The controversy over a proposed barge cleaning facility that would be located on the riverfront near the Riverbend subdivision and BREC’s Farr Park Equestrian Center park continued to heat up this week.
After Port of Greater Baton Rouge Director Jay Hardman told Daily Report on Monday that the controversy was overblown, Mayor Kip Holden fired off a letter on Tuesday to the port director criticizing his defense of the facility.
“Just because the port owns the land, you are willing to sacrifice the best interest of the citizens of Baton Rouge for a $120,000 a year contract the port entered into with Tubal Cain,” reads Holden’s letter. “This is outrageous and a total disrespect to the people of our community.”
While Hardman was defending the proposed facility, a pair of Metro Council members began moving to change the zoning of the proposed riverside site to stymie the project. A resolution to that end will be discussed at the council’s meeting on Wednesday next week.
