Highlights

• Carencro High School's agricultural barn failed two safety inspections, including exposed electrical wires that posed electrocution risks to students
• Lafayette Parish School System bypassed the required bidding process to expedite construction, resulting in safety violations and project delays
• Electrical work was completed without proper permits, prompting building code inspectors to reject the installation in May
• The $210,000 barn project remained unusable as of June 2025, despite plans to house student animals by winter 2025.
• LPSS claims legal approval for project-splitting practices but refuses to provide documentation, citing attorney-client privilege

Safety Violations Leave Carencro High Agricultural Barn Unusable After Months of Construction Problems

Lafayette Parish School System's decision to bypass bidding requirements resulted in electrical hazards, failed inspections, and delayed completion of student facility

CARENCRO, La. (KPEL News) — A new agricultural barn at Carencro High School remained closed to students as of June 2025, months after its planned winter completion, due to serious safety violations that building inspectors say could have resulted in electrocution.

According to an investigation by The Current, the Lafayette Parish School System's attempt to fast-track the project by avoiding the public bidding process backfired, creating both safety hazards and significant delays.

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Electrical Work Poses "Serious Risk" to Carencro Students

Building code inspector Rodney "Cooney" Richard discovered dangerous electrical conditions during an unscheduled May 13 inspection of the Carencro High facility. Exposed outdoor wires and improperly installed electrical panels created what Richard described as an immediate safety threat.

"Technically, it's really not safe. A kid could go out there and get electrocuted," Richard of Building Code Inspection Services told investigators. His company contracts with approximately two dozen municipalities throughout Louisiana to ensure construction safety standards.

The electrical hazards stemmed from work completed without required permits by Chris' Electrical Services of Lafayette. The contractor connected new electrical systems to an existing panel box attached to a damaged utility pole, leaving circuit breakers and wiring exposed where students could easily access them.

Richard's inspection revealed that a protective cover panel had been removed and was lying on the ground, exposing all electrical components. The rusty exterior panel box was attached to a leaning utility pole that inspectors determined was structurally unsound.

Lafayette Parish Schools Bypassed Safety Requirements

The safety violations traced back to LPSS administrators' decision to split the agricultural barn project into separate components to avoid Louisiana's public bidding requirements. Planning for the project began in early 2024, with administrators hoping this approach would save time and money on the $210,000 facility, which was planned to house student animals by winter 2025.

Scott-based Bergeron's Metal Buildings won the primary construction contract with a quote $38,000 lower than competitors. However, essential components like electrical work were excluded from the original project specifications, leading to separate arrangements that lacked proper oversight.

Chris' Electrical Services completed the electrical installation as an in-kind donation valued at $18,000, but without obtaining necessary permits from the city of Carencro. This permitless work created the dangerous conditions that inspectors later discovered.

Multiple Inspection Failures Delay Barn Opening

The Carencro agricultural barn had failed two separate inspections by summer 2025. Beyond the electrical hazards, building inspectors also rejected planned overhead doors that failed to meet Louisiana's wind load design requirements.

After the May 13 inspection identified safety violations, both Bergeron's Metal Buildings and Chris' Electrical Services applied for required permits on May 21. Chris' Electrical agreed to replace the damaged utility pole and panel box at an additional cost of $3,530, though it remains unclear whether the company expects payment for this corrective work.

Attorney Emile Joseph of Allen & Gooch law firm, representing Chris' Electrical, suggested that someone may have tampered with the electrical panel between inspections. However, building inspector Richard confirmed that safety violations existed regardless of any potential tampering.

Construction Problems Reflect Broader LPSS Issues

The Carencro barn's problems represented the latest in a series of construction and procurement controversies affecting Lafayette Parish schools. LPSS had faced scrutiny for project management procedures, including allegations of forged contractor quotes and inadequate due diligence on major construction projects.

READ MORE on the LPSS Bid Scandal

• State Investigation into LPSS Reveals Forged Contractor Bids and Licensing Violations
• LPSS Contractor Forgery Case Handed to Lafayette Police as Criminal Probe Begins

School system officials maintain that their project-splitting practices have legal approval and help complete projects that have been delayed for years. However, when investigators requested documentation of this legal guidance, LPSS declined to provide the communications, citing attorney-client privilege.

The system also claimed that auditors approved change orders for the Carencro barn project but has not produced records supporting this assertion.

Students Still Without Agricultural Facility

As of June 2025, Carencro High School students remained without access to the agricultural barn that was supposed to be completed. The facility lacked not only safe electrical systems but also basic infrastructure, including plumbing and waste management systems necessary for housing student animals.

The delays had disrupted agricultural education programs and prevented students from properly caring for livestock projects that were central to their coursework. School officials had not provided a timeline for when the facility might be safely opened for student use.

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Parents and community members continued to raise questions about LPSS construction practices and whether similar safety issues existed at other school facilities throughout Lafayette Parish.