$19.4M in storm aid headed to St. Mary

The St. Mary Parish Council learned $10.6 million in federal hurricane-relief spending is on its way to the parish, and a second $8.7 million allocation could soon follow to fund local housing, infrastructure, business recovery and economic revitalization.

Parish Chief Administrative Officer Henry “Bo” LaGrange told the council last week that the money earmarked for St. Mary – a total of $19.4 million – is part of the Louisiana Recovery Authority plan state lawmakers approved earlier this month. It awaits final approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“We know that we’re going to receive the first allocation of $10.6 million shortly,” LaGrange said. “So in the next three to six months, we plan to come before you to get your help in identifying projects we can address.”

In other fiscal matters, the council approved issuing $2.5 million in general obligation bonds for parish library improvements. Morgan City is excluded from the bond sale because it generates a millage to support its libraries.

Patterson State Bank and Iberia Bank of Lafayette are offering the parish a 3.96 percent rate.

St. Mary Parish bond attorney Lonnie Bewley told the council during a public hearing before the meeting that the parish’s recent “A” rating benefits the sale. The rating, he said, “is important because it’s hard to get people excited about buying long-term bonds.”

Newly elected council Chairman Gary Duhon and Vice Chairman Albert Foulcard also accepted a final report from the St. Mary Parish Charter Review Commis-sion. The group offered four major suggested changes to the parish’s charter, ranging from changing how the parish spends taxpayer money to seeking pay raises for the council and parish president.

If approved by the council, the changes could be put to voters on a congressional ballot. The earliest the charter changes would likely take effect is 2012.

Specifically, Charter Review Chairman Stan Beaubouef said the revisions are:

• To require the parish council to adhere more closely to the charter, requiring an ordinance as opposed to a resolution and seeking public input prior to a vote when spending unbudgeted money.

Article II of the parish charter allows “any act” to be used to appropriate funds or adopt budgets. The St. Mary Parish Council’s longtime practice has been to consider resolutions on unbudgeted spending.

Beaubouef said the change would allow the public to voice its opinion prior to a council decision on financial matters.

• To prohibit council members from seeking an at-large or individual council seat after they have served in office for two consecutive terms.

If approved, the change would prevent councilmen from serving 12 to 16 consecutive years. Beaubouef noted any councilman would be free to seek the parish president office, however.

• To increase single-district council pay from $450 to $800 monthly, and at-large council pay from $800 to $1,000 monthly. The commission also seeks a pay hike for the parish president, raising the part-time position’s annual salary from $12,000 to $36,000.

• The final suggestion was to change the parish president’s role to a full-time post, offering an annual salary of $65,000.

Beaubouef said the change would redirect all operations in St. Mary Parish from the chief administrator’s supervision to the parish president. As such, the parish president would design a job description and appoint a chief administrator.

The move is a departure from St. Mary’s current practice. The parish president, Paul Naquin, currently serves in a part-time capacity, while the chief administrator, Bo Lagrange, runs the day-to-day operations.

In other business, the parish council delayed a decision to allow Petroleum Helicopters Inc. permission to build a mobile home park to house employees at its Lake Palourde Road site facility.

Council members requested more details on the project from Parish Planning and Zoning Commissioner Carol Vinning, who was not present at last week’s meeting.

The PHI Inc. request is expected to appear on the council’s next meeting agenda.

The council also learned Assistant District Attorney Vincent Borne of Franklin has been tapped to serve as legal adviser. He replaces Jim McClelland, who won a 16th Judicial District judge seat last fall.