Peers argue Walters MIA from council seat duties

The state Board of Ethics fined St. Mary Parish Councilman Chuck Walters, $20,000 in late August, for being employed with a company who did business at the parish golf course in Patterson.

And since that time, no one on the St. Mary Parish Council n or in the parish government for that matter n has commented openly about the charge or about Walters’ excessive absences as the parish representative of Amelia residents.

The parish Home Rule Charter does not address council members’ attendance.

Repeated calls to Walters to discuss the recent turn of events went unreturned.

However, the apparent unspoken code of silence among the council changed last week after Parish Councilman David Hanagriff attempted to thwart a council agenda item that Walters originally brought to the council’s table.

The discussion was over a track of land owned by a group who called themselves Cajunland USA, a development company that Walters originally introduced to the council. The company is interested in developing a hotel and other retail outlets along Lake Palourde Bypass Road in Amelia.

The land has no infrastructure, so in order for Cajunland to sign any paperwork with prospects, the parish must agree to construct sewage, water and other utility hook-ups.

Walters was slated to introduce an agenda item to extend discussions on the project for six months at last week’s council meeting. However, he was absent n a consecutive occurrence since late summer.

Hangriff, who represents Centerville, interjected after Councilman Gary Duhon introduced the item on Walters’ behalf.

“First of all, I have yet to see a single site plan, and there is no dollar amount on what the infrastructure is,” Hanagriff said. “But the fact of the matter is this n for me to vote on anything that has Mr. Walter’s name on it or attached to it, well, I almost have to get the approval of the Ethics Board.

“This is just a disgrace to the council, and that’s the way I feel about it,” he added.

Councilman Steve Biehorst took issue with Hanagriff, arguing Walters’ name should never have been mentioned. “This is about improving our economy, and I don’t think us approving this resolution to extend discussions on this project for a month or so will hurt us one bit.”

The measure to extend discussions was approved by a 7-to-2 vote. Duhon abstained.

Chuck Walters has been fined for having a job with a company doing business with St. Mary Parish’s golf course.