St. Landry Parish Council to meet Wednesday

AGENDA
ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
NOVEMBER 18, 2015 @ 6:00 P.M.
OLD CITY MARKET, 131 W. BELLEVUE ST.
OPELOUSAS, LOUISIANA

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION
By Councilman Jerry Red

III. ROLL CALL

IV. CONDOLENCES

V. PERSONS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL
• Aimia Doucet- Capital Area Finance Authority

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Regular Meeting: Special Meeting:

October 21, 2015 November 10, 2015

VII. PARISH PRESIDENT’S REPORT

• One Acadiana
• SLED
• Acadiana Planning Commission
• Hazelwood Energy Hub
• Introduce an ordinance to adjust the Parish President’s salary

VIII. NEW BUSINESS:
*Items passed through committee.

• Request Mr. Katry Martin with St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Deposal District attend the December 16, 2016 Regular Council Meeting.

• Request a letter be sent to Ms. Julie David on the status of the Attorney’s General opinion regarding Bear Road.

• Vote for two applicants to be appointed to the East St. Landry Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1. Applicants are Cody Stanford and Chris Leblanc.

• Vote for five applicants to be appointed to Fire District No. 7. Seeking reappointment are Tom Rabalais and Hals Beard. New Applicants are Brenda Ducote, Sondra Cormier, and Sandra Cason.

• Request Legal Advisor Chad Pitre send a letter to the trucking company located on Powers Street in Opelousas informing them of the route they must take when leaving this facility.

• Request Parish President Bill Fontenot resubmit the 2016 proposed budget in its entirely.

• Request Administration provide to the Council an amended budget for the years 2014 and 2015.

• Request a letter be sent to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office to ask Captain Clay Higgins to film a segment on St. Landry Parish Crime Stoppers regarding the theft that occurred at the St. Landry Parish Animal Shelter.

• Discuss and decided on the removal of Mr. Pete Olivier from Ward Two Gravity Drainage District No. 1 effective January of 2016 and an appointment be made to fill this vacant seat.

• Discuss and decided on the reconvening of a Home Rule Charter Commission.

IX. SPECIAL BUSINESS:

• Request a letter be sent to Darnall, Sikes, Gardes & Frederick to have a workshop on the proposed 2016 budget for newly elected Councilmembers. (Councilman Wayne Ardoin)

• Discuss issues concerning no money for road signs. (Councilwoman Pam Gautreau)

• Discuss roads signs for Chretien Point Road. (Councilwoman Pam Gautreau)

X. ORDINANCES TO BE INTRODUCED:
• ORDINANCE NO. 2015-010

AN ORDINANCE TO SET REGULAR MEETING DATES FOR THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR THE YEAR 2016 ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT SIX O’CLOCK PM AND FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS AND ADMINISTRATIVE/FINANCE COMMITTEES TO MEET ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT SIX O’CLOCK PM
Dates for upcoming Council Meetings in 2016 are listed below:

Regular Meeting:
January 20, 2016
February 17, 2016
March 16, 2016
April 20, 2016
May 18, 2016
June 15, 2016
July 20, 2016
August 17, 2016
September 21, 2016
October 19, 2016
November 16, 2016
December 21, 2016

Committee Meetings:
January 6, 2016
February 3, 2016
March 2, 2016
April 6, 2016
May 4, 2016
June 1, 2016
July 6, 2016
August 3, 2016
September 7, 2016
October 5, 2016
November 2, 2016
December 7, 2016

XI. ORDINANCES TO BE ADOPTED:

None.

XII. RESOLUTIONS TO BE ADOPTED:

• RESOLUTION nO. 2015-017

A RESOULTION IN SUPPORT OF A
VETERANS FUNERAL HONOR GUARD
TO ASSURE “A BEST GOING-AWAY POSSIBLE”

WHEREAS, due to the proposed cut back of active duty military troops at Fort Polk and the Louisiana National Guard on alert for possible deployment, we will see a cut back in Honor Guard services; and

WHEREAS, American Legion Post 514 located in Opelousas is taking the cut back in services as a reality and has voted to sponsor a Veterans Funeral Honor Guard to assure “A Best Going- Away Possible” for the veterans of St. Landry Parish in which approximately 5,500 veterans currently reside; and

WHEREAS, this unique Veterans Funeral Honor Guard will be trained in formal military procedures for funerals consisting of a full rifle squad, one rifle squad leader, one flag folding detain, one bugler and (if requested) six pallbearers; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Parish President and the St. Landry Parish Council, do extend their support of the development of a Veterans Funeral Honor Guard in St. Landry Parish.

XIII. COMMITTEE MINUTES

ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING
NOVEMBER 4th, 2015
OLD CITY MARKET, 131 W. BELLEVUE ST.
OPELOUSAS, LOUISIANA

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

1. Chairman Dexter Brown called this meeting of the Public Works Committee of the St. Landry Parish Council to order.
Council Clerk Mona Courville called roll:
PRESENT: Jerry Red, Fekisha Miller Matthews, Ronald Buschel, Dexter Brown, Timmy Lejeune, and Leon Robinson, Ex-Officio. ABSENT: Gary Courville.

2. Councilman Dexter Brown led the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Invocation.

3. Persons to address the Committee:
A) Carl Ledoux, “I live in Broadmoor Subdivision. I’ve been there for forty (40) plus years. In those forty (40) plus years there’s been new construction, only, in the subdivision. We were one of the first houses. I have four/five brothers and sisters that lives there. I was always told that we couldn’t put modular homes or mobile home trailers in there. I have a trailer for my child. Now, I know I can’t put it there. I’m following the guidelines and the rules. It was brought to my attention that we’re going to get a trailer in the subdivision. That’s not fair for my child or the others that built their houses from the ground up. Matter of fact, I built some houses off of Pershing Hwy. There are rules and regulations to abide by. I was just trying to get clarity on this. I’ve never seen a brick home inside a trailer park. I have all of Broadmoor Subdivision to my right, not all of them. There are one hundred and fifty eight (158) homes. We’re having the same problem.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Yes Sir.”
Carl Ledoux, “That’s all I’m asking for is some clarity on this thing. The rules say what has to be done. Thank y’all.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Thank you Sir. Mr. Lejeune.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Excuse me Sir. I would like to ask you a question about that subdivision. Is that a private subdivision?”
Carl Ledoux, “Broadmoor Subdivision. It doesn’t say private on the paperwork. Broadmoor developer said that anything moved on there has to be new construction.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Mr. Fontenot, do you know anything about that?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I have gotten some calls about it, but I didn’t see any legal way, even though they have restrictions here. I don’t know that there’s an active association there. Maybe we’ll just need some legal advice on that. I don’t think it was recorded with the map that we were using to issue permits. I’m open to any advice on how to help these individuals here that have this request.”
Carl Ledoux, “This lady here, she bought the property anyway, knowing those restrictions. It’s not fair to that lady to put trailer there. It’s not fair to them.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Mr. Pitre, can you give us some guidance on this. Where do we go, what do we do? Can we help? Should we help?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “The Parish Council has no obligation to deal with subdivisions and subdivision restrictions. Normally what happens is, residents that are aggrieved by a violation of subdivision restrictions take upon themselves by hiring counsel and allowing courts to decide whether or not a violation has occurred.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Now, a permit office. Are there restrictions that are written up in a subdivision, do we submit a permit?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Not that I know of. That’s usually enforced by the home owners association or the residents of that subdivision. That’s a business and private matter, not a governmental function.”
Councilman Hurlin Dupre, “If you buy in a subdivision, you’ve got some by-laws to go by. Like mine, you can’t have any business or nothing. We’re prohibited to have any kind of business.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Mr. Red.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Pitre, my only question is, if a permit was issued to the person with the trailer, could that be revoked?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “The permit process has nothing to do with violating the subdivision restrictions. If they’re violating the restriction, they’re violating the restrictions. The normal process and the normal remedy for somebody who doesn’t like that is to take that in front of a judge and get an injunction. That’s normally what happens. Citizens get involved, they file a petition, go in front of the judge, bring attention to the homeowner that’s allegedly violating the restrictions. The judge decides whether to stop that person or not.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “I agree with that, but in this case, there was a structured brick home at that location. Due to a fire the house was torn down I believe. Am I correct?”
Shelly Robinson, “Yes.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Now they want to replace it, rather than with a structured home, with a trailer. So, I believe it could be something in our permitting part that we did something wrong. Issuing a permit.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “You then would have to do examinations of all the properties that they issue a permit on to see whether there are restrictions or not. That’s not a governmental function. That has nothing to do with this body tonight. You have no authority involving yourself in subdivision restrictions. Unless you’re a resident there and you do it as an individual, but not as a Council. Parish Council has no legal obligation or authority to involve itself in subdivision restrictions. Subdivision restrictions are contracts drawn up by the developer, a private business person that drafts and records subdivision restrictions on the property. It’s their property. It was somebody’s property at one time, before everybody bought lots, and who ever developed that did some private survey, fifty, sixty, seventy years ago, they put restrictions in there, and that’s for the residents of that neighborhood. It’s their obligation to enforce them with their neighbors. The courts involve themselves, not the legislative body.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Thank you. Any other comments from the Council?”
Councilwoman Fekisha Miller Matthews, “Mr. Brown. Mr. Pitre, since the Parish Government issued the permit, are there any consequences because they gave this permit with these restrictions?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I don’t think so. No. Not that I’m aware of.”
Councilwoman Fekisha Miller Matthews, “So, they don’t have to research prior to issuing the permit? That’s what you said earlier.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Whatever the permit process is, that’s what’s followed and that person qualified, for whatever reason, with the Health and Hospitals requirements. If that’s met, they get the permit. It doesn’t mean you can still put your mobile home in a restricted area.”
Councilwoman Fekisha Miller Matthews, “So, you’re saying, basically, when the people go and get the permit it’s their responsibility to make sure there’s no restrictions. They can’t fall back on the Parish Government.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Absolutely correct.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Thank you very much Mr. Ledoux and Mr. Pitre. Our next person to address the Council is Mr. Jack Leezy. Yes Sir. Coteau Lakes subdivision.”

B) Jack Leezy, “I have a handout which I had put together to share with all the members if I may about what I plan to talk about today. My name is Jack Leezy. I reside on Grand Lake Drive, Arnaudville, Louisiana. I come to the Parish Council tonight to ask for your assistance. First off, I will tell you that the development is by Buller Juneau Properties and it’s attached to the Coteau Lakes subdivision. If you turn to the third page, to familiarize you who are not familiar with where I live at, or any of the other people that are here to talk about. Coteau Lakes subdivision is off Hwy. 93 on the south side, three miles east of Interstate I-49. It encompasses fifty six lots of which fifty homes are already built there. They have real tight restrictions. The Buller’s and Juneau’s developed the subdivision. It’s a really nice subdivision, very, very nice, if you’ve been in there. This subdivision was started in 2003. In 2006 they acquired an additional twenty seven acres on the southeast side of Coteau Lakes. They are now starting to develop this. There’s been no drainage study. There’s been nothing done other than they got an approval to subdivide the property. They’ve already scraped down the dirt. They’ve built house pads. And we’ve got water shedding of twenty seven acres coming into our small ditches at two hundred fifty one foot (251’) of length. We’ve been experiencing, this has just started. They brought the equipment in on a Sunday morning, at 5 o’clock in the morning. I guess, for whatever reason, then got started. We’ve been told that there may be some restrictions, there may not be restrictions. Our subdivision is highly restricted. Doesn’t allow for anything other than a single family dwelling to be placed on any lot. The next twenty seven acres, there are no restrictions whatsoever. We could have house trailers, we could have anything. The homeowners association is also taking up with Buller Juneau in that they have used a right-of-use of easement on lot sixteen without the approval; you have to have the approval like it was earlier discussed. The entire neighborhood, all fifty homes, have to vote on it. You can’t just arbitrarily change your restrictions on it. That’s the homeowners association taking that on. We ask you in that there’s an issue, because these last two weekends. The first weekend, as you know we did have a little bit of rain, two weeks ago. But, it was over a course of many, many hours. I familiarized you with where we were at, that was on the third page. Then the fourth page shows you that twenty seven acres which is going to be developed and is already starting to be developed. Then it shows the subdivided, the fifth page shows how they divided it up. They don’t show the twelve acres at the end. You see the number twelve, there’s actually, I believe, that’s where the twelve acres is, that somebody else is buying and they’re going to divide that again. Our roads, if you look now turn the next page, and you’ll see our subdivision. It’s kind of a boulevard that comes into the subdivision. You’ll see a picture of a house and just off to the left, by that tree, you see a dirt road going back to that development. Our roads are only eight foot (8’) wide. The asphalt is only two inches (2”) thick. Over the time, these last twelve, thirteen years, it’s taken its toll. I want to thank Mr. Fontenot for helping us get a couple repair jobs done properly. The road was really starting to fall apart in several places. They went out and put four inches (4”) of asphalt down where those were at because there was just nothing left even. There was just some mud basically. The next picture you see, it gets closer to that, you’ll see the dirt road, and how that twenty seven acres is cleared off. Then you turn to the next one, it shows you the drainage ditch. They’ve got the plastic culvert going under the road. Then I got a little closer shot there, and now this is between the two weekends. This is the Friday before this last Friday, before it started raining. You see a little water in the left side. Of course, the culvert doesn’t look like it’s quite placed correctly, because it’s got a little tilt up on it. Then you’re looking north from that culvert, going back. That’s from that week now, no rain in between that Sunday and the Friday, we had no rain and we’re retaining water already. It’s important to get this water draining, because our septic tanks all drain to those ditches. That’s the water that’s going into the ditch, besides the rain water. Then you come up to the next one, you can see where it’s getting drained. You see just off to the right; that cleared dirt. That is a drainage ditch, a drainage ditch from the back side of that twenty seven acres, for the north side of the twenty seven acres. You turn again, now I’m looking back south again. The ground is dry all around it. Come back and looking back north again. This is the south side of that roadway. Very little water in that ditch, but it goes around a corner. Now it starts to rain and the lots start flooding very rapidly in the back, except where the pad is. Then you look back where there’s a bar-b-que pit and some wood piling on. That’s only a matter of two hours of some light rain and all that water shedding is coming in to that two hundred fifty one feet (251’) of drainage. Then you see the ditches are even filling up faster. This is just on that road going on into there, that’s the second part of that drainage coming in just to the left of that culvert. Then you see it going around the subdivision. Then you see some heavy rain and it even gets in the back it’s even worse. We ask that the parish either help us in some way or another. Our roads can’t take any more heavy traffic. With two (2”) inches of asphalt, with the development being on, they’re going to have to start hauling a lot of dirt in there, because the only thing that’s above the flood is the house pad itself. Now, we’re talking multi-axle vehicles, trailers, hauling lots of dirt. When you look at that first picture, where it shows that home off to the right, those roads are only eight (8’) feet wide. Those big trucks are not going to navigate that road very well. They’re going to be running off the edges. It’s going to further deteriorate the roadway.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Mr. Leezy, let me ask you a question. From Coteau Lakes, I used to work at Beau Chene High School. From Coteau Lakes to Beau Chene High School is that that area?”
Jack Leezy, “Yes. It’s to the back part of it though. You know where the subdivision is. When you’re going to Beau Chene High School, we’re on the right. You turn in, you go all the way down, and it kind of dog-legs right. Well, it’s right there at the end and to the left.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Mr. Bill, could we get Mr. Tim Marks to go out and look at this situation? And then give you feedback, like how we can help the residents of Coteau Lakes.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Sure, I understand that you’re concerned about the drainage.”
Jack Leezy, “Yes it is. In the development itself, because the work is going on and it’s no restriction, it’s just they’re going to have anything and everything. Could be even commercial development, we don’t know. We’ve asked Mr. Buller. I have personally asked him, three times, and come and tell us what’s going to go on, what are going to be the restrictions. He has declined three times in a row to come and discuss with us.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “May I ask, the road to get to it, is that something that you all, as an association, have allowed him to use?”
Jack Leezy, “Well, he just put that in there, what, three or four weeks ago.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “But is that according to the restrictions?”
Jack Leezy, “He can’t do it according to restrictions. We’re already, the homeowner’s association is going to be; we’re writing him a letter. We’re trying to hold our costs down because we are a very small subdivision and we’ve got not much funds. So, I have proposed a letter and we’ll be sending that to him again to meet with us. Just tell us what’s going on. Let us help develop the restrictions for you. We don’t want commercial activity coming in and out of our subdivision.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “At this time I see that as the best leverage you have, is that road that shouldn’t be there. You should stop that, I would suggest.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Now, let me ask you a question. Regarding the Coteau Lakes subdivision and the topic that you’re speaking on now, Niven Brown and Thomas Gremillion. So, y’all are all speaking about the same topic. Mr. Niven Brown on Grand Lake Drive, Arnaudville, Louisiana; Mr. Thomas Gremillion on Grand Lake Drive, Arnaudville, Louisiana; Mr. Jack; and, Ms. Shelley Robinson on Grand Lake Drive. Basically, we normally get one speaker for the topic. Is there anyone else that wants to add in to what Mr. Leezy?”
Jack Leezy, “Before I finish though, I would like to ask that the parish consider putting a limit on the weight for the road, because we only have two (2”) inches of the original blacktop. We would like to put a restriction on weight limit for the road and axles as well.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “That’s my district. I would like go look at it. Did they apply for any permits at all?”
Jack Leezy, “To subdivide only.”
Shelley Robinson, “It was our understanding, when I spoke to the health department that they did apply to subdivide that land. The land’s not connected to Coteau Lakes. He purchased this property, separate, after Coteau Lakes was developed. There’s not like a phase one and phase two. This land was purchased after Coteau Lakes was developed or in the process of being developed. He purchased it behind Mr. Olivier's property by Beau Chene and then, I believe, Mr. Olivier owns a property on the frontage. So, he actually has no frontage and access to this twenty seven plus acres. What he’s thinking, in his mind he was going to do, he has a lot he owns, personally, in our subdivision. Lot 16.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “So he was a developer of Coteau Lakes?”
Shelley Robinson, “Correct. And now we’re done, we’re developed. So, he has one lot that he owns and in his mine, without discussing with; obviously what he’s trying to do is illegal. He’s like, ‘I’m just going to use that lot I own as a road now.’ Well, the parish, obviously, we donate the roads, the parish has the road and has been gracious enough to fix them and maintain them. Now, he brought in the equipment on a Sunday morning early. Heavy equipment that shouldn’t really be on a parish road. They’re not maintained for that.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “And they went through Coteau Lakes with the heavy equipment?”
Shelley Robinson, “He sure did. Yes he did. He has made it very obvious that he has no regard for what the parish has done or he could care less. He thinks he’s going to do this, sell it, and be out, and he doesn’t care what happens. So, he has no other access to this property, except for Coteau Lakes, which we’re denying him access.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Was that land bought at the same time as Coteau Lakes?”
Shelley Robinson, “No Sir. It was bought three or four years after the fact. All the deeds that are attached to our plats, and the restrictions attached to all of our deeds, clearly show that it’s a private subdivision. One entrance in, one entrance out. There is nothing. So, he’s just, I guess, he thinks he going to go in, do it, and be done, and he’s out of there. That’s kind of what he’s made very clear. The ditches behind the property, that we’ve already had a little issue with, I believe the parish maintains those ditches as well.”
Jack Leezy, “No, well which ditches?”
Shelley Robinson, “I guess behind, where it’s flooding.”
Jack Leezy, “They do if we come and ask them.”
Shelley Robinson, “And then it’s coming out to the street too where the parish, I know that’s got to be a parish ditch, on the main street.”
Jack Leezy, “Yes, it’s parish.”
Shelley Robinson, “There’s a lot of stuff that’s happening that I think will affect.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “What I would like for y’all to do is, this is all your cell phone numbers. We’re going get our Director of Public Works, Mr. Tim Marks, along with our,”
Niven Brown, “Mr. Brown, we have contacted Tim, he said that himself and Mr. Boagni would go out there this week.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “So, that’s this week?”
Shelley Robinson, “The rain has kind of delayed. We contacted him about two weeks ago. He’s been gracious, very nice, helpful.”
Niven Brown, “He also said he was going to seek other counsel and other people that were more familiar with the land that was surveyed and find out what’s going on.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Okay, this is what I would like for y’all to do. If it shouldn’t rain, but God and Mother Nature has His own mind, if he hasn’t contacted you all by Friday, at noon time,”
Niven Brown, “Tim?”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Yes Sir, Mr. Tim Marks. Could you either call Mr. Tim or call Mr. Bill and that way we can see where we are? We want to help y’all one hundred (100%) percent, because that’s what we’re here for. We’re at y’all’s service. We just want to try to get the matter resolved as quickly as possible and we’ll see what’s what.”
Niven Brown, “Tim has been very helpful. He’s already been out, personally, looking at the property. Matter of fact, when I spoke to him at the beginning of this week. This weekend it was raining, so he could see the water. We also saw that on our side, how it flooded very quickly. We didn’t have a lot of hard rain this last weekend, it just drizzled and rained all weekend. On the other side, also, what is going on is that all the water coming out of our ditch drains in front of the subdivision and meets up with the other side. On the other side, the ditch is not very full, it’s overcoming so it’s preventing our water draining off. It’s causing multiple problems.”
Shelley Robinson, “Then with the road and being that the parish has been, they just fixed the road. We were very excited about that. Then with the heavy equipment,”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “The drainage problem, I think we can solve that. The biggest problem is them going through Coteau Lakes to get there.”
Jack Leezy, “And that’s, we understand the lot issue. That’s us, that’s home owner’s association.”
Shelley Robinson, “But the parish roads.”
Jack Leezy, “We’re just asking for help on the road and limit the weight, or whatever.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Was that subdivision ever approved? Does it have to be?”
Jack Leezy, “Coteau Lakes was.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “When was that subdivision approved?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “That subdivision was approved. However, this new development has not come before the Council. If Mr. Marks is surveying, Mr. Marks is one of two people on the permit department. So, why are we not aware that there’s a development coming into the parish? These lots have been subdivided, apparently, and there are restrictions as to subdividing property in the parish. There is an ordinance regarding that. So, where is the permit office in all of this and why is the Councilmember sitting here, in the dark, not aware that there’s another development in the process?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I would like to make a motion at this time that Mr. Fontenot; Mr. Fontenot, could you look into possibly finding out if this subdivision was approved and, if not, what can be done to resolve this problem?”
Shelley Robinson, “And also how they plan on getting to their subdivision.”
Jack Leezy, “Well, we have to deal with that.”
Shelley Robinson, “Well, with the parish roads, bringing in all their equipment obviously that would be an issue.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “I noticed that she made a statement that that was a private subdivision.”
Jack Leezy, “Well, the road is public. It’s a public subdivision. There’s restrictions. It’s a highly restricted. It’s not a private subdivision. The roads were turned over to the parish right afterwards in 2003 and a bond was posted in there to maintain the roads.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “The parish maintains the roads in that subdivision.”
Jack Leezy, “Yes.”
Thomas Gremillion, “My name is Thomas Gremillion, I live on Grand Lake Drive. I just wanted to say also that his intentions were to put a limestone road in the back. Which not only did we talk about the heavy equipment doing damage to the roads, but the constant maintenance that a limestone road would have, hauling equipment to maintain, continuously hauling gravel. To, would have to go through our neighborhood and, again, do more damage to the roads that the parish just graciously fixed.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Yes Sir. What we’re going to is, we’re going to look into it and, like I said, between Mr. Marks and Mr. Bill, because Mr. Bill is our Parish President. We’re going to look into all the avenues to seek help for you all. Y’all have a lovely neighborhood. We have several lovely neighborhoods like that. We’re going to seek help for you all. We’re going to do our best to try and resolve it as legal as possible, as reasonable as possible.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I’d like to meet with y’all tomorrow afternoon, late, if it’s possible and see what we can do with the drainage too. They’ve got a ditch that starts in the back of y’all and goes and hits that canal.”
Thomas Gremillion, “Originally when that was designed, it was designed that, in the middle of the subdivision, it kind of furled back, therefore when the middle back drained into that bayou you’re talking about, and from the middle forward drains to the front.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “It goes back again and hits the same coulee.”
Thomas Gremillion, “Correct, so this way they’re forcing everything to come down one ditch again and drain all twenty seven acres, plus our property and everything else to go through one ditch. It was never designed that way.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I know pretty well how it drains, because the land I across from Coteau Lake is mine. I own the land right across from Coteau Lakes.”
Thomas Gremillion, “You’re talking about across the highway?”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Yes Sir.”
Councilwoman Fekisha Miller Matthews, “I have nothing against this area, because as a Council we want to help everybody else, but I’m just trying to figure out how can we help them in their situation, but we really couldn’t touch the Broadmoor situation.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, when the subdivision roads were adopted into the parish, I would imagine that there is a weight limit already established for those roads. So, if the weight limit has been established then it needs to be enforced and that’s going to be your Sheriff’s department.”
Jack Leezy, “Well, we don’t even have any signs posted for weight limits.”
Thomas Gremillion, “So, sixty thousand with two (2”) inches of asphalt?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I think, even without the signs, Mr. Pitre, would I be correct in stating that there is still a load limit, whether there’s a sign or not.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I assume there’s an ordinance in place for weight limits on parish roads. It’s been like that for years.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “And that needs to be found out, what is the load limit for Coteau Lakes subdivision.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “That’s where Mr. Tim Marks is going to be one hundred (100%) percent helpful, because he knows all the load limits and weight limits and everything else. Any questions?”
Jack Leezy, “Thank you very much for your time. Mr. Pitre, did you get a copy?”

C) Ashton Thomas, “Good evening Parish Council. My name is Ashton Thomas, I reside here in the City of Opelousas. The gentleman that spoke earlier, Mr. Ledoux, I am the one in question on putting a mobile home on my property. On June 4th I received a call at 8:30 p.m. in the afternoon of a fire at that residence. I sped back home from work. My wife was already off; she’s here right now. Her cousin passed away in that fire. I do not say that for sympathy. I say that because of the fact that it is property that my wife and I have been paying on for years. This is a permit that was issued by the St. Landry Parish Government on my wife and I putting a mobile home on our property. All the work that has taken place was done after the permit was issued. If any of you all know that property runs along a railroad track right behind in Broadmoor subdivision. We had all that area cleared out. We have already purchased our mobile home. With all that being said, now we have some of the same people that were out there, on the night of the fire, putting their arms around us, telling us how sorry they were to hear about what’s going on. Some of those same people are here right now.’
Chairman Dexter Brown, “We have to leave personal emotions out of it. Thank you Sir.”
Ashton Thomas, “But the permit has been issued already for us to put our mobile home on the property. Now I would like to know what will the Parish Council do.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Just like our attorney stated earlier, correct me if I’m wrong Mr. Pitre.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “There’s nothing that I’m aware of, legislatively, that you can do dealing this. Unless the permit was wrongfully issued. Not based on subdivision restrictions, that’s not under y’all’s purview to enforce.”
Ashton Thomas, “What I was told, when I called the Parish Council enquiring about this, that there were no zoning laws in St. Landry Parish of putting a mobile home on that property. I went through all the avenues that we had to to get this permit.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman. Sir, there is a vast difference between zoning and your subdivision restrictions that you agreed to when you purchased the property. That’s why it’s become a personal, it’s a private issue. It’s not a Parish Council issue, because you’re in violation, what you’re stating is you’re in violation of your own subdivision rules that you purchased into and that everyone else purchased into. It’s not up to the Parish Council to revoke your permit. It is not up to the Parish Council to issue you a permit. You made the decision to apply for a permit to put a dwelling on a piece of property that is subject to private subdivision restrictions. So, it’s not up to us to pull your permit nor to issue it, nor can we take up the other neighbor’s cause because it is a private, it’s a subdivision restriction, it’s a covenant. We don’t make the subdivision restrictions. We, as a Parish Council, approve subdivisions, but not your own, individual restrictions that the developers put in place and that you buy into and that you agree to when you purchase the property.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “So we can’t do anything with it.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Mr. Pitre, this matter right here, with the subdivision and the trailer on it, would that be a civil matter?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Yes.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Y’all would need to go to the courts with it and the judge would decide.”
Ashton Thomas, “So, in other words, we can continue on doing what we have to do until,”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “I’m not going to say that. All I’m going to say is it’s going to be a civil matter. You have a permit from our permit office to place a residence on that property, if I’m correct. But, the rules and regulations of that subdivision, that everyone abided by,”
Ashton Brown, “But, there’s no homeowner’s association.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “No homeowner’s association. Well, all I can do is, like I said it’s not a Parish Council decision. All I can do is wish you good luck. I can wish the opposing party good luck. That’s what we have judges for in this country and then the judge would decide.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Chairman. I agree with that and I understand it’s a civil matter. It is a civil matter, but now the people in the subdivision have to fight for something that they thought they had in they’re subdivision. Now, to me he has to clear a hurdle to get his trailer on that lot because of what was issued to him. That’s all I was saying.”
Ashton Thomas, “Thank you Sir. Thank you Mr. Red. Appreciate it.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “As I said Mr. Thomas, good luck and I wish the opposing party good luck and that’s all we can do right now. Thank you Sir.”

4. Public Works report:
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Thank you Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of items. I just wanted to report that Ms. Ashley Collins, who has represented Landmark Consulting, did contact me through a couple of our Councilmen, and they could share with me if they wish. She did meet us here, a couple of weeks ago, here in this room, about three of us, four of us. She wanted to talk about her consulting firm doing some of the recovery documentation, like we have other consulting companies do for us when we have tragedies, or these hurricane events, these devastation events, these that qualify for federal reimbursement. So, she was here making a pitch, marketing pitch. So, we haven’t committed anything to her. She’s going to send a proposal. It has to compete against other proposals that we’ve received in the past, because we have other companies that have done this work. Anyway, we had a short, impromptu meeting with her. I’ll meet with anybody, or anybody you bring to me. And that’s what happened on that evening. So I just wanted to make sure you knew about that. Another item I have is that we have submitted an LCDBG grant over the last, even before I was here. I think it dates back to maybe the administration before me. Some of it is roads in your district, Mr. Lejeune, Tweedy and Constitution over off of Bourque Road. Also Theo; Charles; John; and, George, which I think is in Mr. Hurlin’s district. Those did not get approved and I’m told they did not get approved because you only get so many every so often. Of course the budget at the federal level has been cut many times since then. But, I was just advised yesterday there’s a potential, since the original applications that these roads were in had many other roads, and it had a larger number, a larger request for funding. So every time you get refused, actually those roads in that application actually gain a few points in reconsideration if you submit it later. So, I was advised yesterday that if we; and of course some of these roads that were on the original request have been paved now through the Smoot Ride Home program. I’m being told that these have a good chance of potentially being funded through this LCDBG. Not a guarantee, but that we should submit it again. The only issue is to get it through full Council before the twelfth and that next Thursday. I’m reacting to it as soon as I heard about it. That would be up to you all if you’d want to come back and pass a resolution next Monday or Tuesday, to request the Parish President to sign this application and proceed with requesting, I think it’s some forty three thousand ($43,000.00) dollars, including engineering, for potential federal funding. That’ll be up to you and, of course, I could just call a meeting, a full meeting to consider it, Monday or Tuesday, just come in and vote yea or nay.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I make that motion.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “I have a question for Mr. Fontenot. Which roads did you mention Mr. Fontenot?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “There some called Tweedy, Constitution, those two are in the Lewisburg area. Then there’s Theo; Charles; John; and, George, which I believe are off of the old Port Barre Road.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “Georgie, John, and Theo. It was in the legal news this past weekend. Road District No. 6 is going to overlay those three roads.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Oh, are they, okay that’s good.”
Councilman Hurlin Dupre, “They’re not supposed to.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “Mr. Hurlin, I’m just stating what was in the paper, what was in the legal news.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Well we could get this approved and if District 6 gets there first that’d be good. If this gets there first we could use this money. But, we do have to act on it before the twelfth.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “What’s your motion Mr. Lejeune?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “To have a meeting next week.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Monday or Tuesday.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “A committee can’t call a Council meeting.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I can call the meeting. I hear you Ms. Gautreau. I’m just asking as a courtesy, if y’all want to do it. But, I can call it on my own with the authority of the President. If y’all want me to do that I’ll do it. And you just come if you choose. So, I’ll go ahead and call that meeting on Monday, is Monday or Tuesday better for you all?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I would like to make that motion for Tuesday.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “You have to go before the full Council, so you might as well withdraw it and just let him call the meeting.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Yeah, I’ll just call the meeting on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. unless you prefer an earlier time. All we got to do is have a majority here. 6:00 o’clock is good? So, we’ll have a full Council meeting next Tuesday [November 10, 2015] at 6:00 p.m. to consider authorizing the President to sign this request, which is actually and LCDBG grant that’s a repetitive grant with less roads in it. But, it does qualify because it’s all been done. The due diligence has already been on it with regard to the socio-economic impacts of the area. That’s all I have.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, I have a question. Mr. Fontenot, the resolution, this has thirty thousand ($30,000.00) dollars attached to it for administrative services, is that for Parish Government’s,”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I only take these resolutions and provide them to you under the strict regulations of the Federal Government. This is prepared for me by the professionals that send this forwards. So, this is the amounts that are necessary to get these roads paved.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I’m asking, is thirty thousand ($30,000.00) dollars for Parish Government’s administrative fee?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I you’re asking that any of our employees are going gain anything from it, no.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “No Sir. What I’m asking is, is Parish Government going to be charging thirty thousand ($30,000.00) dollars in administrative fees out of this money?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Charging it to who?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “To the LCDBG, Mr. Fontenot.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I’m sure that’s what it’s about. We’re requesting it.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “So, we’re going to make thirty thousand ($30,000.00) dollars off of that?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Normally what happens, Ms. Gautreau, when these federal funds come in is that package is put together, then the engineers will then get involved. They’ll have a twelve (12%) or thirteen (13%) percent total fee that the engineers get. Then they use that as administrative fees, it is also mutually used by the same engineering firm through a subsidiary of their office. Most engineering firms normally do that. That’s the administrative part of, that’s their bill. It’s always paid, one hundred (100%) percent, by the Federal Government.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “But the resolution does state that the Parish President and Parish Council would commit to partial funding for the project. So, that’s another question. That’s not a hundred (100%) percent being paid by Federal Government and it’s not stating how much will the Parish Council, will the Parish Government be paying out. How much are the tax payers going to paying for this?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I will get for you before you pass it or you discuss it on Tuesday.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Thank you so much. Thank you Mr. Chairman.”

5. Discuss the reports provided by St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Commission with Legal Advisor Charles Cravins. (forwarded from last meeting)
Charles Cravins, “Good evening Mr. Chairman, Council, Mr. President. As I was going over these reports that, I remember last time I gave y’all all a copy, and I believe y’all may have even been provided another copy today. I realize that a lot of the questions that will probably arise from this will probably require me going back to the Solid Waste Commission to get the answers for your questions. So, what I’ve asked is that, I’ve talked to Mr. Martin and asked if he would be willing to voluntarily come to your meeting to answer your questions and he’s agreed to do that. If y’all agree to that then I await your pleasure as to when to schedule that. That’s one thing that I have. The second thing is, Mr. Martin tells me that the Solid Waste Commission has come up, has approved a plan to provide the second receptacle for people outside of the incorporated areas based on a need basis at no cost to the resident. That’s actually being implemented now. I think they’ve gotten contractors involvement and they’re implementing that. Of course, I’ll answer any questions that I’m able to answer that y’all would want to ask, but my main request would be that y’all give me a time when y’all would like for Mr. Martin to come to address the concerns that y’all have previously expressed regarding the Solid Waste Commission.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I make that motion that we forward this to the full to invite Mr. Martin to come for a full discussion.”
Chairman Jerry Red, “In December.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “December, I would imagine.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Committee or full. Committee meeting?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Probably to the full.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “I second that.”

A motion was offered by Councilman Timmy Lejeune, seconded by Councilman Jerry Red, to forward to the full Council, a request that Mr. Katry Martin, with St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Commission, attend the full Council meeting scheduled for December 16, 2015, to discuss any concerns the Parish Council has regarding the commission.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Jerry Red, Ronald Buschel, Timmy Lejeune. NAYS: None. ABSENT: Fekisha Miller Matthews, Gary Courville. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.
Councilwoman Matthews was absent for this vote but rejoined the meeting.

6. Discuss parish wide internet services with a representative from Charter Communications. (forwarded from last meeting)
Boone Gilbert, “Good evening. My name is Boone Gilbert with Charter Communications. I represent the business side of Charter.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Do we have any questions for Mr. Gilbert?”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Gilbert, I was contacted about a month, or two months ago, about a constituent in the parish. Their concern was for internet service. I believe they live in an area that was developed and they probably didn’t have Charter at the time, when y’all ran y’all’s lines. Is there any way possible that will y’all will be extending out y’all boundaries to get more people on y’all’s system, or will y’all keep it like it is?”
Boone Gilbert, “On a residential side there is a certain dollar amount that’s allocated to each home connection. It’s different in the business side, because the revenues are going to generate quicker return on that investment. There are no plans this year to expand the footprint for any residential. They are expanding, after review, some commercial developments and properties that are built. I do understand that next year is certainly going to look at some increases in footprints in certain markets. Those have not been identified, to my knowledge, as to any additions. Each home request can be evaluated. We’ll send a site surveyor out to determine our cost to get service to that location. So, if it falls within the cost allocation then they’ll build it out.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “The reason why I’m saying that, a point in my district, St. Landry Place, west end of Opelousas. That was a place that didn’t have Charter. I contacted Charter and since then they have run Charter over there, as well as Dupre Place. That was two new subdivisions. That’s in the municipality of the City of Opelousas. I’m also concerned about the unincorporated areas. The reason for that is, most people move to our parish and they work from their homes. Because they work from their homes they need the internet. So, the interest in having the internet service is great for those people that’s doing their work from home. That’s why they’re interested in having the service to their homes.”
Boone Gilbert, “I’d be glad to take any addresses. I’ll look that subdivision up and find out what type of information and report back to you.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “I can get your phone number and I can give you that information tomorrow.”
Boone Gilbert, “Any other questions? Is there any other concerns?”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Thank you for coming.”

7. Status on Attorney’s General opinion regarding Bear Road. (Councilman Wayne Ardoin)
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “This is a question for Mr. Pitre, and I think he may have something for us. That’s for Ms. Julie David, who has been here numerous times with the concern about Road District 6 maybe taking over Bear Road in the Port Barre area.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I can report today that the Attorney’s General office has designated this request as Opinion No. 15-0162 and is assigned to Ms. Ethel Graham. So, they have it, they’re working on it. That’s all I have.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “I’m going to ask the committee to get a letter sent to Ms. Julie David, the lady who has been here numerous times requesting this opinion. We passed it through full Council, to get a letter sent to her stating the information Mr. Pitre has given us. I’m asking the committee to pass it.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Chairman, before we make that motion. I would make that motion for you Mr. Ardoin. Mr. Fontenot, is there any way possible we can get a list of the private roads in the parish? How many are there?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I can make an attempt, because I don’t know if there’s a recorded list.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “My reason for that, Ms. Miller has an area in her district, Vidrine Estates, that they were talking about. These people pay their taxes also. At the same time, like Bear Road, they’re not getting any services.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I can probably do a survey and come up with a list of roads that we know are private.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “To add to what Mr. Red is saying, I have family that stays down Annointing Drive and they have a couple of little side roads. When it’s dry it’s hard for a four-wheeler to go down that road. And that’s with it dry. I drive a 3500 Dodge dually and it’s rough on my truck, four wheel drive.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Are those private also?”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Yes Sir, the same estates.”
Chairman Jerry Red, “I make that motion to send a letter.”

A motion was offered by Councilman Jerry Red, seconded by Councilman Huet Dupre, to forward to the full Council, to have a letter sent to Ms. Julie David regarding the status of the request for an Attorney’s General opinion on Bear Road.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Ronald Buschel, Timmy Lejeune, Jerry Red. NAYS: ABSENT: Fekisha Miller Matthews, Gary Courville. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.
Councilwoman Matthews was absent for this vote but rejoined the meeting.

8. Discuss allegations regarding Fire District No. 3. (Councilman Timmy Lejeune)
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I put this on there because I received some letters from some people concerning some issues at Fire District 3. I turned them over to the board members and we had requested the expenditures, etcetera, I think at the last meeting, for Fire District 3. But, what I’m going to request from them is, I understand that they’re doing an investigation to see who sent the letters. So, my concerns are are any of these allegations true? Not just who mailed them, but are they true allegations or are they bogus. I think that investigation that was called on who sent them should be, likewise, are they true letters? So, I would like to ask that we request that from Fire District 3. To review those letters and check to see if the allegations are true.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman. Mr. Lejeune, could you expound on that a little bit, because you apparently have some information that the rest of the committee members are not privy to.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Okay. I received some letters about, and I turned them over to the board members of Fire District 3. It was letters concerning, I don’t have them in front of me so it’s very difficult for me to give you word-for-word, but it’s things like we have a resident living a fire house that’s not supposed to be living there. We also have things of wasteful spending that they have some concerns with. There was various issues about the chief. I gave it to the board members. Then, from what I understand, there was an investigation that was done on who wrote the letters. But, never an investigation done, was any of these letters; are they true? So, the question is, I understand the fire district did go through the process of trying to find out who wrote the letters. My concerns are, did you find out if any of these letters are true? I would like to request the board members of Fire District 3 have an investigation done on the letters with the fire chief, is it true that these things have happened?”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Mr. Lejeune, I was talking with the Fire Chief, Mr. Mendenhall last week, I want to say Tuesday. Last week he came by my school. He said, in regards to the person who was living in the fire station, he was being removed out of that station by this past Friday. So, there should not be anyone in that fire station.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I do understand what you’re telling me, Mr. Brown. But, I can very well remember him coming before this Council and saying we do not have any one, and we will not have any one, and therefore that continued to happen.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Chairman. I believe this is something that I brought up last month. It might be the best thing we could do is ask for the Fire Chief to come and speak before the Council. I think that might be the only thing that we can do. Do y’all want to do that?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I that motion that he come before the full Council.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “We have a motion and a second to request Mr. Ray Mendenhall come to our full Council meeting in December.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Why not in November?”
Councilman Jerry Red, “It would have to be in December. We’re going to vote on it in November.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “We could do in November.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Forward it to the full Council.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “And ask him to come to the full Council.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “In December. We’re forwarding it to the full Council to vote on it.”

A motion was offered by Councilman Timmy Lejeune, seconded by Councilman Jerry Red, to forward to the full Council, a request that Fire Chief Ray Mendenhall, of Fire District 3, come to the full Council meeting scheduled for December 16, 2015, to address questions and concerns the Council members may have regarding allegations about the fire district.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Ronald Buschel, Timmy Lejeune, Jerry Red, Fekisha Miller Matthews. NAYS: None. ABSENT: Gary Courville. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

9. Forward applications received for two appointments to the East St. Landry Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1. Applicants are Cody Stanford and Chris Leblanc.

A motion was offered by Councilman Ronald Buschel, seconded by Councilman Timmy Lejeune, to forward to the full Council, a vote on appointments to the East St. Landry Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1 applicants.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Timmy Lejeune, Jerry Red, Fekisha Miller Matthews, Ronald Buschel. NAYS: None. ABSENT: Gary Courville. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

10. Forward applications received for five appointments to Fire District No. 7. Applicants are: Tom Rabalais; Hals Beard; Brenda Ducote; Sondra Cormier; and, Sandra Cason.

A motion was offered by Councilman Ronald Buschel, seconded by Councilman Timmy Lejeune, to forward to the full Council, a vote on appointments to Fire District No. 7 applicants.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Timmy Lejeune, Jerry Red, Fekisha Miller Matthews, Ronald Buschel. NAYS: None. ABSENT: Gary Courville. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

11. Discuss the placement of “Slippery When Wet” signs on Country Ridge Road. (Councilman Wayne Ardoin)
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “Mr. Fontenot, did you receive a phone call from Mr. Wallace Sylvester or his wife?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Not that I recall.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “She was supposed to call you, they ran into that barricade, again, on the corner; that forty five (45°) degree turn on Country Ridge. Mr. Marks went over to put some reflectors, blinking signs there. These people are concerned that, when it rains, these people come around that corner they end up in their yard; that house on the corner. You remember the engineer that said put some dimples, possibly, or place a warning there. Would you please look at that situation?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I’ll be glad to.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “She was supposed to call you, Mrs. Sylvester. I think Mr. Wally has called you before.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “To add to Mr. Wayne Ardoin’s request. Mr. Fontenot, I don’t know how much it costs. I guess it’s some solar powered orange reflectors. I see some people put it on mailboxes. They don’t blink in the day time, but they blink all night long. That might be something else that we can look at.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Sure, there’s always some technology that’s changing. So, we can look at that.”
Councilman Wayne Ardoin, “You’ll give us something, shortly, on that?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Sure, yes Sir.”

12. Discuss the legal load limits on all parish roads. (Councilman Timmy Lejeune)
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “There’s an ordinance in place already, everyone should have a copy of that ordinance tonight. Forty five thousand (45,000) pounds. Mr. Fontenot, how are we going to, and what can we do to enforce this ordinance? We just spent millions of dollars rebuilding many miles of new parish roads and just during the week I’ve seen, off of Frank Road, they had an eighteen wheeler stuck on the railroad track using it as a cut-across. What can we do? Can we start posting signs throughout the parish?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We do have an ordinance in place. We can have,”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “There’s no awareness. It’s like it’s an open path. Could we start putting signs out?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We’ve got eight hundred (800) miles of roads.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “You don’t put one on every foot. I think we need to start some process. Something has to happen.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Is there some apparent damage? We don’t have, truckers don’t typically, except we have one problem on Federal Road, but we’ve already got an ordinance passed on that where we say no trucks there. But, to inhibit all trucks on parish roads would hurt the farming and industry in our area, but I don’t think those eighteen wheelers; if we identify some paths of eighteen wheelers that are using it, then, I say we should focus on those. If we’re not having issues on other roads then I don’t see any adverse impacts.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Let me ask you this question. Do you know how much a trash truck weighs?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Probably, I don’t know what it weighs, but it’s probably,”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Would you guess that it’s over the load limit?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I don’t know what it weighs, probably might exceed the load limits, but I don’t see how we can keep garbage from going there.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “You and I had a conversation at some point in the last week, or this week, and I’m sure it was before Thursday of last week, before I put this on the agenda. I said, ‘Mr. Fontenot, how much weight can those roads tolerate, in your professional opinion?’ I think you told me somewhere in about the seventy (70,000), seventy five thousand (75,000), depending on that particular road.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Yes, that’s right.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “They pretty much built them almost all the same. But, with the soil conditions and all that, they may not all maintain that strength. So, with that as we know it, do you believe that, we’ll use an example of Solid Waste, do you think they exceed the seventy five thousand (75,000) pound limit? We know the ordinance says forty five (45,000.)”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Yeah, I don’t think they exceed that, because they’ve got to stay within the state legal limits which is around eighty (80,000) or eighty eight thousand (88,000) pounds.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “So they’re exceeding what we would think our roads could manage?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I don’t know, I’d have to really get with them. But there’s a good chance that they’re at that threshold or more, as far as forty five thousand (45,000.) We can check on that, we can work with them.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I’d like to make a motion that we would check with Solid Waste and see what the weight on these trucks may be loaded.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Maybe Mr. Alvin knows, he’s a trucker.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I’m sure they’ll weigh eighty thousand (80,000), for sure, loaded. Maybe more.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We can have them also weighed. We can get them to be weighed, check them.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “My concerns are, we did spend a lot of money. I understand that we do need our trash picked up and I want mine picked up every week. But I don’t want them to break the road in front of my house picking up the trash.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “They should not be exceeding the limit.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Mr. Lejeune, forty five thousand (45,000) pounds on farm-to-market roads, you can’t enforce that really.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I do understand that Mr. Alvin, but eighty thousand (80,000) pounds on seventy thousand (70,000) pound capacity road has to be recognized. You have to have some regulation there saying we just put a new road and we have to make sure it lasts.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Just like your cane farmers, they had to put three axles on their trailers to carry one hundred thousand (100,000). That’s what they carry. One hundred thousand (100,000) plus. I don’t believe the weight boys, I don’t believe they’ll go on a parish road.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Not usually, you’re right. Mr. Alvin. Not usually. Usually they do state roads. Unless you make a special request they might.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I’ve never seen DOTD get on them.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I haven’t either.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “How are you going to enforce it?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “I don’t know, but again we spent sixty million ($60,000,000.00) dollars and it has to last at least fifteen years, so we’re going to have to come up with some type of enforcement of some kind.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We can check with Acadia Parish and Evangeline Parish and St. Martin Parish, because they have the same issues that we do. Check with them and see what they’re doing.”

13. Discuss any other business properly brought before this committee.
A) Councilwoman Fekisha Miller Matthews, “I have something Mr. Brown. This kind of goes with what Mr. Timmy was talking about. Yesterday I had the same situation happen again on Federal Road when a truck turned over. This time they couldn’t even pull them out because of the type of materials that was on the truck. He didn’t look at the sign. We have a sign, but he was looking down at his phone at the GPS and he also violated the weight limit. So, I called Mr. Pitre and discussed with him about possibly sending out a letter to the company off of Powers Street because that’s where they all are coming from. Even if it’s in other districts. If we could send a letter to the company letting them know that they have to, basically, go out the same way they came in, they’ll have to go to [Hwy] 190 instead of going on the Grandnigo Island Road. So, he’s going to look into something that we can send to them from the Council. Also, I wanted to look into putting a sign at the end of Powers Street so that they’ll know you cannot turn and go the other way, you have to go to [Hwy] 190. A few weeks ago, maybe like a month ago, I got with Tim Marks about ordering bigger No Thru Truck signs because this has been going on for a couple of months. It looks like every few weeks somebody gets in that same area and breaks up the road. Federal Road is already a bad road and it’s breaking up the road. Then when they have to get them out of the ditch, the lady that lives across doesn’t want that truck on her property pulling out. It’s a nasty situation right in the curve on Federal Road. It’s something we gotta to fix because this is just getting out of line. These guys are having to pay fines. We’ve got the signs, we have everything in place and it’s still happening. I don’t know what else to do after everything that I just said. Once we send out the letter and put a bigger sign and then a sign on Powers, I don’t know what else to do. Besides have a Sheriff sit out there all day.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Maybe after Mr. Fontenot checks with all the other parishes and finds out what they do to reinforce those kind of regulations, then maybe we’ll have something to take a stand on.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We did pass an ordinance, so he is ticketed for it. I don’t know what else, what other power you have.”
Councilwoman Fekisha Miller Matthews, “Just put a bigger sign and letters Mr. Fontenot.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Increase the fine.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Mr. Counsel.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “You may want to ask your Clerk to include it on the full Council’s agenda at which time, if they wish to direct me to send a letter, we will. Whatever the decision of the Council is.”
Councilman Ronald Buschel, “Move to have that motion made that this item be moved to the full agenda.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “There no need for action at this time on these other business deals. You just ask the Clerk, normally, you can discuss it.”

B) Councilman Ronald Buschel, “Mr. Fontenot, “I’m having people call me, what is going on in Taterville or Bayou Jack on the bridge?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “The bridge is going to be, be it very soon, with regard to its replacement under funding through FEMA.”
Councilman Ronald Buschel, “Is anything started?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “No, but it’s scheduled for bid. Yes Sir. But I can get you some dates on that.”
Councilman Ronald Buschel, “Alright, good, I appreciate anything you can do for those people.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “It is moving forward. We got past the hurdle of getting approval. So we got that approved.”
Councilman Ronald Buschel, “Good, thank you.”

C) Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Mr. Fontenot, “Is there any law that says you can’t fish off of a bridge? I’ve had complaints about that. That the people are blocking the roads fishing on bridges.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I’m not sure Mr. Alvin. I don’t know. Probably, if you’re talking about state roads, probably there is.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “This is not a state road, it’s a parish road.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Oh, well we’d have to look at our ordinances. I don’t recall an ordinance.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Are they parking on the bridge or just on the side?”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “On the bridge.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Parking on the bridge. That would be obstructing traffic?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I would think they couldn’t do that.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “I can see, I have a little bridge, about a mile down the road, especially when the water is high they catch catfish and everything else. But they just park on the side of the road.”

D) Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I have another question for Mr. Fontenot. There’s a lady that came over here four weeks ago, Mrs. Turner on Anaise Road off of Seven Arpents Road, and complained about all the trash they had on the side of her house. The old mobile homes and campers. There’s nothing that was done and there’s four weeks.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I can follow up on that Mr. Alvin.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “She had those pictures of all those campers. Wasn’t one of those campers burned or it caught on fire?”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Burnt campers and everything. Right, she brought pictures. She called me again today. She’s raising all kind of hell because nothing is being done.”

E) Councilman Hurlin Dupre, “Mr. Fontenot, on our new roads, are they supposed to be cracking already, breaking?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Well, when you pave roads, roads do crack. Some crack more than others. If the cracks get too wide then we have to probably do some sealing. Sometimes cracks do come with paving roads, especially when you do soil cement.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “Especially when you’ve got a drought and you got trees, that’s when you’re going to have.”

F) Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, thank you. Mr. Fontenot, several months back you were asked to take a look at Chretien Point Road and have curve signs put up. You said that your Public Works department would go and do a study. Has the study been completed?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I’m sure we’ve taken a look at it. So, you’re saying that roads there are still existing need curves in your opinion. Is that what your request is?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “The request was to have signs posting where these curves are. If you come down that road at night, Mr. Fontenot, and you’re not familiar with that road, there are some dangerous curves there and there’s no signage. Several months back the request was made. So, I’m asking for an update, has your road supervisors completed their study?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I couldn’t tell you absolutely they’ve completed a study on that road, but I can tell you that I even know there are curves on many of our roads, including your road, ninety degree (90°) turns where we don’t have signs. We have eight hundred (800) miles and we just do not have signs on; we don’t make it a priority to do that because of how much they cost.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I think the cost of a life, Mr. Fontenot, is a lot more costly than the cost of a sign and the fact that there is money budgeted,”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I do too. I’ve been in that business for a long time. But, I’ll tell you, I haven’t had any reports of any deaths there and, of course, we’ll continue to monitor conditions and accidents and crashes. And, we’ll put signs where they’re warranted.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “To state that there has not been a death that has not been reported is a very callous way of looking at things Mr. Fontenot.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “It’s a statistical way of looking at things.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “There is money in the budget, the money is there in the road fund, so why are we not using that money?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “That has not been an item that we have addressed at this time.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “It needs to be addressed Mr. Fontenot.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Then I’ll consider doing that.”

G) Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “And, to go back to Mr. Dupre’s comment about the cracking of the roads. Also the request was made that you go back and take a look at Chretien Point Road which was just paved a couple of months ago.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We’re looking at all of them. We’re looking at them all.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Y’all have found the cracks in the road?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We’ve looked at all the roads, we’re looking at all of them.”

H) Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Okay, and last Council meeting, Martinez Road. Mr. Royer came and you said that you were going to get with him and that y’all were going to take a look at the underbrush and the danger in the curve on Martinez Road. Has that been done?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “We have talked about setting up an appointment and on a day that I could go he was at the doctor, on another day that he could go I had other appointments, but we have committed to meet within the next week.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “In the next week?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Yes, in the near future, let’s put it that way. If you want to really know the specifics.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Well, these people have been waiting months for their concerns to be addressed.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “And I’m addressing them.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Thank you Mr. Chairman.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Ms. Gautreau, on that dangerous curved road could you put in a work order to request those signs to be put up?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, I have brought this up time and time again. In the committee meetings and, apparently, we’ll have to wait until there’s a crash that’s been recorded. Apparently, the one that the residents missed and hit the tree in my driveway wasn’t recorded, because they left the scene and left half of their car in my driveway. I don’t know what else to do. Perhaps we need a road crew that is specifically just going and targeting the dangerous areas of some of these parish roads.”
Chairman Dexter Brown, “Just, if you don’t mind, put in a work order for the dangerous areas in your district. Basically that’s what I do in District 10. Thank you Ma’am.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Thank you Mr. Chairman.”

14. Adjourn.
A motion was offered by Councilman Ronald Buschel, seconded by Councilman Timmy Lejeune, to adjourn this meeting of the St. Landry Parish Public Works Committee.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Timmy Lejeune, Jerry Red, Fekisha Miller Matthews, Ronald Buschel. NAYS: None. ABSENT: Gary Courville. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was passed on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

This meeting was adjourned.

I HEREBY CERTIFY THE FOREGOING TO BE EXACT AND TRUE.
MONA COURVILLE, CLERK FOR THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL.

ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL
ADMINISTRATIVE/FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
NOVEMBER 4th, 2015
OLD CITY MARKET, 131 W. BELLEVUE ST.
OPELOUSAS, LOUISIANA

ADMINISTRATIVE/FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

1. Chairman Wayne Ardoin called this meeting of the Administrative/Finance Committee of the St. Landry Parish Council to order.
Council Clerk Mona Courville called roll:
PRESENT: Huet Dupre, Hurlin Dupre, Alvin Stelly, Pam Gautreau, Wayne Ardoin, Jimmie Edwards, and Leon Robinson, Ex-Officio. ABSENT: None.

2. Persons to address the Committee:
There were none.

3. Parish President’s report:
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I covered everything in the first committee meeting. Nothing.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Thank you Sir.”

4. Discuss the proposed budget for the year 2016. (Councilman Wayne Ardoin)
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “I asked that it be put on the agenda. I asked Ms. Laycie to get in touch with Mr. Moosa. He emailed her yesterday and said he could not be here, but he would come to the full Council meeting. I would still rather he come to a committee meeting first and then we come to the full Council meeting if it takes that. I’m going to ask that number four be stricken right now.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, before we do that. I would like to bring to the committee and the full Council’s attention that the budget that was presented by Mr. Fontenot is an incomplete budget in many ways. For those of you that have a copy of the Home Rule Charter with you, if you’ll go to page nineteen, the operating budget document is lacking in several of the requirements as per the Home Rule Charter. Mr. Fontenot, I’m going to ask that you re-submit the budget, but in its entirety as required Sir. If you’ll go to the Home Rule Charter Mr. Fontenot, on page nineteen you’ll find everything that is required for a complete budget to be presented.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “You’re offering that as a motion Ms. Gautreau?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “The budget cannot be introduced incomplete.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Do I have a second? It’s been moved by Ms. Gautreau that it be re-addressed according to the Home Rule Charter, page nineteen. Can I have a second?”

A motion was offered by Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, seconded by Councilman Hurlin Dupre, to forward to the full Council, that Parish President Bill Fontenot re-submit the 2016 budget in its entirety.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Huet Dupre, Hurlin Dupre, Alvin Stelly, Pam Gautreau, Jimmie Edwards. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

5. Discuss an amended budget for the year 2015. (Councilwoman Pam Gautreau)
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Again, I’m going to refer this to Mr. Fontenot. Mr. Fontenot, we are lacking an amended budget for the year 2015. Of course, we’re also lacking an amended budget for 2014. However, you are required according to the Home Rule Charter, to provide this Council with an amended budget. At this time I’m going to offer up a motion that Mr. Fontenot’s office provide this Council with an amended budget for the 2014 and the year 2015 according to the Home Rule Charter.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Do I have a second? Seconded by Mr. Alvin Stelly.”

A motion was offered by Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, seconded by Councilman Alvin Stelly, to forward to the full Council, that Parish President Bill Fontenot’s office provide to the Council amended budgets for the years 2014 and 2015.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Hurlin Dupre, Alvin Stelly, Pam Gautreau, Jimmie Edwards, Huet Dupre. NAYS: ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

6. Discuss the theft at the St. Landry Parish Animal Shelter. (Councilwoman Pam Gautreau)
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I have been bringing this up hoping that Mr. Fontenot will have an answer as to whether or not any of the monies or the safe has been recovered at this time.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Ms. Gautreau, it’s the same answer, it’s out of my hands. The Sheriff and his team are investigating that matter. That’s where it remains.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “At this point, I’m almost tempted to make a motion that we request Lieutenant Higgins put this on Crime Stoppers because Lieutenant Higgins seems to be able to get things done. The people of this parish have found it in their hearts to donate their monies to the animal shelter. The money is coming into the front door and is being stolen out of the back door. This has been going on since July [2015], I do believe, that the safe was stolen and there’s been no findings. There’s been no reporting to the Council. The people are still, at this time, being asked to donate more. Would it be proper, Mr. Pitre, for a Council to request that its own St. Landry Parish Crime Stoppers get involved and, perhaps, plead to the good people of St. Landry Parish to turn who ever this thief is in?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I like it. I think it would be a good thing.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I’m going to offer up this motion that we send this to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office and request that Lieutenant Clay Higgins plead to the people of St. Landry Parish to get this thief caught.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “I have a motion by Ms. Gautreau. I have a second by Mr. Huet Dupre, that this matter be turned over to Captain Clay Higgins. I think he just got promoted, so congratulations to him.”

A motion was offered by Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, seconded by Councilman Huet Dupre, to forward to the full Council that a request be sent to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office for Captain Clay Higgins film a segment for St. Landry Parish Crimes Stoppers highlighting the theft of the safe and money from the St. Landry Parish Animal Shelter.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Alvin Stelly, Pam Gautreau, Jimmie Edwards, Huet Dupre. NAYS: Hurlin Dupre. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

7. Discuss the conflict of interest with Ward Two Gravity Drainage District No. 1 board member and a newly elected Councilmember. (Councilwoman Pam Gautreau)
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, in January [2016], when the newly elected Councilwoman for this District 8 takes office there’s going to be a sever conflict of interest with her husband who sits on this gravity drainage district. It would be in the taxpayers’ best interest that this person, the husband of this Councilwoman be respectfully removed from the position, so that way their district does not go without a vote on the St. Landry Parish Council, because anything regarding this gravity drainage district, that Councilwoman is going to have to abstain her vote. I have represented District 8, they have never gone without a voice. I will not let them go without a voice while I am still here. I am going to offer up a motion. Mr. Pitre, I’d like to know if I would be correct in making this removal of a drainage board member due to the sever conflict of interest that will occur in January of 2016.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I don’t know the details of your concern with this, but yes you can make a motion to show y’all’s support or disapproval. You can’t force him out, unless it’s a vote.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I can ask for a motion to forward to the full Council that this person be removed from the board prior to January of 2016 and make an appointment so that way it’s not a conflict of interest for this board.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “You can ask for that.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Okay, at this time I’m going to make a motion to forward to the full Council that Mr. Pete Olivier be removed from Ward 2, Gravity Drainage District No. 1, effective as soon as it can get to the full Council for a vote.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Mr. Chairman, can I comment? Just for my own information. Is it not yet a conflict until this lady takes office? It’s not a conflict until she takes office, right?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I will become a conflict immediately when she takes office, Mr. Fontenot.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “So, you’re trying to remove him immediately though, in anticipation of that date?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I am going to so that way that drainage district does not go without representation by this Council.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Removing him immediately.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “In December.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “So, that’s prior to the conflict.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Do you think she’ll be able to vote, Mr. Fontenot? In January.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “It’s prior to the conflict. Prior to the conflict.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “I’m taking care of my district Mr. Fontenot.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Prior to the conflict, I just wanted to point that out.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “There’s been a call for a vote.”

A motion was offered by Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, seconded by Councilman Alvin Stelly, to forward to the full Council that Mr. Pete Olivier be removed from the Ward 2, Gravity Drainage District No. 1 due to a conflict of interest with Mrs. Olivier being sworn in as a Council member in January of 2016; further, that an appointment be made to fill the seat vacated by Mr. Olivier.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Pam Gautreau, Huet Dupre, Alvin Stelly. NAYS: Hurlin Dupre. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: Jimmie Edwards.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “What did you say Mr. Hurlin?”
Councilman Hurlin Dupre, “I said, when that lady takes office the man’s got to get off the board.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Mr. Pitre, have you ever, I know you just started representing, ever had this before. Or seen this before, whereas what Mr. Hurlin is saying that it’s automatic. I know we had to get rid of an employee at one time because of a Councilmember. How was that Hurlin? You were involved.”
Councilman Hurlin Dupre, “I had to resign for my daughter-in-law to work for the parish.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Could be. Listen, these conflicts of interest is a term used but there’s no definition for it. They have what is called an ethics violation. Ethics violations are personal in nature. That’s why I don’t like to give advice on it. It’s not up to me, it’s up to the individual person, as a person. There are seven (700) to eight (800) hundred Attorney’s General opinions on these dual office holdings and these conflicts of interest with an ethics violation because of family members. Then they have the definition of a family member, what’s a family member. Can a family member do this? Sometimes. Can a family member do that? No. It’s not clear all the time. It’s taken on a case-by-case basis. If there’s no reason, you can probably think in your head, are there any reasons where it would ever be a conflict. It may not be. Until there is a conflict there is no conflict. I think someone had mention earlier. To answer your question, yes, we have conflicts of interest every day in this state dealing with governmental affairs, elected officials, and appointed officials.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Also Mr. Pitre, on the other hand, you have seen this where you had to excuse yourself from the meeting and Mr. Cravins is represented us.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Definitely. I think it’s an individual decision, that’s who needs to look out for number one.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “I don’t want to pick at this gentleman or his family. I mean she’s coming on as a Councilwoman, we welcome it. But he’s also sitting on the Solid Waste Commission. So, when we’re going to have an issue with Solid Waste she’s going to have to excuse herself from voting. Not only just for the drainage district. The drainage district is made up of five members. Solid Waste Commission made up of certain amount of members also. We’re going to look at this.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “That’s a good point you’re making. A lot of that is the responsibility of the individual members themselves. If somebody points it out, because sometimes they might not see it. If somebody points it out it needs to be looked at. A lot of times you can look at already published ethics opinions dealing with; you can probably find husband/wife, parent/child in different situations.”

8. Start the process of amending the Home Rule Charter to ratify appointments made by Parish President Bill Fontenot on a yearly basis. (forwarded from last meeting)
A) Councilman Jerry Red, “It was, basically, talked about the appointments that would be ratified when the Parish President brings it to us in January [2016]. That was the only thing I was talking about. Having amended the Home Rule Charter. I believe some other people may have something else. If y’all have something else we can tag that along with it. That was the only thing I was talking about amending the Home Rule Charter.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Any members on the committee have any suggestions on how y’all want to start this process?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, I would just ask the attorney. Mr. Pitre, since it is not clear in the Home Rule Charter whether the Parish President’s department heads must be approved yearly. It certainly also does not state that these appointments are for a four year term. So, with that gray area in the Charter, what would you think?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Normally, without looking at it, if you tell me an elected official has authority to make appointment heads subject to the confirmation of a board and that’s done, normally throughout Louisiana statutes, that’s for the term of the office. From my experience. So, if you have a newly elected position and that person gets to appoint someone, but it has to be confirmed, is that what you’re saying? Once the confirmation’s made usually that person’s there as part of the administrative team, for the four year, six year, whatever it may be, term. Generally speaking.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Red, understanding that that is one of the things that you’d like to see amended in the Home Rule Charter, that would require a vote of the people. I would ask, and I’ve addressed this issue before, is convening a Home Rule Charter committee, so that way all of the amendments to the Charter that we’ve all seen, anywhere from the last, some Councilmembers have been here for twenty-something years, some have been here for eight, some for four. We’ve all come to an understanding as to what we’d like to see changed. But, you need a Home Rule Charter committee to get those amendments and those recommendations brought to the full Council, let the full Council vote on them, and then call for an election. Hopefully, you could get that done by next year. There’s going to be several elections held next year and if you can get those amendments in place to be put before the people, I think that would be the best way to do it. I think we’d be wasting our time to put one amendment on a Home Rule Charter in an election when there’s so many other amendments that clearly need to be made.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “And I agree with that Ms. Gautreau. My main concern was most of the constituents in St. Landry Parish don’t understand the difference between the Police Jury system and the Home Rule Charter as being a Parish Councilmember. We all get calls from our constituents and they think when they call us, they expect that things are going to get done that day when they call us. My reason for saying the appointments would be ratified yearly is because if we call Public Works and things are not taken care of in a timely manner our constituents are looking at us like we’re not getting the job done. Our job is being the legislative side of government. So, that was my main take, for us to at least educate the people and let them know the form of government that we have; and also, if a person is on a yearly basis, they’re going to make sure their job is done and, if their job is not done, they can be replaced. But, if you ratify it for four years they’re there for the whole duration of that term. If there’s something else somebody else feels that needs to be brought up, I think there’s more than just one person on the Council and I believe we all have great ideas. We just all have to put them together. Number one, I think the Home Rule Charter, when it came up, it was for the best of the people because the people lost interest in the Police Jury system. Now, we’re under Home Rule Charter and, sometimes, the people feel that we didn’t do any better, and yet, we’re trying to do the best with what we have. We have to work together, cohesively, as a team. I think if we work together as a team we can get it done. But, we have to first let the people know the form of government that we have and whatever changes need to be made, we need to change it so that we can better this parish. That’s my take on it. If somebody else feels that they have to add something to it, let’s do whatever we have to do to move this parish forward.”

B) Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “On the appointment that we ratified, is it possible that we could request Mr. Fontenot to rescind the ratification so we can terminate his position, although it may be a four year term, because we feel that he’s not doing his job, or she’s not doing her job like she should be. Do we have that authority?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “When right now?”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “At any time.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “No, you’re talking about today. Does this Council have the authority to suspend an appointed position? I’d have to look at the Charter. Let me look. Mr. Fontenot, do you know the answer? I’ll be happy to look.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “My opinion is that once the appointment is ratified, no, there’s no authority for the Council to remove that person. You can always ask if you don’t think he’s doing satisfactory. You can always ask anything, but you don’t have the authority to remove them. But that’s what you’re asking here?”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Do you need some more time Mr. Pitre?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Yes, I’d like more time, if that’s alright.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Do you want to bring this up later?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Yes, I can bring it up at the next meeting.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “I have a question for you on this matter also. Suppose this Council, let’s forget about the Home Rule Charter for a moment, suppose this Council would offer an ordinance to put it in place where his appointments would be for one year. Would that be proper?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “If it’s against the Charter, yes it would be improper. If it is not, you could probably do it.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “You’re going to look at the Charter and give us something?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Yes, the Charter is the constitution.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “If I remember correctly, on our treasurer, didn’t we appoint her two times? Same treasurer, or gave her a raise, what was the matter with our treasurer. Or we appointed a new treasurer in midstream in the last three and a half years.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Finance Director Mr. Wayne?”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Yes.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Actually it was my recommendation that we change her. To change her I needed to get you to ratify the new one that I was recommending.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Mr. Pitre you’re going to report back to us?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I may have the answer, ‘The President shall appoint, direct, and supervise the heads of all departments and parish engineers, except as otherwise provided in this charter, to serve at the president’s pleasure; and, the appointments shall be subject to Council approval.’ Unless I can find an exception afterward. Pretty much it’s clear.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, may I. Mr. Pitre, again, it does not state that it’s four year terms, so does the Council then have the authority to rescind.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “I think not, no.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Chairman. That being said Mr. Pitre, being that the Parish President can pick the people, but we have to ratify it. If the Council feels, rather than going before the people, if we feel that that person is not up to par, we could bring it back to the Parish President and say we request that you find someone else.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “You can ask.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “He acknowledged that a while ago, that you can ask.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “You can also, at any time, doesn’t have any teeth, but it would sure shows if you support or you disapprove of something. A vote of non-confidence in whoever. It goes on the record that you’re not supporting this person.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “But it doesn’t move the person out of that position.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “No, but it sure says a lot. It says look we don’t have confidence. That’s done on occasion throughout government.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “Mr. Pitre, but you’re saying it’s understood that it was four years? It’s not listed as four years, but it’s kind of just understood it is four years. So, when it would be time to ratify and we make the motion would we say we would ratify this appointment for a twelve month term? Because it’s not indicated that it’s a four, it’s just understood, but there’s no real understanding. So, if we said, ‘I’ll ratify Chad Pitre for a twelve month period from this date to this date and then he would have to come back for a second?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “No, because in Louisiana, if you’re appointed to a position, you’re in that position until you’re removed. You have no authority to remove the person. So, you can say we don’t want them, but they’re not going anywhere. Your position in government is there until you’re replaced.”
Councilman Dexter Brown “Until your term is up?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “Sometimes your term can be up and until you’re replaced you’re still sitting there. You’ve seen that on some of these boards that haven’t had meetings in twenty years. The same members are there for years and years. It may not be proper at the time, but the case law has said until your replacement’s there, you’re there. Until there’s a term. There’s a finite term, at the end of four years you’re out, well you’re out.”
Councilman Dexter Brown, “Providing you’re being replaced.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “That’s correct.”
Councilman Timmy Lejeune, “He or she may be an employee of parish government. It’s not like it’s an official.”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “There’s a difference between an employee, quote employee, your run-of-the-mill employee and an appointed position. An appointed position has heightened scrutiny and it has to get approval by you guys. If he wants to hire somebody, he can hire somebody, but not a department head. The appointed positions are a little different from, you have more authority, more say so over these appointed positions. Instead of hired, even though an appointed person gets paid and is considered an employee they are not hired as an employee, they are appointed, it’s an appointment.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Any other questions from any Councilmembers?”

C) Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I want to ask Mr. Fontenot a question. Like your road supervisors, do they have the right to use parish automobiles over the weekend for their own use? Because I see that.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Absolutely not. Not for their own use.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I’ve seen that a lot. They haul fire wood and stuff like that on weekends.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I would like for you to call me at that time and tell me who it is. I’ll go, immediately, there.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “I will. Because I’ve seen it a bunch of times.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “Please call me and I’ll take care of that.”

D) Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Any other questions on the matter that was brought up as far as item number 8.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, at this time I’m going to offer up a motion that the Council, whether it be this sitting Council or the next Council in January [2016], start looking at appointing, or reconvening, a Home Rule Charter Commission, so that we can put a group of people together to take a look at this charter, take into consideration the Councilmember’s concerns from our viewpoint, and from the constituents viewpoint, and from Parish Government’s viewpoint. I think if you do that you will put together ideas that will work for the taxpayers, not for one side or the other. There’s a lot of things that need to be changed. But I’m going to offer that as a motion that it be forwarded to the full Council, that we either reconvene or we recall to the table a Home Rule Charter committee to address amendments that need to be made. Because, alongside those department heads, Mr. Red, that charter does not even list any qualifications for those department heads. So, that’s why we’ve got people that are in extremely high qualified positions at high salaries that would never have qualified for a job anywhere else in those departments. That’s one of the other issues. It’s not just about ratifying their appointments, it’s making sure they’re qualified to begin with to be in their respective positions to be appointed. My motion is that we reconvene a Home Rule Charter Commission.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Do you want to be specific on it or you want to let it come before the full Council?”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Forward it to the full Council. If the full Council agrees that it’s needed then we’ll look into it.”

A motion was offered by Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, seconded by Councilman Alvin Stelly, to forward to the full Council, a discussing regarding the reconvening of a Home Rule Charter Commission.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Jimmie Edward, Huet Dupre, Hurlin Dupre, Alvin Stelly, Pam Gautreau. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was forwarded on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

9. Discuss any other business properly brought before this committee.
A) Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Mr. Chairman, I have a couple of issues. The committee members, the full Council, and Mr. Fontenot, once again we are in the budget process and we have no one in place that is going to attend either a Finance Committee meeting, or a full Council meeting, to discuss the budget from the Parish Government’s viewpoint. We are handed sheets and sheets of paper. There’s no explanations. There’s no room for questioning. And, next month you’re going to be told just vote on it. So, alongside, this kind of coincides with that Home Rule Charter issue is the fact that these department heads are not required to come before these committees and Council to discuss these issues. I’m going to ask, Mr. Fontenot, you have a Finance Director. Why is this Finance Director not coming before the Finance Committee, nor the full Council, to discuss the budget?”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I already answered that numerous times when you’ve brought it up numerous times. I speak for my office.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “But Mr. Fontenot, the questions are going unanswered.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I don’t think they’re going unanswered.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “And we cannot continue to wait months,”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “You’re also going to have the auditor here so he can validate anything I’m telling you.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “The auditor is there as an independent auditor. He is not an employee of parish government. We are paying a Finance Director. That Finance Director is charged with preparing the budget, preparing all of those documents which is very important to the taxpayers and this Council. We should be getting clear, concise answers the night of the meetings. Not having to wait another month, or two, because we have incomplete documents and we don’t have the answers to our questions.”
Parish President Bill Fontenot, “I’ve not yet ever brought anything here that you’ve approved of in concept or in reality. I don’t see, in the last two months, that I’m going to improve on that with you. I’m going to continue to carry the football like I have. I’m a professional engineer that has done this for over forty years, including budgeting. I’ll continue to do it.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Thank you Mr. Fontenot. Unfortunately a forty year DOTD engineer does not a Finance Director make.”

B) Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “Also, Mr. Chairman, something else that needs to be addressed and is being taken advantage of. I understand on, a state level, that they set guidelines for the pay for Councilmembers, Police Jury. We’ve got a Councilmember, and this is not directed towards Mr. Buschel. This is directed towards another Councilmember who, once again, is not present for a meeting. This has been an ongoing issue where we have a Councilmember who’s been gone for almost a year. Has not attended meetings and is getting paid for it. That district is going unrepresented because that chair has stayed empty. How many months does a Councilman get a pass on before they are replaced or are considered incapacitated? One year you’re required to make two meetings a month and this particular Councilman, this has been the tenth, eleventh, tenth month possibly that he has not been present for a meeting. At what point do we hold ourselves accountable for our absences? I understand we all have health issues, we have vacations every now and then, but ten months, that’s a long time to have, number one a seat that is empty, not representing their district and getting paid for it. Is there anything that a Parish Council can do Mr. Pitre, to put a stop to that?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “No.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “There’s not?”
Legal Advisor Chad Pitre, “No, because your charter states, Section 2-03, vacancy in Council office, ‘A Councilmember’s office shall become vacant upon death, resignation, removal from office, forfeiture of office, failure or refusal to take office, at which time the Council shall fill the vacancy through appointment by a majority vote of the Council’s membership within fifteen days after the vacancy occurs.’ Refusing to attend a meeting is not a vacancy under your charter.”
Councilman Alvin Stelly, “In other words, you can miss as many meetings as you want.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “As long as you take office that one time you can skip the next four years and get paid for it. That just reiterates why we need a Home Rule Charter Commission to come back and make some amendments to this charter. So that the people can vote on what they want as their government.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Any other business?”
Councilman Jerry Red, “Mr. Chairman. I just want to add to what Ms. Gautreau said. Ms. Gautreau, when we first took office I believe one of the things that we talked to our prior Legal Counsel about was, if a Councilmember missed a meeting they missed half of their check.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “But you, legally, can’t take it from them.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “No. I’m saying we had brought this up before,”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “We had.”
Councilman Jerry Red, “And we tried to say, if you miss a meeting you miss half your check and if you don’t come that month you don’t get paid at all. There was nothing that could be done. We did bring it up.”
Councilwoman Pam Gautreau, “That’s right, we did. I know that. But, it’s time to bring it up again. It just goes back to that Home Rule Charter Commission and how important amendments to this charter are needed.”
Chairman Wayne Ardoin, “Any other business?”

10. Adjourn.
A motion was offered by Councilman Hurlin Dupre, seconded by Councilman Huet Dupre to adjourn this meeting of the St. Landry Parish Administrative Finance Committee.
On roll call vote: YEAS: Huet Dupre, Hurlin Dupre, Alvin Stelly, Pam Gautreau, Jimmie Edwards. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None.
WHEREUPON, this motion was adopted on this, the 4th day of November, 2015.

This meeting was adjourned.

I HEREBY CERTIFY THE FOREGOING TO BE EXACT AND TRUE.
MONA COURVILLE, CLERK FOR THE ST. LANDRY PARISH COUNCIL.

XIV. ADJOURNMENT