Photograph: Opelousas Alderman Floyd Ford (Photograph by Freddie Herpin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
A completed investigative report issued last week by St. Landry Parish District Attorney Chad Pitre indicates that incumbent Opelousas Board of Alderman Floyd Ford does not allegedly qualify to hold office in District B.
In the report completed Oct. 31, Pitre wrote that the DA’s Office launched an investigation into Floyd’s residency requirements following a written complaint Oct. 12 by Delita Broussard.
Broussard and two other candidates qualified in July to challenge Ford, who has also qualified for the District B seat in the Nov. 8 election.
Pitre said in the report that the findings in his investigative report that state law requires him to file a lawsuit in 27th Judicial District Court within 10 days of the report in order to declare the position of the councilman in the city of Opelousas vacant.
According to the investigation report obtained by St. Landry Now, Broussard alleged in her complaint that Floyd has not lived in the city of Opelousas within one year prior to the Nov. 8 election and that Floyd also does not live within the city.
St. Landry Now attempted to contact Ford by telephone last week in order to obtain comment on the investigation, but as of Monday afternoon, Ford had not responded to the request for comment.
State law allows voters who have have reasons to believe that an office holder no longer meets the residence and domicile requirements of an elected office, may make a written complaint to the District Attorney. The DA is legally required by state law to investigate the complaint and issue a written opinion within 20 days to the City Council. The opinion the report added, must also be published in the official journal.
Pitre wrote that Broussard’s complaint alleged additionally that Ford lives at 1946 Meadow Run, which the report said is an address located physically outside the city and District B limits.
State law, the report issued by Pitre states, declares that “an alderman continues to be legally domiciled within the City of Opelousas and shall continue to actually reside within the City of Opelousas.”
Information contained within the report issued by Pitre shows that allegedly Ford claims the homestead exemption for a residence located at 1946 Meadow Run in Opelousas. The report alleged also that 1946 Meadow Run is located outside the municipal limits of Opelousas and District B.
Also for the past several years, Ford has allegedly maintained the Meadow Run address on his address for Louisiana’s driver’s license, the report alleges.
Ford, the report said, is registered to vote allegedly at 833 Planters Street, which is located within District B.
“The controlling factor of our investigation is that the address of 1946 Meadow Run, Opelousas, Louisiana, wherein Floyd Ford claims to reside and possibly domiciled, is not located within the city limits of Opelousas. Finally, it is important to note that our investigation has determined that the residence located at the 833 Planters St. address appears to be a type of women’s group home,” Pitre wrote.
Pitre added in his investigative report that state law “establishes a continuing obligation on the alderman to maintain domicile, and actually reside in, the city of Opelousas. It is clear that Floyd Ford does not meet and has no met the continuing dual obligation to be domiciled and actually reside within the city of Opelousas in violation of state law.”
