Abbeville Mayor Criticizes Vermilion Parish Police Jury Over Neglected Historic Building

The city will take ownership of the old Hibernia Bank Building, which needs over $1 million in repairs.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 9:21pm

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A realistic oil painting depicting the exterior of an old, two-story brick building with large windows and ornate architectural details, set against a backdrop of warm, golden sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of nostalgic solitude and the passage of time.The neglected historic Hibernia Bank Building in Abbeville, Louisiana, which requires $1.3 million in repairs, has become a point of contention between the city and parish governments.Abbeville Today

Abbeville Mayor Roslyn White strongly criticized the Vermilion Parish Police Jury for the neglected condition of the old Hibernia Bank Building, which the police jury has owned for over 20 years. An independent inspection found the building requires at least $605,000 in repairs to make it suitable for occupancy, with an additional $700,000 needed for full renovations. Despite the high costs, the city council voted 3-1 to accept the police jury's offer to transfer ownership of the building to Abbeville.

Why it matters

The old Hibernia Bank Building is a historic structure in downtown Abbeville, and its poor condition under the police jury's ownership has become a point of contention. The transfer of the building to the city government raises questions about who should be responsible for maintaining aging public properties and how to fund necessary repairs.

The details

Following an inspection by Vermilion Architects, Mayor White expressed strong criticism of the police jury's lack of maintenance on the building over the past two decades. The inspection found issues that would require at least $605,000 to address, including replacing windows, repairing the exterior, and replacing air conditioning units. An additional $700,000 would be needed for full renovations. Despite the high costs, the city council voted 3-1 to accept the police jury's offer to transfer ownership of the building to Abbeville.

  • The Police Jury has owned the building for over 20 years.
  • The Police Jury has made minimal repairs to the building in the past six years.
  • The city council voted on April 8, 2026 to accept the police jury's offer to transfer ownership of the building.

The players

Roslyn White

The mayor of Abbeville who strongly criticized the police jury's neglect of the old Hibernia Bank Building.

Vermilion Parish Police Jury

The local government body that has owned the old Hibernia Bank Building for over 20 years and is now transferring ownership to the city of Abbeville.

David Hamer

An architect with Vermilion Architects, LLC who conducted an independent inspection of the old Hibernia Bank Building.

Francis Plaisance

An Abbeville city councilman who voted against accepting the police jury's offer to transfer ownership of the building.

Brady Broussard Jr.

An Abbeville city councilman who supported accepting the police jury's offer to transfer ownership of the building.

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What they’re saying

“If I was surprised by anything, I was surprised by the neglect of the building. Some of the issues of the building could have been negated had it been maintained. This is where your tax dollars have been spent over the last 20 years.”

— Roslyn White, Mayor of Abbeville

“You know the old saying, 'You can't judge a book by its cover.' This is what I feel about this building. There have been many problems with this building, and that is why the police jury has been trying to get rid of it for a long time.”

— Francis Plaisance, Abbeville City Councilman

“Why would we not consolidate into a single building and sell the smaller buildings that we have outgrown? That is why I support this.”

— Brady Broussard Jr., Abbeville City Councilman

What’s next

The Vermilion Parish Police Jury is expected to officially transfer ownership of the old Hibernia Bank Building and the old downtown library to the city of Abbeville at their meeting on Wednesday. In exchange, the city will allow the Sheriff's Department to remain in the old Hibernia building at no cost.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges local governments face in maintaining aging public properties, especially historic buildings that require significant investment. The transfer of the old Hibernia Bank Building to Abbeville raises questions about responsibility for upkeep and the difficult tradeoffs between preserving historic structures versus demolishing them due to high repair costs.