Randolph scrambles to fill top spot for parks, public facilities director

Parish President Charlotte Randolph has 60 days to fill a vacant department head position after the Lafourche Parish Council voted down an ordinance to restructure parish departments,

For about three weeks the Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities director position, previously held by Brennan Matherne, has been vacant. In early August, Matherne vacated his administrative post to become the parish’s public information officer.

At last week’s meeting, the administration presented the council with an ordinance that would eliminate the Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities head, and place parks and recreation under Community Action and public facilities under Public Works.

Thomas Turner III runs Community Action and Ronnie Robichaux heads the Department of Public Works.

However, at Tuesday’s council meeting, councilmen disagreed about restructuring the departments and voted the measure down.

Councilman Joe Fertitta said parks and recreation is too important to be shuffled to another department.

“Parks and recreation programs should not be diluted,” he said. “We need to have someone heading that department. Community Action has too much going on already to handle parks and recreation properly.”

“We need someone in place to handle the recreation for the children,” he added.

Randolph agreed and said, “Recreation is important, but someone has to head that department if it’s going to stay as one of the executive departments.”

“Public facilities and maintenance can really run itself, so it would be no problem to put it with Public Works,” she added.

The council still was not pleased with shoveling more work onto Robichaux. Randolph suggested that the council hire a manager for parks and recreation and a manager for public facilities.

Councilman Philip Gouaux disagreed saying that the parish should not spend more money to create additional positions that were previously held by one person.

Gouaux said that the council should promote someone from within the parish government to the position.

Randolph is in the process of looking at advertising for the position or filling the position from within the ranks.

Also taking place at the meeting, the council has a new home for the Thibodaux Library after suspending all construction on a new library in April.

The council voted to purchase property at 705 W. Fifth St. in Thibodaux as the home for the library.

The cost of the building, which includes parking across the street, was $2.3 million.

The 20,000-square-foot building opened in the summer of 1987. The Daily Comet newspaper is currently occupying it.

The sales agreement gives the Daily Comet a Feb. 26 deadline to vacate the building. Randolph hopes the newspaper’s staff will be out of the building before year’s end.

To finalize the sale, Randolph said the parish will hire an attorney to prepare an environmental assessment and complete sale documents.

“It’s one of the best-built buildings in the parish,” Councilman Louis Richard said. “It’s good for the people, and it’s good for revitalizing downtown.”

The council also narrowly approved extending the contract of Dr. Melvin Elliot Jr. of the Thibodaux Animal Shelter for a year to provide services to the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter.

Councilmen Rodney Doucet, Lindel Toups and Gouaux voted against the measure.

Elliot was hired in June on an as-needed basis. The administration wanted to extend the services because he was the only veterinarian to submit a proposal back in June.

Councilmen argued over whether to honor Elliot’s contract or resubmit for proposals. At the July 28 meeting, the council requested that the parish send a notice to all local veterinarians looking for proposals.

None have been received at this time, according to parish officials.

In the meantime, Elliot will have the one-year contract. Randolph said the council can request that the administration send out notices to all area veterinarians again next year.