Parish Council creates waiting period before failed ordinances can be considered

FRANKLIN — Proposed ordinances that fail to win approval from the St. Mary Parish Council will have to wait 60 days before being considered again.

The council unanimously passed an ordinance establishing the 60-day waiting period at Wednesday’s meeting.

Also Wednesday, the council heard that grants have been approved for walking trails in Amelia and Bayou Vista. Members also passed a resolution of respect for a long-time parish employee who is also a family member of a council member and a former council member.

The ordinance passed Wednesday was introduced by Gwendolyn Hidalgo. It gives the council president, currently Kristi Prejeant Rink, the power to decide whether an ordinance proposed for introduction differs enough from a previously failed ordinance to avoid the 60-day wait. The council can override that decision.

Hidalgo’s original idea was to require a 120-day waiting period before a failed ordinance could come up again. But she said after the meeting that a 120-day wait isn’t workable, so she settled on the 60 days.

“She made a good ordinance and a great ordinance,” Parish President David Hanagriff said before the passage vote.

The council apparently agreed. The ordinance passed 10-0. Councilman Rodney Olander was absent.

Councilman Scott Ramsey had made a series of proposals changing stops signs in Bayou Vista and then changing the process for altering traffic signals. He said after the April 13 meeting that he felt Hidalgo’s ordinance was a result.

But after Wednesday’s meeting, Hidalgo said she wasn’t targeting Ramsey’s ordinances.

“There were these other ordinances that kept coming up,” Hidalgo said. “This was something the old council should have done.”

At the April 13 meeting, the council passed an ordinance by Ramsey that requires a traffic engineer’s review of proposed traffic signal changes.

Also Wednesday, the office of Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser notified the parish that the parish’s two federal grant requests for walking trails have been approved.

Chief Administrative Officer Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange said $150,000 has been awarded for a trail in Amelia and $100,000 for Bayou Vista’s trail.

The grants come through the Recreational Trails Program.

The resolution of respect honored the memory of Roland “Sonny” Hidalgo Jr.

Hidalgo, an Air Force veteran, retired as building supervisor for the parish after 20 years of service. He was the father of former Councilman Glen Hidalgo and the father-in-law of Gwendolyn Hidalgo.

Sonny Hidalgo died April 14. He was 86.