28-03-2025
Gov. Landry's levee board power moves give off a ‘Musky' reek
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry gives his address in the House Chamber on opening day of the regular legislative session, Monday, March 11, 2024, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (John Ballance/The Advocate, Pool)
It has all the makings of history repeating itself — and in the worst way imaginable.
You're hard pressed to find anyone who's endorsed Gov. Jeff Landry's recent moves to undo the layers of separation between himself and the body that oversees flood protection for most of the New Orleans area.
They're apparently at the behest of Shane Guidry, a prominent business owner in the offshore energy supply sector and generous donor to Landry's campaigns over the years. The governor has made Guidry, who describes the governor as his best friend, an unofficial adviser within his administration.
Guidry's influence has become apparent within the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East. The New Orleans-area levee boards on both sides of the Mississippi River were overhauled and rebranded after Hurricane Katrina once local and state leaders saw the need to remove political influence from resiliency infrastructure decisions. Their new structure placed an emphasis on subject matter expertise on flood protection rather than the political connections that had been in place for decades.
The first instance of Guidry dabbling in inner workings of the Flood Protection Authority-East came when executive director Kelli Chandler resigned in January. She clashed with Guidry over the role of the levee board's 60-person police force, The Times-Picayune reported.
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While Chandler saw protection of the authorities flood protection assets in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes as the department's top priority, Guidry wanted more emphasis placed on law enforcement in New Orleans' levee-adjacent neighborhoods. Officers should be doing more than 'watching grass grow,' he said.
Thanks to approval from the GOP-dominated Louisiana Legislature, the governor now has authority to directly appoint the leaders of dozens of state boards and commissions that previously went through a formal vetting and state Senate approval process. For the Flood Protection Authority-East, Landry tapped Metairie civil engineer Roy Carubba to replace Chandler, who had no background related to flood protection.
Carubba's firm has worked in the past for Guidry, according to reports.
All signs point to Guidry continuing to exercise control over the levee board, and he says flood protection will continue to be its priority.
But so far this month, four members resigned from the levee board, most of them citing Guidry's reversal of reforms made after Katrina, according to WVUE-TV Fox 8. Three of them, Roy Arrigo, Thomas Fierke and William Settoon addressed their resignation letter to Guidry, although he has no official status with the Landry administration or designated powers over the authority.
'Contrary to board appointed President Caruba's (sic) often expressed opinions of the FPA, we have observed the morale, readiness and focus on flood protection have been diminished during his tenure,' the letter reads.
The fourth board member, Derek Rabb, has not explained his departure.
When The Times-Picayune reached Carubba for comment, he said he first had to clear the interview with Guidry. Once cleared to speak, the engineer's comments about his de facto boss were glowing, with Carubba describing Guidry as 'a brilliant business person.'
Guidry explained to the newspaper why he's provided guidance to the governor.
'Look at Elon Musk, right? There's a reason why he's doing something free for Trump — because he knows he can help him. And Trump wants that,' Guidry said. 'There's a reason why I do what I do free for Jeff because he knows I have nothing to gain.'
One local good government group has concerns over Landry and Guidry wading into flood infrastructure management. In a statement, the New Orleans-based Bureau of Government Research (BGR) challenged claims from the administration that the Flood Protection Authority, both its East and West offshoots, has been mismanaged.
'The governor's advisers have alleged that the New Orleans area's vital flood protection infrastructure hasn't been kept in working order and that funding dedicated for this purpose has been wasted,' the BGR statement reads. 'While blaming the leadership of the authorities tasked with managing the $14.5 billion levee system, they have not provided any details or evidence of the problems.'
BGR called on the governor to provide 'thorough explanations, not accusations' before his administration puts forward any legislation to change the post-Katrina makeup of the flood protection authorities. The bureau was among supporters of the coalition of civic and business groups, along with elected leaders, who pushed for the new framework that received voter approval in the form of a state constitutional amendment.
'Chief among the coalition's aims was ensuring that the authorities' boards of commissioners were selected for their expertise in flood protection-related and other relevant fields – not their political connections or views,' BGR wrote.
It's been almost 20 years since the federally built levee system protecting New Orleans failed at multiple points, covering some 80% of the city with stormwater that destroyed homes and businesses that had otherwise survived Katrina. Two decades is not nearly long enough to erase the trauma from the minds of those who went through the storm and chose to rebuild.
It's this still-fragile mindset that Landry and Guidry have stirred with their approach to the Flood Protection Authority. The exit of four board members, just weeks ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, has been disconcerting for many who have yet to have their trust in government restored.
This behind-the-scenes approach from the governor and his best bud does nothing to quell anxiety levels that increase every June 1. Greater transparency and a renewed adherence to post-Katrina flood protection principles from Landry and Guidry would go a long way toward engendering confidence in their decision-making.
While leaders might come and go, what the levees protect is not as easily replaced.
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