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Proposed Town Hall meeting causes confusion

By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor

A town hall meeting that was supposed to help heal the community has already caused some disruption, only days before the actual meeting is to take place.
A Town Hall Meeting for Justice is slated to be held Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 6 p.m. at the Ville Platte Civic Center. The theme of the meeting is “time for healing” with the topic of the discussion focusing on the U.S. Department of Justice investigation of the holding practices of the Ville Platte Police Department and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office.
In a press release concerning the event, provided by Ville Platte community activist Arthur Sampson, it stated that representatives from the offices of the Mayor of Ville Platte, Ville Platte Chief of Police, Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office, Evangeline Parish District Attorney. Evangeline Parish Judges, Ville Platte City Judge, FBI, the U.S. Justice Department Lafayette Regional, U.S. Department Civil Rights Division, Washington D.C. Meeting is open to public.
That information was printed as a news brief in Sunday’s edition of The Ville Platte Gazette.
The only problem is that not everyone listed as taking part in the meeting were contacted about the meeting or even formally invited. The Gazette was contacted by representatives from both parish and city judge’s offices, as well as the Evangeline Parish District Attorney’s Office on Monday concerning this issue.
On Tuesday, Evangeline Parish District Attorney Trent Brignac released a statement regarding that information printed in Sunday’s Gazette. The release stated:
“On Sunday, February 5, 2017, The Ville Platte Gazette published a notification of a “Town Hall Meeting for Justice* which was to supposedly take place Thursday, February 9,2017. The meeting was even the subject of the “Poll Question” for the upcoming week. KVPl also publicized this meeting.
The problem is that at least five (5) of the elected officials (and/or offices) named as attending the meeting had never been invited to the meeting and knew absolutely nothing about the meeting and in fact were completely unaware that there was even talk of such a meeting. These elected officials include myself (District Attorney Trent Brignac), the two (2) District Judges, Judge Gary Ortego and Judge Chuck West, Ville Platte City Court Judge Gregory Vidrine and Sheriff Eddie Soileau.
How can any of us commit to a meeting that we are not aware of and have not been invited to attend?
More significantly, it concerns me that misleading the public about such a meeting could have a negative effect on the very issue the meeting intended to address. For example, if members of the public attend based upon misinformation and public officials are not present because they have not been invited, what effect does this have on public trust and confidence and who’s fault is it?
Factually inaccurate statements by the media in general (by no means only The Ville Platte Gazette and KVPl) do not help unite the community and its public officials. By no means does this suggest the announcement of the meeting was not well intended, we all make mistakes.
With the above said, it’s my sincere intention that we move forward into this new year with a positive attitude and a willingness to work together and communicate with each other for the benefit of everyone in Evangeline Parish.”
Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine confirmed to The Gazette on Monday though that she informed several of the referenced members stated in the release about the time and place of the meeting, including Ville Platte City Council, VPPD and the City Marshall’s Office. Vidrine also said that she was trying to reach Soileau at EPSO about the meeting as well but the two have missed each other’s calls regarding the matter.
Vidrine also confirmed that neither parish or city judges could attend the meeting due to any ongoing cases that could be brought up during the meeting.
Sampson said on Wednesday that the meeting is still scheduled to take place, and that even know not everyone was informed before the notice of the meeting was published in The Gazette, Sampson states that the opportunity to bring the community together remains.
“It was just miscommunication,” Sampson said. “But they do know now about the meeting and if they have a concern about this community that needs to be addressed then they need to attend.”

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