Dugas resigns as regional planning group’s director
Huey Dugas has resigned as executive director of the Capital Region Planning Commission effective immediately, West Baton Rouge Parish President Riley Berthelot said Wednesday.
Berthelot, who serves as the commission’s vice president, said Dugas did not give a specific reason for the resignation in his brief letter.
“He just up and resigned,” Berthelot said. “I guess he had been considering retirement.”
Efforts to reach Dugas for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Berthelot said he called commission members to notify them of Dugas’ retirement. He said the prevailing sentiment among the members was mild surprise, mostly about the resignation being effective immediately.
He said the commission meets infrequently and that Dugas’ departure will need to be addressed quickly.
Baker Mayor Harold Rideau said Berthelot called him to say Dugas resigned via letter, but said he has not seen a copy of it.
Berthelot said the commission’s executive committee will meet at 11 a.m. Thursday in the West Baton Rouge Parish council chambers to discuss its next move.
“I think we got a few little housekeeping things to do,” Berthelot said. “Just some things like if we’re going to advertise for a new director or if we’re going to hire a consultant.”
Berthelot said the meeting will be open to the public.
The group will also hold its regularly scheduled meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Baker Municipal Building.
The CPRC is a voluntary organization with officials from 11 parishes and 38 municipalities who work together to resolve problems that extend across multiple parishes, such as transportation and drainage issues, according to the commission’s website.
The CPRC also serves as Baton Rouge’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, which the metro area is required to have to receive federal highway funds and work on regional transportation planning.