BATON ROUGE - A bill that would dissolve the West Feliciana Port Commission sailed through the Transportation Committee on Tuesday with no objection.

State Representative Jeremy Lacombe (R) authored HB 94, which will also give the responsibilities of the port commission to the parish government.

"The name says exactly what it does. This essentially will repeal the statute that sets up the West Feliciana port system. Upon the effective date of the act, essentially the parish government will take over the roles," Lacombe said.

Though the port commission voted to abolish itself last year, the vote was 4-3 and not unanimous. The members who voted against it say the move to get rid of it is completely politically motivated.

"If we don't have a port commission, there's no checks and balances in our parish government. There's no oversight. It is just what the parish president and parish council does," said Commissioner Lauren Field.

Certain members of the port commission say Parish President Kenny Havard wants them gone so he can have more power over business dealings. They say it all stems from Havard and port commission president Andrew Grezaffi's potential involvement in the recent sale of land to a data company. There is currently an ethics investigation pending on those allegations. 

Havard has expressed dislike of the commission publicly on several occasions. He and Grezzafi filled out cards in support of the bill Tuesday morning but did not testify.

Commissioners Lauren Field and David Jewell sent statements to WBRZ on the movement of the bill:

It is disheartening to discover that the parish president, the port commission president, and port commission vice president are actively engaged in dissolving the port commission despite the fact that the legislation merely removes the port commission’s authority and transfers all powers and authorities to the 'parish governing body.' To clarify, the resolution to dissolve the port commission was not a unanimous vote. In essence, the parish president is accusing those of us who support the continued existence of the port commission as a means of exerting political influence that he himself is attempting to acquire. The parish president has declared himself as the economic development director of the parish economic development board and now seeks to assume the role of port director. Our parish is in need of a qualified port director to oversee its riverfront and maritime activities. Not a politician lacking the necessary qualifications to manage port activities and negotiations.
-Lauren Field

I think it would be irresponsible for the house to vote on an unresolved issue that is currently under an ethics investigation. I certainly would not think it prudent to follow the prompting of the Parish president who is the center of the investigation? Havard has missed no opportunity to demonize the whistleblowers who were simply doing their duty to clear up questionable activity within their board.
-David Jewell

Grezaffi did not return a request for comment Tuesday.