Public works vacancy raises questions for Parish Council

Some Parish Council members are pushing back against a delay in appointing a public works director until the new parish president takes over next year. They spoke up at Wednesday’s meeting.

Also Wednesday, the council approved a deal that would raise residential trash pickup rates in unincorporated St. Mary. Residents won’t see the increase on their monthly bills — not this time, anyway.

The council also heard from Amelia residents concerned about water rates, poor streets and blighted houses in their community.

The public works director position has been vacant for a month. Former Director Jean Paul Bourg was appointed by Parish President David Hanagriff to be the new chief administrative officer at the end of April, when Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange retired after 27 years.

That leaves Bourg in charge of day-to-day parish government operations as well as continuing to serve as de facto head of public works until his successor is named.
Councilman J Ina of Franklin noted that Bourg was also asked to oversee Water District No. 5 after all five commissioners resigned last month.

Ina asked when a public works director will be appointed.

Bourg answered that Hanagriff, who was absent Wednesday, wants to leave the appointment to the next parish president, who will take office in January. Hanagriff is term-limited and won’t run when parish offices come up for election in October.

“Public works director is a big spot that you want to make sure you’re putting the right person in as well,” Bourg said.

That’s too long a delay for Ina.

“I don’t think having you do CAO duties, public works director duties and the new Water 5 (duties) as a new, inexperienced CAO is putting us as a parish in a position to be successful,” Ina said.

Councilman Dean Adams was more blunt.

“I think we ought to fill that position,” Adams said. “I think [the delay] is a travesty.”

Trash pickup

The council authorized Hanagriff to enter a five-year extension of the deal under which Pelican Waste & Debris LLC handles residential trash pick-up in the residential parish.

The current contract calls for a charge of $19.83 per household per month. The residents themselves pay $19 per household, with the parish paying the remaining 83 cents.

The new deal would raise the charge to $21.95.

The new agreement continues to cap annual increases at 4% and includes a 2% penalty if landfill tipping fees are not paid within 30 days.

Officials pointed to high inflation over the last few years as the reason for the increase.

Bourg said that after talking with other officials, extending the contract with Pelican seemed more practical than putting the contract out for bids. Pelican is already equipped to handle pick-up using bear-proof trash cans, which require a substantial investment, and the area in which bear-proof cans are required will soon expand in the area south of U.S. 90.

No one had exact figures on how much the parish would have to pay to absorb the higher per-home rate. Bourg called it “substantial.” Councilman Rodney Olander said a previous $4 increase amounted to $80,000.

Bourg said he’s about to oversee a parish budget for the first time, but for now, he doesn’t favor passing the increase on to parish households. Olander agreed.

“I’m not for raising no rates right now,” said Councilman Mark Duhon of Amelia.