Bourgeois responds to indictment
November 1, 2017OUR VIEW: Pay attention to kid justice
November 1, 2017
A controversial ordinance that will give the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government oversight of how neighborhood recreation districts manage their affairs passed by an 8-1 vote during last Wednesday’s meeting.
The 11 districts each have independent power to tax property owners and enter into contracts. Members are nominated by Parish Council members and appointed by the council. But disappointment over the progress of a sports complex in Houma’s District 2-3 and questions about the operations of another Houma District, Rec 11, sparked calls for the parish to keep a tighter rein.
Council Member John Navy wrote an initial draft of an oversight ordinance, which was picked up by Council Member Darrin Guidry, who crafted it into its current form. One of the previous versions presented by Navy failed at the Sept. 15 council meeting by a vote of 4-3, when members Scotty Dryden and Steve Trosclair were absent. Trosclair left that meeting around 9 p.m. for a work appointment after multiple hours of discussion regarding the ordinance. At tonight’s meeting, both Trosclair and Dryden voted in favor, while Dirk Guidry and Christa Duplantis-Prather went from against the previous ordinance to approving the current one. Gerald Michel was the only member opposed to both measures.
An item that drew particular ire from rec district members was a provision that enables any member to be dismissed with or without cause. Rec districts opposed the measure in large part because they fear it will erode their autonomy. The ordinance also calls for stricter financial oversight by requiring rec districts to turn in yearly budgets subject to parish administration review and council approval, with the parish president having line-item veto powers. The ordinance also gives the council the power to enact through a motion stricter regulations on specific districts that would require those districts to get approval from parish administration on any expenditure or payment.
Recreation District 5 Board Member Travis Carrell took particular issue with the parish president’s veto powers. At the public hearing, Carrell said giving veto powers to parish administration essentially amounted to consolidation of the rec districts, which many council members have said they would never vote for. Carrell suggested a number of changes to the ordinance such as clauses setting standards related to a rec district’s fund balance activating the increased oversight.
“I would like to see some oversight, but oversight done correctly. This ordinance is a complete overreach, a complete control thing, and a complete consolidation,” Carrell said. “I understand the allegations that have been set forth against those two recreation districts. I also understand no wrongdoings have been shown, have been proven.”
However, the council did not heed Carrell’s suggestion and voted on the motion as is. It also later voted to enact the stricter rules on both Rec 2-3 and 11. Duplantis-Prather said she approved the most recent measure because it had better language than the original ordinance that was voted down. Duplantis-Prather said she has been in support of oversight since being elected in 1996 due to the high amounts of tax dollars at play.
“You have these boards – some are doing a great job, not all boards – but it’s a lot of money and a lot of things that are being done within the parish,” Duplantis-Prather said. “When you go around and look at things and say ‘Well, why does this park have more, why this park doesn’t have this?’”
Terrebonne’s recreation saga seemingly came to an end after months of heated debate from residents, council members, rec board members and the business community. Council members thanked the public for taking a pointed interest in the issue and sharing their opinions. Michel noted the controversy surrounding the vote, and said voters could provide a concrete statement on the ordinance at the voting booth.
“You can set an alarm for two years from now and express your opinion in the polls if you disagree with me or with anybody else who’s voting in an incorrect manner in your opinion,” Michel said.
