LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — The Lafayette Parish School System has confirmed that the former director of the district’s Construction, Facilities and Maintenance Department is still employed with the district.

Former Construction Director Robert Gautreaux was replaced by Associate Superintendent Mark Rabalais, who has assumed direct oversight of the department for LPSS.

Gautreaux is back to his old job teaching agricultural science, after less than two years overseeing construction and maintenance projects, LPSS Communications Director Tracy Wirtz has confirmed. 

“That was a voluntary adjustment and any other information is in his personnel file,” Wirtz said.

The change resulted from the discovery of forged bids and the use of an unlicensed contractor by Lafayette Parish School System by a state auditor.

LPSS received a letter on May 21 from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, which found that a contractor that worked on a Lafayette school was unlicensed, and that two other bids for the project were forged. Other forged bids have since been discovered.

Two district employees were placed on administrative leave in connection with the matter, and the district handed the investigation over to the Lafayette Police Department. It is unclear if Gautreaux was one of those two employees.

Rabalais will report directly to Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr., according to an LPSS release announcing the move.

“This decision ensures strong leadership and continuity of operations as LPSS transitions the department to a more centralized and accountable structure,” the release read. “The district is also continuing its internal review of prior operational concerns.”

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