Villanova overwhelms Lafayette in home opener, 59-0

ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer Villanova’s Aaron Forbes breaks away from the pack for a 29 yard gain in the 3rd quarter of the Wildcats’ 59-0 win over Lafayette.

Conventional football wisdom is if you win the toss, defer to the second half and put your defense on the field. Real wisdom when you are facing a team that has given up 462 yards per game against lesser opponents is to take the ball and see if they can stop you.

The answer came quickly Saturday night at Villanova Stadium. Lafayette could not stop the Wildcats. Nor could their offense move the ball. This is generally not a good combination – unless, of course, you are Villanova playing its final non-conference game before embarking on the always difficult CAA schedule Saturday at Albany.

Villanova had 20 points before Lafayette had a first down, 49 before the Leopards got a second first down. If there had been a mercy rule, this would have been called early in the second quarter. Alas, they played all 60 minutes and Villanova won, 59-0. It was 49-0 at the half.

First-year Leopards coach John Garrett (brother of the Cowboys’ Jason) might want to call on 1976 Lafayette grad Joe Maddon, the Cubs manager, for some divine intervention for his 0-3 team. First-year Villanova coach Mark Ferrante was bequeathed a very good team, with weapons everywhere, that is ranked No. 7 in FCS for a reason. The schools are 66 miles apart. It felt like 666.

“We did a real good job in all three phases,” said Ferrante, who was also excited that he was able to use players who might be needed later.

At one point, `Nova (2-1) had 260 yards, while Lafayette had 4. It was 340-25 at halftime, 505-77 for the game. Cats reserves played the second half.

Villanova quarterback Zach Bednarczyk had near perfect passing. He threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and did not play after halftime.

“Every single time, it felt like they were going three and out.” Bednarczyk said. “It was great to get back on the field with a chance to score.”

Junior tight end Ryan Bell was borderline unstoppable. The former walk-on turned NFL prospect had two touchdown catches, the second a 37-yard streak down the right sideline worthy of a wideout. He also took a slant 59 yards on the second play from scrimmage. The Cats scored three touchdowns on returns – two on interceptions, another on a punt.

It was a great performance against an overmatched opponent. It is all about the conference now, and the competition will be ratcheted up dramatically.

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Highlights: Douglass downs Lafayette; Henry Clay gets first win; No. 1 Scott County falls to Ohio power

Frederick Douglass 29, Lafayette 14: A week after beating Tates Creek for the program’s first victory, the Frederick Douglass football team secured a signature win, knocking off Lafayette on the road.

Nate Gay’s 7-yard TD run late in the first quarter gave the Broncos a 15-7 lead, and they never looked back.

“This feels good, a lot of my kids on this team have never beat these guys so I’m just proud for them,” said Douglass Coach Brian Landis. “But we’ve got a long way to go. We had too many penalties … but we’ll get that cleaned up and we’ve got a chance to be pretty good.”

Aided by interceptions from Jaylin Bybee and Daiyann Perkins and a ruthless run defense, Douglass held the Generals to 282 yards of offense and 12 first downs. The Generals finished with just 76 yards on the ground. Their biggest play of the night was a 93-yard touchdown strike from Dekwan Edwards to Kuantaze Cooper as Lafayette trailed 29-7 with 6:34 left in the game.

“(The defense) played very well, I was happy with the way they responded,” Landis said. “After (Lafayette’s) first touchdown they didn’t get anything until that very last drive, that long bomb.”

Quarterback Montaveon Bean managed the game effectively for Douglass (2-1), completing 12 of 26 passes for 110 yards and avoiding an interception for the second week in a row while rushing for 63 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown that gave the Broncos the lead less than three minutes into the game.

Jefferson Harkless paced the Broncos’ ground game, rushing for 74 yards and a touchdown. Paul Dunbar transfer Gavin Bugg saw some action under center for Douglass as well, completing two passes, including a 44-yard touchdown to Micah Lowe for a 22-7 lead late in the second quarter.

Edwards, who starred at wide receiver last season, passed for 197 yards for Lafayette (1-3). Cooper caught two passes for 134 yards in the loss.

Henry Clay 48, Southwestern 16: Tyree Clarke had a monster night, rushing for 113 yards and three touchdowns and reeling in a 63-yard TD catch as the offense came alive in the second half to give the Blue Devils their first win of the season and the Warriors their first loss.

Clarke’s 1-yard plunge gave Henry Clay (1-3) a 6-0 lead heading into halftime. After the intermission, Zac Berezewitz’s bomb to Clarke kicked off a 28-point third quarter.

Michael McMullen had a pair of touchdown runs and Jordan Kimball returned an interception 48 yards for a score to cap the explosive quarter for the Blue Devils, who outrushed the Warriors 310 yards to 104.

Patric Edwards carried 16 times for 100 yards and a touchdown for Southwestern (3-1).

Tates Creek 37, Paul Dunbar 0: Teontè White celebrated his birthday in a big way on Friday night, rushing for 145 yards and three touchdowns in Tates Creek’s shutout of visiting Dunbar.

The Commodores (3-1) racked up 220 of their 287 yards on the ground.

White, who also intercepted a pass, had short TD runs in the first and second quarters, then broke loose for a 23-yard score in the final minute.

It was the second shutout of the season for Tates Creek’s defense, led by Cam Stewart’s 9 1/2 tackles. The Commodores defeated Henry Clay 48-0 in the season opener.

Paul Dunbar (0-3) has been held scoreless in all three of its games this season.

Moeller (Ohio) 38, Scott County 28: Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller took a 14-0 lead over host Scott County in the opening minutes, and the Cardinals couldn’t recover.

Scott County (3-1) lost fumbles on each of its first two possessions, the first on the Moeller 35-yard line and the second near the Moeller goal line. The Crusaders also converted a seven-play, 99-yard drive late in the first half to take a 24-7 lead.

The Cards cut the Moeller lead to 24-14 with Josh Davis’ 52-yard touchdown pass to Glenn Covington in the final minute of the first half, but the Crusaders opened the third quarter with an 11-play, 82-yard drive, and Scott County never got the scoring margin within single digits in the second half.

Senior running back Brice Fryman led the Cards with 16 carries for 187 yards. Covington had nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

Four-star UK commitment Brenden Bates of Moeller had two receptions for 35 yards and was targeted just three times, though he played a majority of the offensive snaps and was often used as a blocker. Bates will play tight end for the Wildcats next season.

Scott County opened the season with victories over North Bullitt, Lafayette and Highlands.

Moeller was coming off of a 38-30 loss at Trinity last weekend.

Madison Central 37, Madison Southern 13: Madison Central (2-2) rolled up 366 yards on the ground against its county rival thanks to two 100-yard rushers.

Gavin Hulberg had 148 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown run, on 16 carries, and Ethan Hahn added 102 yards on just five carries. Hahn had TD runs of 31 and 42 yards.

The longest score of the day, however, came on a trick play by Madison Southern (2-2) when Tobias Storm connected with fellow receiver Hunter Richardson on an 83-yard touchdown pass.

Madison Southern’s Nathaniel Eads led all players with 12 tackles. He also forced a fumble and had the game’s only interception.

Ryle 49, Highlands 27: Senior Jake Chisholm was a one-man wrecking crew on Friday, accounting for more than 300 yards of offense and five touchdowns as the Raiders overwhelmed the Bluebirds for their third win in a row.

Chisholm opened the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown run and added a pair of 2-yard TD plunges as Ryle (3-1) built a 28-14 halftime lead. He added touchdown runs of 15 and 7 yards in the second half. Chisholm carried 26 times for 281 yards and caught three passes for 47 yards. His huge night overshadowed a great performance by Raiders quarterback Easton Pilyer, who rushed for 142 yards on 10 carries and completed 12 of 16 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Quarterback Carl Schoellman kept Highlands (2-2) in the game. His 20-yard touchdown pass to Jared Wogan drew the Bluebirds within 28-20 in the third quarter, but Ryle outscored the visitors 21-7 down the stretch. Schoellman completed 34 of 49 passes for 362 yards and four touchdowns as he leaned on senior receivers Wogan and Nick Veneman. Wogan caught nine passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns while Veneman hauled in 14 catches for 155 yards and a pair of scores.

Collins 28, Oldham County 21: Quarterback J.R. Lucas used his arm and his legs to lead the Titans past the host Colonels. Lucas rushed for 240 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and completed 13 of 25 passes for 221 yards and a 19-yard touchdown to Nikos Klenakis.

Collins (3-1) put up 507 yards of total offense while holding Oldham County (1-2) to 255.

Anderson County 20, Valley 0: Blake Franklin rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries to power host Anderson County (3-1) past Valley (0-4).

Anderson County, which attempted just one pass (it was incomplete), had 228 yards of offense and held Valley to 52. Valley has scored just 14 points in four games this season.

Simon Kenton 59, Dixie Heights 21: Simon Kenton built a 35-0 first-quarter lead thanks in part to three Matt Scherer touchdown passes, and the host Pioneers coasted from there to stay undefeated.

Scherer finished 12-for-21 for 254 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Fisher Hayden (four catches for 97 yards). Brandon Smith caught four passes for 110 yards for Simon Kenton (4-0).

Dixie Heights (0-4) scored its first touchdown on Will Reidmatter’s 93-yard kickoff return.

Boone County 27, Holmes 6: Zach Grau threw two touchdown passes, and visiting Boone County’s defense held Holmes (0-3) to negative yards on the ground as the Rebels notched their first win of the season.

McKeem Robinson’s 1-yard run in the second quarter was Holmes’ first touchdown of the year after two shutout defeats.

Four different players scored touchdowns for Boone County (1-2).

Paris 41, Harrison County 7: Matthew Barber ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns, and Aaron Maggard added three TD runs for host Paris (3-0).

Will Cox had 15 tackles and returned one of his two interceptions 48 yards for a Paris touchdown.

Harrison County (0-4) scored on Ben VanHook’s 24-yard TD pass to Tyler Watts in the second quarter.

Somerset 20, Hazard 9: The Bulldogs struck first on Tyler Collins’ 38-yard field goal but Ty Tevis’ 55-yard TD run gave the Briar Jumpers the lead, and his 15-yard score in the fourth quarter sealed the win for visiting Somerset (2-1). Bailey Blair scored the lone touchdown for Hazard (2-1), a 1-yard plunge that briefly recaptured the lead for the Bulldogs in the third quarter.

Shelby County 35, North Bullitt 26: Caleb Morehead rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns as Shelby County (3-1) overcame a 20-7 second-half deficit to win on the road for the second time this season.

After Dylan Embry’s 27-yard touchdown run gave North Bullitt (1-3) its biggest lead of the night midway through the third quarter, the Rockets scored four straight touchdowns, including all three of Morehead’s runs, to take control. Abnee Conner had 57 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the loss.

Conner 47, Scott 27: A pair of seniors led the Cougars past Scott (2-2) on Friday. Matt Simpson scored on an 85-yard kickoff return and Trevor Courts rushed for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 12 carries as Conner (2-1) won its first road game of the year.

Union County 28, Madisonville 14: Chris Bledsoe had a 64-yard touchdown run, and Tyran Holmes returned an interception 66 yards for a score as Union County (3-0) stayed undefeated.

Madisonville (2-2) led 7-0 after Jariah Hightower’s 45-yard TD run in the first quarter, but the Maroons didn’t score again until Marquis Parker’s 37-yard punt return in the fourth.

Hightower had 111 of Madisonville’s 142 rushing yards on 14 carries.

Josh Sullivan: 859-231-3225, @sullyjosh

Ben Roberts: 859-231-3216, @BenRobertsHL

Caitlyn Stroh contributed to this report

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Mexican restaurant to open 1st Louisiana location in Lafayette

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El Pollo Loco will soon open its first location in Louisiana at 3808 Johnston St. in Lafayette.

The popular quick-service restaurant — whose Spanish name translates to "The Crazy Chicken" — started in Mexico in 1975 and now has more than 400 locations.

Background: Restaurant to bring ‘theater of chicken’ to Lafayette

Local franchisee Jason Trotter announced last year his intention to enter the Louisiana market.

El Pollo Loco is known for its chicken and Mexican-inspired entrees.

(Photo: John Kelly Photography)

Trotter, a former franchisee of the fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant, Zoës Kitchen, first tried El Pollo Loco while living in San Diego, California, as a child. While looking for a franchise opportunity in Lafayette, Trotter visited Houston and saw that El Pollo Loco had entered the market.

"I was looking for something that hadn’t been done 1,000 times over in the Lafayette market," Trotter said during an October interview. "And I’d had the food there, and believe, it’s amazing. It’s what we did at Zoës — almost more prep. Everything is made fresh every day. It’s something very different from what any other fast-food restaurant has to offer."

El Pollo Loco plans to open two Lafayette locations by 2018. (Photo: Submitted)

Lafayette’s first El Pollo Loco restaurant will be located at the corner of Johnston Street and Westchester Drive.

Construction on the building is expected to begin in early September, with an anticipated opening in the late spring of 2018.

The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will include a drive-thru.

El Pollo Loco is known for flame-grilled, citrus-marinated chicken, burritos, salads, soups, tacos and quesadillas.

Steve Sather, president and CEO of El Pollo Loco, described the restaurant as being quick-service-plus — offering the speed, convenience and pricing of a fast-food restaurant such as Taco Bell with the quality of a fast-casual restaurant such as Chipotle.

Sather’s favorite meal from the restaurant is the three-piece chicken combo with rice and beans. Trotter’s is the same but with a side of corn instead of rice.

"The chicken is just craveable," Sather said during an October interview. "Even though we have other great products, it’s really all about the chicken."

El Pollo Loco is publically traded and has more than 470 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas and Utah.

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Two of Lafayette’s newest football players won’t let disabilities keep them off the field

Lafayette’s football team hosted Woodford County in a scrimmage on Aug. 10. The Generals won 41-7, but the team’s biggest winners that night were Ronald Dyer and Will Watkins.

Dyer, a junior defensive back, and Watkins, a sophomore defensive lineman, played multiple snaps for the Generals inside the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter. It was the first time either player has gotten on the field after joining the team in the offseason.

Watkins had wanted to play football for a while. He had to prove to his parents that it was something he would take seriously before they allowed him to go out for the team. They finally relented this spring.

Dyer, on the other hand, played in peewee leagues growing up and participated in middle school. He stepped away from athletics for a couple of years before joining Lafayette’s track and field team last season. Football assistant coach Jon Lawson observed Dyer’s performance and encouraged him to come back to football.

Their paths to playing time were different, but similar in one regard: both players require special educational needs. Dyer battles ADHD and has been diagnosed with multiple learning disabilities; Watkins has a mild form of autism and suffers from severe migraines.

Of course, if you were watching from the stands that night, you would never have known they were different from any other kid on the sideline.

‘Clearly serious’

Watkins had never played football, but he had played basketball before. He was a center when he played in the Glendover League as a child.

“He was the big kid on the team, and he was way too nice to play center,” said Jennifer Watkins, Will’s mom. “He’d bump into somebody and be like, ‘Oh, sorry about that,’ and we’d be like, ‘No, buddy, you’ve got to use your size.’”

Will was asked by his parents to do several months of conditioning work at home before they would entertain the notion of him participating in high school football. He committed.

“So we finally said, ‘OK, he’s clearly serious about wanting to do this,’” Jennifer said.

Matt Watkins, Will’s dad, was a teacher at Bryan Station High School last school year and spoke with that school’s coaches about Will’s interest in playing this season. They connected Jennifer and Matt with Lafayette’s coaching staff. Generals head coach Eric Shaw spoke with the three of them directly about the pros and cons of bringing Will into the fold.

Head injuries are a major concern for any football parent, but especially so for the Watkins family because of Will’s history with migraines. His neurologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and his local pediatrician both felt comfortable with Lafayette’s vigilance in protecting its players.

So far, so good.

“He comes every day. He practices hard, he does the drills,” Lafayette assistant coach Matt Brown said. “He really takes in what’s going on and tries to perfect what we do in practice.”

‘Being a friend’

Dyer’s fascination with football goes back to his childhood, when the son of a family friend who played for Anderson County High School became a role model.

Renee Dyer, Ronald’s mom, said she and her husband have always parented by the mantra “If he wants to try it, then we’re gonna let him try it.’ That led not only to youth football and track, but lots of time spent on baseball fields as a left fielder.

Youth football is one thing; varsity athletes are a whole lot bigger.

“Of course, as a mom, the first thing you think is, ‘That’s my kid out there on the field!’” Renee said. “And then your heart skips a beat and you’re like, ‘Dear Lord, don’t let him get hurt.’”

The Dyers adopted Ronald when he was 7 years old. He was an “angry, aggressive child” but has become a “polite, well-mannered young man” and rarely exhibits the outrage he did when he was younger, Renee said.

Lafayette High School defensive back Ronald Dyer came off the field during the Generals’ scrimmage versus Woodford County High School on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017.

Dana Bradford Lafayette Football

His behavior is so good, in fact, that he’s become something of a role model himself. While he was in the hospital nursing a broken hand over the summer, a nurse was so impressed with his demeanor that she asked him to come work at a special-needs camp.

Ronald doesn’t perceive himself as a role model, though.

“He just sees it as he knows what it was like to be a kid who had needs and was looking to be accepted and looking to have friends, and looking for people to help him and just treat him like a regular kid,” Renee said. “He is very empathetic and he has a big heart for kids that need a little more help, and he just does it.

“He doesn’t look at it as being a role model; he looks at it as being a friend.”

Acceptance

Jennifer has been amazed at the growth of her son Will’s social circle since he joined the football team.

“It seems like when he’s leaving practice or walking into school for something, there’s somebody that knows him and speaks to him and he speaks to,” Jennifer said. “I think, for us as his parents, and I think for any parent, that’s what you want for your kid.”

Ronald and Will aren’t unique from most of their teammates in at least one respect: they’re among the 92 percent of high school football players who won’t play in college.

“The reality is, most kids aren’t going to play football beyond high school,” Jennifer said. “It’s all about being active and doing something that he enjoys and having a group of people that supports him and that he can enjoy.”

Renee said other kids quickly realize that Ronald has special needs, and that it takes some time for him to catch on, but acceptance has never been much of an issue.

“He enjoys being on the team and he enjoys being accepted by those kids, and not treated like a special-needs kid,” Renee said.

Postgame report

Ronald was interviewed a few days after the game. He glowed when asked about his first time hitting the field.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I was just excited ’cause I got a tackle and I got to be out there.”

Renee chimed in. “This smile he’s got is the smile he had from the moment he got out of bed until he walked off the field,” she said. “I’ve got some pictures of him walking off the field and he’s just beaming.”

Will was every bit as elated right after the win, and was frank about playing multiple possessions.

“The first time I went out, it was really fun. The second time, it was a little more challenging,” Will said with a laugh.

Renee said when Ronald sat down with Shaw before he joined the team, one of the things he told him was, “‘Your disability isn’t who you are; it’s what you have.’”

She called it a “profound statement.” A slight retooling of that statement might be as equally profound: Your ability isn’t who you are; it’s what you have.

Each year, there are athletes at every level renowned for their on-field talent while exhibiting terrible off-field behavior. At Lafayette, there are at least two athletes whose on-field talent isn’t other-worldly, but whose off-field character and work ethic are worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. It puts things in perspective.

Renee continued sharing what Shaw told her son.

“‘What makes you you is the fact that you stand up for the little guy. The fact that you help out at school with kids who are special needs, that you volunteer your time at camps.’

“‘That’s you. That’s your personality, that’s who you’re becoming. That’s what makes you you, not your disability.’”

Lafayette High School defensive lineman Will Watkins, left, battled Woodford County High School on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017.

Dana Bradford Lafayette Football

Josh Moore: 859-231-1307, @HLpreps

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Things to Do in Lafayettte, Louisiana

Each new destination is exciting, and it’s only natural to want to make the most out of the cities you visit by exploring the things to do there. In this article, we will discuss a few fun things to do in Lafayette, Louisiana.

1. Acadian Village

The first thing to do? Visit the historic Acadian Village! This old 19th-century community features real Cajun homes, period buildings that have been recreated, and a Native American museum. It’s definitely a wonderful place to visit for those who want to get a feel for Louisiana history and culture.

2. Lafayette Science Museum

Another excellent place to visit that those who enjoy learning can enjoy is the Lafayette Science Museum. This is both a museum and a planetarium that regularly employs changing exhibits and other programs. It’s a wonderful place for the whole family, especially those who are traveling with children.

3. Evangeline State Park

Lafayette is home to a fantastic state park, which presents itself as another thing to do while in this Louisiana city. The Evangeline State Park grounds are not only beautiful to behold but feature a 18th-century Acadian shack, a Creole plantation, and a museum for visitors to enjoy.

4. Alexandre Mouton House

The last fun thing to do that we will mention here is to tour the Alexandre Mouton House. Built in 1800 by the city’s founder, this house later was passed onto son Alexandre, who became the first Democratic governor of the city of Lafayette. Today the home houses priceless antiques and paintings, as well as Mardi Gras costumes.

In conclusion, Lafayette is a thrilling city that has much to offer to those who choose to visit. For a wonderful and educational time, be sure to check out these things to do. You won’t regret it!

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High turnover, caseloads in Louisiana foster care program

Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.

Louisiana’s social services agency was so understaffed amid repeated budget cuts that it short-changed its foster children, skipping some background checks on foster parents and placing children with people accused of abuse, according to an audit released Monday (Aug. 14).

Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera’s office reviewed the Department of Children and Family Services’ handling of the foster care program during former Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration, saying that high caseloads, hefty employee turnover and ineffective computer systems damaged the agency’s oversight of children placed in its care.

"These challenges may impact (the agency’s) ability to ensure the safety and well-being of children in foster care in Louisiana," the report says.

Auditors reviewed the program from Jan. 1, 2012, through Jan. 1, 2016, finding that although the number of children in foster care increased by nearly 4 percent over the period, field staff for the program dropped by more than 3 percent.

By 2016, caseworkers carried an average of 16 cases, higher than the 10-case maximum established in agency policy, the audit says. More than 4,400 children were in the foster care program on Jan. 1 of that year.

Auditors found that 29 percent of those who took in children because they were family members or someone known by the foster child didn’t receive background checks. A handful of providers were allowed to care for children though they had prior "valid cases of abuse and neglect," the audit says. Also, the department didn’t make sure foster children were getting the medical and behavioral health treatments they needed.

The Department of Children and Family Services — which oversees child welfare, food stamps, the welfare program and child support enforcement — had a more than $1.2 billion budget with 5,200 jobs when Jindal took office. By the end of his tenure, spending was down to nearly half, and the department had fewer than 3,500 employees.

Marketa Garner Walters took over as agency secretary in January 2016, appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards. She wasn’t surprised by the audit, which came after an Edwards transition committee determined the department couldn’t properly manage its child welfare mission.

"We knew that coming in we had inherited a mess," she said.

Since then, the department’s budget has edged up. Walters said she’s reorganized, shuffled foster care caseworkers to address shortage areas and bolstered employee coaching. She enacted a policy that no child will be placed with someone with a prior case of abuse or neglect.

"We have cleaned up so much. We are not where we want to be by any stretch of the imagination, but in 18 months we’re in a world of difference," Walters said.

Walters said the department also has changed its approach to foster parenting, beefing up education and seeking to build more community support from church organizations, nonprofits and businesses.

"The kids we get are hard, and they come with lots of trauma. So, we’re giving the parents trauma training," Walters said. "We’re being more candid and upfront."

Still, the agency has trouble, according to the audit, retaining enough foster care providers — paying foster parents less than the estimated cost to care for children. The average payment rate of $15.20 per day hasn’t been increased since 2007, and no rate hike is on the horizon amid continued state budget gaps.

FILE – In May 17, 2017 file photo, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, of La., speaks with the media on Capitol Hill in Washington. Scalise, wounded when a gunman opened fire at a Republican baseball practice, delivered a Father’s Day message Sunday, June 18, through his Twitter account. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
City of New Orleans workers use a giant vaccum machine to suck out drains in the flooded-out areas of Treme August 7, 2017. Three of the city’s five vacuum trucks are out of service as of Thursday. (Photo by G. Andrew Boyd, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

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Lafayette election could shape city’s direction for years to come

Four City Council seats up for grabs as issues of growth and regulation abound
Construction is pictured on E. Elm Street in Lafayette in July. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)
Brad Wiesley (File Photo)

Four seats on Lafayette’s seven-member City Council will be up for grabs this November in an election that could overhaul the city’s approach to an array of issues gripping local consciousness.

Lafayette Mayor Pro-Tem Gustavo Reyna, Councilman Brad Wiesley and Councilwomen Merrily Mazza and Chelsea Behanna — the latter was appointed by council to replace former Councilman Tom Dowling last summer — will see their current terms end in November.

A future City Council is likely to see issues already present in Lafayette — questions over oil and gas regulations and retooled growth management, among others — increase in scope and with perhaps greater urgency, rather than new issues wholly foreign to the Front Range.

Merrily Mazza (File Photo)

Over the last several years, city leaders have typically approached decisions innate to Lafayette life with the left-leaning, progressive sensibilities often associated with the county at large: an eye on historic preservation against a building boom, stricter industry regulation and an emphasis on citywide social programs.

The election may serve as a referendum on such issues; a growing opposition along eastern Boulder County’s fringes — one spotlighted amid recent oil and gas debate — could spur a change in the old guard.

However, a complete identity shift among Lafayette’s leadership is unlikely.

At least one seat is guaranteed to see a fresh face — Wiesley is nearing the end of a second, four-year term and is ineligible for another under city code. The other three are campaigning for re-election.

Debate over such topics has consumed discussion within council chambers over the last year, with little sign of slowing anytime soon.

Gustavo Reyna (Courtesy Photo)

"The biggest issue right now is managing our growth in an intelligent way," Reyna said Friday. "A little bit of balance between growth that is sustainable and ensuring that there is enough affordable housing so that we’re not changing the social fabric of the town, and making sure the working class doesn’t get squeezed out."

Between 2010 and 2015, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in March, Lafayette’s population increased by 2,995, to a total of 27,548 — a 12 percent surge.

It’s a microcosm of the growth occurring at the county level, and with the increase in people has come the need for homes to live in.

Chelsea Behanna (Courtesy Photo)

Between 2009 and 2016, the city gained 1,362 dwellings within its borders — most by developers with an eye for maximizing profit through dense "urban sprawl," locals have argued. Almost 1,700 permits are expected to be issued through 2018.

With such growth comes the fear of affordability being tossed to the wayside, Reyna and other like-minded officials say, and the void threatens to water down the city’s diversity.

"We are losing affordable housing, and what we do have is not always very good quality," he said. "The whole idea in the effort to create affordable housing is precisely about (preserving diversity). Boulder County is such a wealthy county that people don’t realize that 12 to 15 percent are living below the poverty line."

Lafayette officials approved a string of development plans in recent months aimed at ushering in large-scale, affordable housing, including the SoLa Subdivision, slated to bring 260 units to the city’s southern edge, and a $3.5 million, 24-acre land deal with Flatirons Community Church with plans for up to 500 units.

The latter development will be shaped over the next few years under a potentially fresh-faced council.

A candidate who embraces abounding development in the name of tax revenue is unlikely to be welcomed by Lafayette voters anytime soon; though signs of dissension exist.

Opposition to efforts aimed at reshaping zoning codes in Old Town — and a 90-day development moratorium in the process — have signaled residents’ reluctance to such measures amid a countywide housing crisis.

"We want to make sure that the kids we have graduating from Centaurus (High School) can afford to come back and live here later in life," Behanna said, adding that outreach to the city’s Latino population is a necessary component.

Behanna said she hopes to examine preserving the city’s mobile home parks in pursuit of affordable housing, an approach similar to Louisville’s recent efforts.

Outside of development, perhaps no issue has drawn as much scrutiny as the call for stricter oil and gas regulations within Lafayette. The city spearheaded the issue earlier this year with its "Climate Bill of Rights and Protections," an ordinance that would have sanctioned direct-action protests in response to oil and gas operations.

The bill was essentially stripped of its teeth in the final hour, to the disappointment of Mazza, who championed the measure’s original iteration. Despite the bill’s failure, she said initiatives aimed at stymieing fracking will abound over the next four years.

How to run for Lafayette City Council

Qualifications

Must be a current Lafayette resident for at least one year

Must be a registered elector

Must be at least 18 years old

Must not be in default to the city or any other government unit of the state

Nomination process

Candidates must circulate and submit a nomination petition containing signatures of at least 25 registered electors who reside within the city limits of Lafayette. Candidate petition packets and must be picked up from the City Clerk’s Office.

Nomination petitions must be returned by Aug. 28

"Debate surrounding oil and gas is certainly not going to dissipate," she said. "If anything, it’s only going to get more heated because it’s going to start to involve unincorporated Boulder County and open space.

"I don’t subscribe to this golden dome theory, where people think that nothing will happen to us in Lafayette."

Lafayette may soon draft an ordinance requiring oil and gas operators to map their pipelines throughout Lafayette, according to Mazza, legislation that failed at the state level.

Attitudes toward oil and gas development among Lafayette constituents have remained relatively steadfast. However, the current council, a board almost entirely in favor of stricter regulation, was unable to pass a landmark measure earlier this year.

Any dissention among future council members — especially at a time when the county’s moratorium no longer exists, and companies are planning 200 oil wells near the outskirts of the city — could prove troublesome for any lasting regulation efforts.

A mixture of new, conflicting ideas could prove beneficial for a council facing modern issues, Reyna said of resident interest in running for a council seat — especially from younger demographics.

"Sometimes you need to bring new thinking into the council," he said. "Experience and knowledge of the whole history of how things become what they are now is important, but so is having new people who are asking, ‘Why not trying something different?’ I like that balance."

Anthony Hahn: 303-473-1422, hahna@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/_anthonyhahn

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