FISCAL REPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT ETHICS IN ST MARY?

BY: HOWARD J. CASTAY, JR.

Saying that he personally has a problem with parish government spending more than $10,000 on any proposal without public input, St. Mary Parish Councilman Glen Hidalgo suggested the council appoint a committee to amend the parish charter with a proposal that would require them to hold public hearings before making any such fiscal decision.

Citing a recent decision by the parish council to hire former State Rep. Jack Smith as their new capitol liaison with an initial salary of $50,000, Hidalgo said, “It’s OK to give a recreation department $2,000 or $3,000 here and there, but to offer this job position at $50,000, to be paid for with public money, without the public input, is wrong. Taxpayers include the elderly, and many others who are on fixed incomes.”

“It’s time to look at bringing the charter up from 1983 to 2008 standards,” Hidalgo said. “I ask the council to discuss the idea of appointing a representative from each of their districts to study the charter, and to gain public input.”

Councilman Logan Fromenthal agreed, “This should have been done years ago.” So did

Councilman Albert Foulcard, “I’m glad you brought this up. It’s a great example of good government in action.”

Councilman (Rev) Craig Matthews agreed, calling the idea, “wise.” However, he cautioned the councilman to choose someone who “…will be mindful of all decisions that will best represent the whole district and the parish…while not getting too bogged down in the public process.”

Councilman Kevin Voisin said amending the parish charter would require parish wide voter approval. He suggested that the matter be discussed as soon as possible, “so that it can be placed on a ballot like the Presidential Election this fall.”

Voisin said in order for that to happen, the Secretary of State’s office must be notified by Sept 18. He said before that happens, the ordinance changing the charter would have be posted for at least 20 days, in order for any public opposition to be received.

In a related matter, former St. Mary Parish Councilman Peter Soprano appeared before the Council, to address his actions at the last Parish Council, after former State Rep. Jack Smith refused the Capitol Liaison job offer from the parish leaders.

As Smith left the podium, he recommended the council offer the job to Soprano, as the “legislature needs a good laugh every now and then.”

In reply, Soprano shouted from the audience, “Real cute Jack. Real cute. Now won’t you say that to me in the street, so I can slap the s*** out of you.”

At the April 23rd Council meeting in Franklin, Soprano apologized saying, “I guess when you get into a p-ing match with skunk, you stink. And I really stunk at that meeting.”

In other business, Parish Chief Administrative Officer Heny “Bo” LaGrange announced that FEMA will be holding an open house May 6, to unveil preliminary parish wide flood maps. The meeting will open to the public from 2 to 8pm, at the Patterson Civic Center, 116 Cotton Road. LaGrange said local officials and specialists will be on hand to answer questions ranging from flood risks, to whether or not flood insurance is required in some areas.

Also in another matter, LaGrange said the parish has submitted a $148,000 grant to the State Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Division of Outdoor Recreation, for improvements to public parks in Centerville and Sorrell. He said if the parish receives the grant, one of the requirements is that they match it with an additional $148,000.