All District all four years. Austin is attending LSU to major in biochemistry with the intention of going to dental school to become a dentist. He is a recipient of the Academic Scholars Resident Award.
3. Caroline
Grace Landry
Caroline Grace Landry, daughter of Kim and Ernest Landry Jr., is a four-year member of ARK Club, where she served as vice president her junior year and president her senior year, and a four-year member of BETA Club. She is a four-year member of Student Council, where sh served as secretary her freshman and sophomore years, president her junior year and executive president her senior year. She is a three-year member of Hope Squad and Key Club. She currently serves as president of Key Club, as well as having served as president her junior year.
She is a two-year member of the National Honor Society, and she is a one-year member of the Retreat Team. Athletically, Caroline is a five-year member of varsity softball. She is a four-year member of varsity volleyball as well as a four-year member of varsity cheerleading, where she currently serves as captain. She has been awarded Eagle of the Month four times. She was awarded Academic All District in volleyball for four years. She was awarded Academic All District in softball for five years.
In 2022, she was awarded 2nd Team All District in softball. In 2023, she was awarded 2nd Team All District in volleyball. From 2023 to 2025, she was awarded first-team All District in softball.
Recently, Caroline was awarded All-Academic Composite for volleyball and softball. At SCA Cheer Camp she was awarded All American Cheerleader as well as Advanced Dance first place for both her junior and senior years. Caroline will attend Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, majoring in biology with hopes of becoming an anesthesiologist. She is the recipient of the Franciscan Peer Leadership Scholarship and the Leland J. Falcon Scholarship.
4. Francesco
Thomas Saleme
Francesco Thomas Saleme, son of Chelle and Anthony Saleme, is a four-year member of BETA Club, where he served as vice president his senior year. He is also a four-year member of the Hope Squad and Student Council, where he is the executive vice president. He is a two-year member of the Retreat Team. He has been awarded Eagle of the Month five times.
Athletically, Francesco is a four-year member of the varsity baseball team. His junior year, Francesco was recognized as honorable mention All District, and his senior year he was recognized as second team All District.
He has been awarded the Diocesan Leadership Award for 2024 and Composite Academic All-State.
Francesco will be attending LSU to major in biological sciences with the intention to go to LSU Medical School to become an oncologist. He is a recipient of the Tiger Excellence Scholarship and the Tiger Legacy Scholarship.

Fifteen seniors identified as the top 2025 Berwick High graduates will lead their class Thursday in 7 p.m. commencement exercises at the school.
The top graduates are:
Ivan Arias-Perez
Ivan Arias-Perez is the son of Octavio Arias and Dalia Perez. He has been a member of the Sound of Pride band for four years and a six-time St. Mary Parish Honor Band selectee.
He received awards such as Most Improved Brass and Outstanding Senior. Ivan competed on the track team for four years and the power-lifting team for two. He was also involved in the Gifted and Talented Music programs and served as an altar server at St. Bernadette Church for two years.
After graduation, Ivan plans to attend LSU and major in chemical engineering.
Reagan Elizabeth Breaux
Reagan Elizabeth Breaux is the daughter of Ann and Jeremy Breaux. She served as vice president of the Sound of Pride band in her senior year and as quartermaster in her junior year.
She was named PowerCat of the Month in both her sophomore and junior years. Reagan is most proud of her volunteer work through her local church. After high school, she will attend Purdue University as part of the First-Year Engineering Program, where she plans to major in aeronautical engineering with a concentration in motor sports engineering and a minor in chemistry.
Lane Matthew
Broussard
Lane Matthew Broussard is the son of Dr. Charles and Stephanie Broussard. He was a dedicated four-year member of the tennis team, qualifying for the LHSAA State Championship and advancing to the second round. He served as an altar server, lector and Eucharistic minister at St. Stephen Catholic Church and was a leader of the St. Mary Youth Group.
Lane believes strongly in the value of faith. After graduation, he plans to attend LSU to pursue a degree in software engineering.
Audrey
Jane Cheramie
Audrey Jane Cheramie is the daughter of Luke and Nicki Romaire. She was a member of the Top Cats Dance Team, serving as an officer for two years and choreographer for one. Audrey was also involved in Hope Squad, HOSA, Student Council, Prom Committee, ARK, Beta Club and Key Club. She volunteered for the Special Olympics and My Ascension, holding multiple leadership roles throughout high school. After graduation, Audrey plans to attend Nicholls State University to major in biology and continue on to graduate school to become a physician assistant.
Jude
William Hebert
Jude William Hebert is the son of Jarret and Joy Hebert. His primary involvement at Berwick High School was with Hope Squad, where he was a founding member and later elected president by his peers. Outside of school, he worked in HVACR and electrical across Morgan City, Berwick and Patterson. After graduation, Jude plans to attend LSU to major in finance with a focus on investment banking and corporate finance.
Miley Ann Hotard
Miley Ann Hotard is the daughter of Jamie and Brandon Hotard. She was active in TopCats, track, Student Council, Key Club, BETA, HOSA, Hope Squad, Insight, Interact, ARK and 4-H. She served as TopCat captain, Student Council class vice president, Key Club vice president and Hope Squad social media manager. Miley earned the highest GPA awards in multiple subjects and was both a sixth-degree WiseCat and a fourth-degree PowerCat. She was also named an All-American dancer and performed at Walt Disney World. After graduation, Miley plans to attend LSU to major in communication disorders and become a speech-language pathologist.
Vivien
Leigh Kenney
Vivien Leigh Kenney is the daughter of Curtis and Loren Kenney. She was a four-year member of the bowling team and served as captain during her junior and senior years. She was named district MVP in both 2024 and 2025 and earned All-Academic honors in 2025. Vivien was also a four-year member of Student Council, HOSA and BETA. She participated in LSU’s Day with the Docs, Ochsner’s Breakfast with the Docs, and the AHEC summer medical job shadowing program. After graduation, she plans to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to major in health information management.
Mallory
Claire Menard
Mallory Claire Menard is the daughter of Nichole Menard and the late John Menard. She was a member of Top Cats, Track, Beta Club, Student Council, HOSA, Key Club, Interact, ARK and Insight. Her leadership roles included Top Cat captain, Beta and Key Club president, Student Council Class secretary, Hope Squad secretary, and HOSA historian. She also served as a senior leader in the St. Mary Youth Group and was honored as the 2024–2025 Berwick High Student of the Year. Mallory received the highest GPA awards in several subjects and was selected as an All-American dancer. After graduation, she plans to attend Nicholls State University to major in nursing and pursue a master’s degree to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Heyser
Stacy Molina
Heyser Stacy Molina is the daughter of Freddy Carballo and Melissa Molina. She maintained a 4.0 GPA since the third grade and was a member of the St. Mary Parish Talented Art Program beginning in the fifth grade. At Berwick High, she was a four-year member of Student Council and a three-year member of BETA, and was recognized as both a PowerCat and a WiseCat. She received multiple awards for talented art and highest GPA, and became a million-word reader during her junior year. After graduation, Heyser plans to attend LSU and major in business, with hopes of managing international companies and launching her own businesses.
Rylee
Nicole Nguyen
Rylee Nicole Nguyen is the daughter of Tiffiny and Thien Nguyen. She was involved in Hope Squad, Student Council, Beta, Key Club, EdRising, ARK and Interact. She volunteered regularly, assisting teachers, working school events, and supporting community activities. Rylee was awarded the Citizenship Award in her sophomore year and earned the highest GPA in English during both her sophomore and junior years. She served as Student Council president and was a top-three finalist for Student of the Year. After graduation, Rylee plans to attend LSU to major in psychology and later pursue a law degree in hopes of becoming a judge.
Collin Joseph Rink
Collin Joseph Rink is the son of Scott and Rebecca Rink. He was a four-year member of FFA, Beta, Hope Squad, and Student Council. He served as FFA president and altar server at St. Stephen Catholic Church. Collin was named 2024–2025 prom king and maintained a 4.0 or higher GPA throughout high school. He is proud to be remembered for setting the unofficial record for most field trips attended in a single year. After graduation, Collin plans to attend LSU to major in agricultural education and extension and become an agriculture teacher.
Christopher
Matthew
Robertson
Christopher Matthew Robertson is the son of Robby and Kenia Robertson. He was a four-year letterman in basketball and a two-year member of BETA. He led the Quiz Bowl team as captain for three years, helping them reach the school’s first semifinal match. Christopher was recognized as an eighth-degree WiseCat, fourth-degree PowerCat and PowerCat of the Month. In 2025, he and his teammate won the 100 Black Men of St. Mary Parish trivia contest. He also served as an altar server at St. Stephen Catholic Church. Christopher is especially proud of coaching a youth tackle football team. After graduation, he plans to attend LSU and major in nuclear engineering.
Isabella
Maria Spitale
Isabella Maria Spitale is the daughter of Louis and Stacy Spitale. She maintained a GPA of 4.0 or higher while competing in volleyball for four years and track and field for three. She earned All-Academic honors in both sports and received All-District honorable mention in volleyball for her sophomore through senior years. Isabella was a four-year member of Student Council, PowerCats and WiseCats, and a three-year member of BETA. She will attend Louisiana Tech University as part of the honors program, where she plans to study engineering.
Lylah Grace Vice
Lylah Grace Vice is the daughter of Jennifer and Rickey Aucoin. She was a member of the TopCats Dance Team for four years, serving as an officer for two years and co-captain her senior year. She was selected as an All-American dancer and performed in the Varsity Spectacular at Walt Disney World. Lylah was also a four-year member of Key Club, ARK and Student Council, and a three-year member of BETA, Insight, HOSA, and Hope Squad. She competed in the Regional Literary Rally for Publications and State Rally for American History. Lylah also volunteered at the Special Olympics and the My Ascension event. After graduation, she plans to attend Nicholls State University to major in nursing and become a pediatric registered nurse.
Grant
Joseph White
Grant Joseph White is the son of Brett and Mary White. He was a three-year member of the basketball team and a four-year member of the baseball team. He also participated in BETA and Hope Squad for three years. Grant earned All-District first team honors in both basketball and baseball. Outside of athletics, he served as an altar server at St. Stephen Catholic Church. After graduation, Grant plans to attend LSU to major in biochemistry and pursue a career in dentistry.

InterMoor, a leading provider of mooring services and a brand in Acteon’s Moorings and Anchors Business Line, announced the successful completion of multiple study packages for the planning, installation, operations and maintenance of a commercial-scale floating wind farm in the United Kingdom.
The wind farm, with a capacity of up to 1GW and water depths ranging from 85 meters to 150 meters, represents a significant advancement in renewable energy, the company said in a news release.
The completed studies include:
•Mooring System Costs and Installation Comparison Study
•Mooring Repair and Sparing Philosophy Study
•Port Facilities Study: FOWT Mooring Storage and Mobilisation
•Anchor Feasibility Study
•FOWT Temporary Mooring Study
"These studies are crucial for the upcoming development of floating offshore wind in Scotland and position InterMoor at the forefront of floating offshore wind development, driving innovation and efficiency for our customers,” says Frank Burns, general manager, InterMoor Ltd.