Parish Council pays respects to people who made impact

FRANKLIN — The St. Mary Parish Council devoted much of a short Wednesday night meeting to resolutions of respect for recently deceased people who made an impact on the council and their communities.
The council also heard a request for funding from the TECHE Project; introduced ordinances setting tax rates for the parish libraries and the justice system and changing the rules for public comments at meetings; and called for a tax renewal election for Recreation District No. 2.
The council also heard that the July 2020 population estimate for St. Mary was down nearly 10% from the 2010 Census figure.
Resolutions
The meeting became emotional at times as council members read resolutions of respect for Thomas Frere McNulty, Mark Ashton Bogan and Dorothy M. Gabriel.
Councilwoman Kristi Prejeant Rink introduced the resolution honoring McNulty, who died March 21 at age 89. McNulty served in the Navy during the Korean War and, after retiring from the Louisiana State Police, served as an investigator for the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Eric Duplantis, the council’s legal adviser, appeared to choke up as he praised McNulty’s integrity.
Councilwoman Gwen-dolyn Hidalgo introduced a resolution in honor of Bogan, who died April 2 at age 76.
Bogan served in the Air Force in the Vietnam era. He often appeared at Parish Council meetings to speak on behalf of veterans and senior citizens and, according to the resolution, was instrumental in founding the Franklin VA clinic.
Council members recalled that during frequent appearances at council meetings, Bogan promised to keep the council in line.
Councilman Craig Mathews put forward the resolution in memory of Gabriel, who died April 3.
Gabriel was a Sorrell native who “served faithfully until the time of her death as an original member of the Sorrell Community Park Advisory Committee since its inception in 2003 …,” the resolution said.
“Ms. Gabriel exemplified true leadership and servanthood in her family and community.”
Population
Chief Administrative Officer Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange said he heard from Treasurer John Schroder that the state government will use a population estimate of 49,331 as of July 2020 for St. Mary as it calculates how much the parish will get from population-based programs. Those programs include revenue sharing, transportation funding and the fire insurance rebate program.
The estimate represents a 9.7% decrease from the 2010 Census figure of 54,650.
The parish’s population has historically fluctuated with the price of energy. It peaked in 1980 at 64,253, after the Arab oil embargo and the Iranian revolution pushed oil prices to record levels.
The population dropped nearly 10% during the oil price crunch in the 1980s and rebounded with growth of more than 2% in time for the 2010 Census.
The results of the 2020 Census will be released this summer.
Population
The council introduced an ordinance setting the tax rates for the St. Mary Parish Library system at 5.72 mills and 0.31 mills. The taxes apply everywhere except Morgan City, which operates its own library.
Another ordinance set tax rates of 7.6 mills outside municipalities and 3.8 mills in municipalities to operate the local criminal justice system.
The ordinances will be the subject of a public hearing and possible passage vote April 28.
The council also passed a resolution calling for an Oct. 9 election on a tax renewal election and bond issue for Recreation District No. 2 in the Siracusaville area.
The property tax rate is 13.34 mills, and it raises about $411,000 a year, according the resolution.
The bond issue would authorize borrowing of up to $2.55 million at an interest rate of up to 6% for parks and other recreational facilities.
State Bond Comm-ission approval is required before the issues go on the ballot.
A mill is 1/10th cent of tax applied to each dollar of assessed valuation. Residential property is assessed at 10% of its market value. Louisiana’s homestead exemption exempts the first $75,000 of a primary residence’s market value from state and parish property taxes.
TECHE Project
Patti Holland outlined the TECHE Project’s work to beautify and protect Bayou Teche and enhance recreational opportunities.
The Teche has been designated as one of the 33 National Water and Paddle Trails, which helps the project seek grants, Holland said.
Docks have been designated in Patterson, Baldwin, Franklin and Charenton, and a fifth will soon be added in Centerville. The project also puts together cleanup day events to remove litter.
Information kiosks have or will be erected from Port Barre to Berwick.
And the project has set up wood duck boxes, the first homes for about 350 chicks a year.
Holland asked the council to consider giving $1,000 a year to the project.
Parish President David Hanagriff praised the project’s work and said the funding would be considered in future budgets.
Comments
The council introduced Councilman J Ina’s ordinance changing the procedure for public comments.
Earlier this year, during a discussion of minority representation in the Registrar of Voters Office, two people who wanted to talk to the council were told they couldn’t.
Duplantis said the parish’s rules limit public comments to people who had asked to be placed on the agenda or those who want to speak about a topic on the agenda for a vote.
Ina’s ordinance would allow public comment on any item on the agenda.
“This would clean it up a little,” Ina said after the meeting. “I think citizens should have the opportunity to speak.”
The ordinance will be the subject of a public hearing and possible passage vote April 28.