Parish personnel policy will have to wait

The St. Mary Parish Council said goodbye and thanks Dec. 13 at its last meeting of the 2019-23 term amid pledges for unity in the future
But it left one piece of business for after the parish government inauguration ceremony Jan. 8 — adoption of a new personnel policy.
The current council term seemed to grow more contentious as the years went by over issues such as consolidation of the drainage districts serving Morgan City and Amelia, statements by Parish President David Hanagriff at council meetings, attempts to add minority clout and redistricting.
Moving into the new term, nine of the 11 council members will return to office. After Oct. 14 election victories, David Hill of Bayou Vista will take the District 4 seat being vacated by Scott Ramsey and James “Jimmy” Davis of Morgan City will take the District 7 seat now held by James Bennett.
Bennett leaves the council after two four-year terms.
“I feel like we fought hard for Morgan and we got a lot done,” Bennett said. “We just hope people’s differentials are worked out and we can move forward.”
Council Chair Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista congratulated incoming members Hill and Davis. “Let’s unite for the next four years,” she said.
Hidalgo congratulated Hanagriff of Centerville, who is term-limited and will be succeeded next month by Sam Jones of Franklin.
“You did your duty...,” Hidalgo told Hanagriff. “Enjoy that back porch.”
Hanagriff reflected on the Dec. 11 special meeting at which council members ironed out differences while working on a new parish personnel policy.
“I hope we continue in the future with that same cooperation,” Hanagriff said.
Yet the council didn’t quite make it to passage of the new personnel policy.
The 2-1/2-hour special meeting reached general agreement on what turned out to be a series of relatively minor changes with an eye toward passage Dec. 13. The council had already introduced an ordinance adopting the original policy, and, on advice of legal counsel Eric Duplantis, could proceed to passage if the changes didn’t fundamentally alter the policy.
But the council didn’t do that.
Councilmen Dean Adams of Morgan City and Mark Duhon of Amelia noted that while the ordinance enacting the policy has been published, the personnel policy document itself with the new changes hasn’t been available for public inspection.
“We’ve been preaching transparency for four years on this council,” said Councilwoman Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink of Centerville. “And if we pass this tonight, we’re not being very transparent.”
Hanagriff and Rodney Olander of Franklin argued for a vote. But Adams and J Ina of Franklin both relayed questions they’ve received from the public.
Adams pointed to the proposal that would allow the parish government to give employees compensatory time off rather than overtime in emergency situations such as hurricanes. The policy gives the administration the option of when an employee can take comp time, but Adams argued that it should be the employee’s option.
Ina wanted to know if employees will still have up to four authorized absences for sickness, injury, a death or short-term disability in his immediate family.
Raising another point, Rink said incoming Parish President Jones might want input on a policy that he’ll have to live with for the next four years.
“All I care about are the employees that this document is going to govern,” Ina said. “I want to get it right.”
The council tabled action on the new policy until next month.
The inauguration, which includes the swearing in of Jones and the 11 council members, will be at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 8 on the fifth floor of the Parish Courthouse in Franklin.
Also Dec. 13, the council took its final vote to pass the 2024 parish government budget.
The combined budget anticipates revenue of about $37.1 million and spending of about $39.7 million.
That would reduce the accumulated fund balance to $17.2 million.
The combined budget consists of 28 separate funds, the largest being the fund that pays for general government.
The general fund budget anticipates $9.4 million in revenue and spending of $10.5 million, leaving an accumulated fund balance of $1.1 million.
The biggest single revenue item is the $3.7 million expected to be raised through taxes.
On the spending side, the biggest category is general government with $7.5 million.