Friends of Bayou Pigeon Heritage Association
We received the attached e mail today, from our attorney after requesting an update on the status of the Lease negotiation and donation (ownership) of former St. Joan of Arc church Complex to BPHA.
From the message, we can infer that the Civil law portion of the lease proposed by A. Wilbert's to the Diocese has basically been agreed to.
Canon Law is different, Cannon Law review is to ensure there is nothing in the donation that would allow activities contrary to Catholic Dogma and is separate from Civil Legal analysis. We imagine this review is because we intend to have a Chapel Room / Prayer Room in the Heritage Hall.
The drop dead date for a resolution between the Diocese of BTR and A. Wilbert's, LLC is Nov. 17, 2019, the Diocese has two years from the date they ceased the complex of being an active church (Nov18, 2017). After that The Diocese would be in default of their lease contract.
Thus from our side of the net, we know the lease will be agreed to on or before the 17 of November. A Wilbert's has communicated many times they are committed to this happening. Essentially The Catholic Diocese of BTR has no choice unless they plan to reopen the church. They certainly could not do demolition to dirt in time not to be default of the lease.
At that time we will have to transfer utilities and trigger General liability insurance coverage, in our names. The Diocese will cease all of those things, including grounds maintenance. They wanted us to take over the maintenance months ago.
Consider this a follow up to last weeks roll out of the Membership Recruitment drive started Oct. 5, 2019 at the Iberville Parish Swamp expo and last weeks BPHA Website communication.
Now is the time for all of us to pay our individual dues, so that on or before Nov. 17 we have the money to trigger the utilities and insurance on the Complex. It is so easy to do that through the website and / or send in a check to The BPHA.
Think about this for a moment. We are going to get ownership of a complex that is larger than The Knights of Columbus complex in Plaquemine which has been existence for more than a 100 years... free, free...
... the value of what we will own is excess of $750K. Think about what we as organization could do with that.
We don't want to fumble the ball on the goal line. I implore our friends.
Get those dues in , lets show A. Wilbert's and The Diocese we are serious and up to the task.
Thus far we have 15 paying members. Two are Life time members of $1000 each. They are the Parish President and the Sheriff, they are the most prominent leaders in the parish and they put their money up to show support.
What are we waiting for...
In the spirit of those who have come before us...
Let's get this done... Aim straight
Cliff LeGrange / Roy Leblanc