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A special meeting of the Lafourche Parish Council called last Thursday solely to propose a measure that would rescind a recently approved ordinance amending the Home Rule Charter failed for lack of a quorum.

A five-person voting majority is required for the council to take any action, and only three councilmen showed up to the meeting: John Arnold, Aaron Caillouet and Michael Delatte, the three that signed the meeting’s order. Absent councilmen cited work, personal obligations and disinterest for missing the meeting.


“I’m not showing up to a special meeting after we already voted on (the issue),” said Councilman Daniel Lorraine. “Does it look like I have ‘stupid’ written across my forehead?”


At least five days prior to being heard and voted on by the council, an ordinance must first be proposed during an open and advertised council session. Last week’s special meeting was an attempt to propose an ordinance so that it could be heard at the Aug. 14 meeting. The measure at stake aims to rescind an amendment to the Home Rule Charter, as approved by a 6-2-1 vote at the council’s last meeting.

The Charter amendment in question, to be decided by voters in November, would require the parish administrator to live in Lafourche Parish for at least one year prior to nomination and terminate those not in compliance. Current Administrator Crystal Chiasson lives in neighboring Assumption Parish.


The same three councilman called another special meeting for yesterday. The results were not known at press time. A second measure was added to the agenda: a resolution approving an agreement to reimburse Jake’s Kids LLC for school uniforms.


“I’m going to continue to try to fight it even if it means fighting it at the ballot box, when it actually comes up to a vote,” Caillouet said. “I would hope it wouldn’t get to that point, because that’s a very expensive proposition and what it’s doing is passing the buck to the people to do a job we’re supposed to do – hire and fire.”

Caillouet has opposed placing the amendment as written on the ballot because it may “confuse voters.” Some residents may agree with the residency requirement, he said, but in order to support that requirement, they also have to vote in favor of terminating Chiasson.


Because the Charter amendment would prohibit this situation in the future, the retroactive clause would have little value beyond expelling Chiasson.


Chiasson, who spent more than $1,200 in tax on three Lafourche properties last year, has been a frequent council target since she was first appointed by a 6-2 vote in 2008.

The lack of a quorum provoked questions regarding the elected officials’ duties to their constituents. It takes three councilmen to call a special meeting, which is at least an indication that one-third of the body feels there is an important matter to discuss, Councilman Phillip Gouaux said.

Gouaux, who was absent last week, said he would attend the next one if he had the time because he feels obligated to provide fellow councilmen a forum.

“I feel as though if they call a special meeting, it’s our obligation to at least go and listen to what they have to say,” Gouaux said. “If you don’t go just because you feel as though your mind is set, you’re a little too close-minded to be a councilman.”

Jerry LaFont, who owns a hair salon, said he didn’t want to leave his job early to propose an ordinance that he opposes. Considering the cost of special meetings – such as councilmen mileage and staffing council clerk workers – he said calling another special meeting would be a waste of taxpayer money since six councilmen voted in favor of the amendment on July 27.

“My mind will not change,” LaFont said. “I’m a firm believer that the parish administrator should live inside the parish. … On an issue that I’m not going to change my mind on, I’m not going to leave work.”

Arnold and Caillouet opposed the original ordinance. Delatte was absent, and all others favored the Charter amendment. As of now, it is in the hands of the electorate, scheduled to appear on the Nov. 6 presidential ballot.

The deadline to submit the proposition in time to make the ballot is Aug. 27, one day prior to the council’s second scheduled meeting this month.

The numbers game will extend beyond last night’s special meeting. Even if the ordinance is heard, it would take a two-thirds vote on Aug. 14 to rescind the Charter amendment, meaning at least three councilmen would have to change their vote for it to pass.

Caillouet said he’s optimistic the next meeting will have a quorum, but he’s not sure if enough lawmakers will change their votes to rescind the ordinance.

“When Mr. Caillouet was parish president, he knew how to count,” Lorraine said. “Now that he’s a parish councilman, he forgot how to count.”