Avoyelles Port Commission hires Sam Ducote as director

Longtime Simmesport businessman Samuel Ducote was hired as the Avoyelles Port’s first director during the Port Commission’s Dec. 17 meeting.

Ducote was selected from three candidates for the position. He will start his duties on Jan. 2, earning $20 an hour for approximately 25 hours a week.

Ducote owned Ducote’s Hardware and Lumber and recently sold that business.

“Sam brings three things to the table,” Port Commission President Barry Laiche said. “First, he has a lifelong knowledge of Avoyelles Parish and the Simmesport area,” Laiche noted. “He also has extensive business and administrative knowledge. Thirdly, he has the ability to make this position his sole focus.”

Ducote’s duties will include seeking tenants and marketing the port to area businesses, but he will also be responsible for clerical tasks, Laiche said.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Ducote, 60, is a native of Simmesport. He owned and operated his lumber yard for 28 years until he sold it this past June.

He and his wife Donna have two grown sons. Austin lives in Simmesport and David lives in Jeanerette.

Prior to opening his own business, Ducote worked as a paramedic and then obtained a degree in radiology technology.

“I hope we can make progress,” he said. “We need it here.” Ducote said he knows people across the state and “will be getting the word out.” Having larger ports north, south and west of the Simmesport site could make it tougher for the small port to compete, but he said there could be large companies who would prefer a site where they could build their own loading and offloading facilities on the river.

In other business at the Dec. 17 meeting, the commission received its annual audit report.

It was noted during that routine report that none of the nine port commissioners have requested reimbursement for allowable costs such as mileage and other expenses incurred in the course of their service as a commissioner.

“I think that is noteworthy,” Laiche said. “The commissioners serve on a voluntary basis and have decided to donate their time and incurred costs to serve the public.