COULD ST MARY COUNCIL STILL WANT TO FLOAT FERRY?

By: Howard J. Castay, Jr.

News from St. Mary Parish Chief Administrative Officer Bo LaGrange indicates the parish government may be interested in keeping the Avoca Island ferry afloat, even though taxpayers have paid more than $705,000 since 2005 to tote one or two vehicles in two out of every three trips.

LaGrange informed the Parish Council last week, the parish was successful in having the regulatory tonnage of the ferry reduced from 115 to 86.5 gross tons, which would keep the ferry in a weigh range that is less regulated, almost unnecessary to be inspected, by the Coast Guard.

In February, the Coast Guard told the Parish Council that the 41 year old Avoca Island ferry in its current operation is violating new regulations. In March, the Coast Guard informed the Parish Council it has six months to get the vessel compliant.

To achieve the reduction, LaGrange said the parish hired Greenwood Marine Management, Inc. of Morgan City, marine consultants, to study the vessel. That study, which cost the parish $2,800, was in a draft form and did not include price estimates on repairs. However, the study did note 50 areas of concern regarding the ferry, with each area listing various items needing repair.

But before any repairs are made, the parish will have to dry dock the 41 year old locomotive, which could play a large role in the final parish decision.

The vessel is a cable ferry, which travels just off the Morgan City Coast to Avoca Island, a 16,000 acre virtually uninhabited private island, with only one resident, a care taker.

Additionally, it serves as the site for a private hunting club, as well various oil and gas interests.
Some consider Coast Guard violations as the straw that actually broke the camel’s back, regarding the Avoca Island Ferry.

St. Mary Parish Councilman Kevin Voisin last fall launched an inquiry into the future of the ferry, citing liability issues, among other concerns.

LaGrange said that should the parish council decide to keep the operating the ferry, service will be interrupted for a two to four week period. He said that during his 13 year stint on the job, he has never known the ferry to be in a dry dock status. However, he said it has been inspected every two years or so. “I would imagine folks would have to find their own means of transportation to the island,” he said.

“I just don’t know where we kind find these kinds of funds to fix this,” St. Mary Parish Councilman Kevin Voisin said.

Avoca, Inc. has owned the island since 1931. The company’s headquarters are located in the Whitney Bank building in New Orleans, at 228 St. Charles Ave. Its owner is Avoca Inc, which lists on its board of directors executives from Whitney Bank of New Orleans.