Several ordinances weren’t passed at Monday night’s Parish Council meeting, Nov. 21. Council members Rodney Bedgood, Patsy Ward Hoover and Chris Paige voted against Ordinance 9, 10 and 12. No one seconded Ordinance 11, so it died. The ordinances were:
#9: Salaries of Parish Government Department heads directly reporting to the Parish President are reported as individual line items in the preparation and presentation of the Operating Budget
#10: Beginning with the 2017 Operating Budget, no department head shall have a salary and benefit package equal to or exceeding that of the Parish President
#11: Developing a plan to broadcast in real time the proceedings of Parish Council meetings
#12: Divide the current Personnel Manual into two separate manuals, one containing the personnel policies and the other containing employee job descriptions
In other news, an agenda item brought to the Council’s attention at its last meeting was an appeal filed over a zoning amendment of a parcel of land approved at an Oct. 3 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Council voted to uphold the Commission’s decision. Unhappy with the decision, the appellants said they will be taking the matter to civil court.
Another controversial issue was an ordinance for the Council to consider entering into a lease agreement with Donny Whitehead for a Vowells Mill polling place. Whitehead is the new owner of the property since September. The lease is for $600/year with a $75/month maintenance fee. While some thought the maintenance fee would save Parish workers and Parish money, others thought it ridiculous to pay the owner of the property for upkeep when Parish employees could do the work. The matter was tabled until the next meeting.
Other agenda items included:
Enter into lease agreement with Ernest Self for Creston polling place
Approve insurance rates for 2017
Introducing resolution calling for election for renewal of ad valorem tax for the Parish Library, Health Unit, Road District 40 and Parish Buildings for March 25, 2017
Adopt budget revisions for 2016 budget
Adopt amendments to Personnel Manual
Reappoint Ralph Ingram to Port Commission, Doris Kochinsky to Youth and Planning Board and appoint Silton Metoyer and Justin Shilling to Fire District 1 Board (Christophe and Atteridge resigned)
Authorize Parish President to solicit proposals for providing structural engineering services relative to Parish owned and maintained bridges and to enter into a retainer contract with the selected firm for the period of Jan. 1, 2017-Dec. 31, 2019 (Council members Doug de Graffenried and Patsy Ward Hoover voted against this agenda item)
Approve the amended 2016 budget and the 2017 budget for the Tourist Commission
Adopt Parish-wide Hazard Mitigation Plan
Reject bid received for renovation to the courthouse restrooms and the clerk’s office
Just looking in from the outside, it seems some council members are trying to put into place some controls to better manage the funds and employees of the parish. Trying to manage and to run a tighter ship so to speak then in the past! And I have to wonder why 3 members would be against measures that would do just that? Is it just for spite or do they have a better plan? For some reason they have decided to vote these ordinances down, I would just like to know and understand why?
Will the order to allow our Children to go to closer schools than being zoned for Clourtirville be discussed. The order should have expired in November.