11/22/2015-- 4:12 PM CDT
Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has named Ben Nevers as his chief of staff. He announced this at a press conference Sunday afternoon. Edwards said that Nevers "has my complete confidence. I could not be happier with the decision that I have made and couldn't be more pleased that Senator Nevers agreed to do this."Ben Nevers has taken positions and supported legislation that has come under fire over the years.
Years ago, we wrote about the ongoing controversy regarding man-made reservoirs in Louisiana. One of our concerns was with the Oak Grove community in Washington Parish, where homeowners were facing a government land grab to build the planned reservoir.
Senator Ben Nevers was among the architects of the "reservoir legislation" which enabled the government to take private property.
According to reports, there was a hearing back in 2005 where Nevers explained his position.
Senator Nevers testified that no one loved Washington Parish as much as he did, and how it hurt him to have to do things for the betterment of the parish that would displace his friends.
He went on to say that the reservoir was for much- needed potable water. He offered no evidence of the need for potable water; he just said that there was a need.
Though permits to build the reservoir have been denied, the Washington Parish Reservoir commission has not given up. This video shows a meeting of the commission in July, where the residents of the community confront the commission about the attempted land grab by the government to make way for the reservoir.
Nevers is a term- limited Senator who is leaving the Senate seat in district 12. Republican Beth Mizell is his successor, and she opposes the reservoir project. At a recent debate, Mizell said that "I am known in this parish as being anti- reservoir. I imagine the property that me and my husband worked so hard to build, and the farm that we hold dear, and I imagine that under water. The idea that a giant body of water right across the middle of the parish is a nightmare."
(C) THE DEAD PELICAN 2016