Patterson council ponders challenge to rate hike

By BILL DECKER
bdecker@daily-review.com
PATTERSON — The City Council on Tuesday delayed action on a controversial sewer system rate increase, and left open the possibility that the city may attempt to block the higher rate sought by the Joint Sewage Commission of Wards 5 & 8.
That challenge could turn on the difference between hand-delivering a document and putting it in the mail.
The commission charges Patterson, Berwick and the parish government, representing unincorporated areas of Eastern St. Mary, for sewage treatment. The local governments bill their residents. Last month, the commission notified the municipal governments that it was imposing a $1.50 per month increase for every 1,000 gallons treated by the commission’s system.
In Berwick alone, the increase could amount to $175,000 per year, according to town officials.
Officials in Patterson and Berwick objected to the increase, citing the abrupt demand for more money and the lack of a rate study to justify the increase. Commissioners said they need the additional income for maintenance and repairs on a system that needs both.
The Patterson council held a special meeting last month to introduce an ordinance passing along the increase to city residents. That made it possible to hold a public hearing and passage vote at Tuesday’s meeting.
But the council tabled the ordinance Tuesday after hearing from legal counsel Russel Cremaldi.
Cremaldi’s reading of the original agreement among the local governments and the commission is that it identifies three participants: Patterson, Berwick and St. Mary Parish government.
The commission is required to mail its minutes to the participants. A majority of the participants can block or amend action by the commission if they move within 15 days of the date the minutes were mailed, Cremaldi said, quoting the agreement.
Patterson officials say the minutes of the meeting when the commission voted to impose the increase were hand-delivered to City Hall on Sept. 4, two days after the City Council’s regular first-Tuesday meeting.
Berwick officials say the minutes were hand-delivered there, too.
“I think they should mail it if they want the 15 days to start running,” Cremaldi said.
A Patterson challenge might find an ally in Berwick.
“We feel the same way Patterson does,” Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur said Wednesday. “We need a rate study. We don’t know if they need a raise or if it’s just not being handled properly.”
By Berwick’s estimate, the rate hike for that town would amount to about $175,000 annually.
Arthur said Berwick is willing to help if the commission needs help. Parish Councilman Patrick Hebert of Berwick has said the commission should consider applying for a grant from the Louisiana Infrastructure Technical Assistance Corp., a nonprofit that helps distressed communities.
Also at Tuesday’s Patterson council meeting:
•Councilman Ray Dewey Sr. said the city government will continue to contribute to health insurance premiums for the covered family members of city employees.
The council had considered eliminating the city’s contribution as a cost-cutting measure. But Dewey said the departure of some employees had saved enough to continue paying for some of the coverage of employees’ families.
The city will make no contribution to coverage of families of new employees.
•The council gave Community Spotlight Awards to five members of the PHS Alumni Committee, who organized a Sept. 27 Patterson Alumni Picnic that drew 1,300 attendees. “What you did made Patterson look good,” Mayor Rodney Grogan said.
The members are Shanika Dewey, Ranisa Washington Broussard, Kina Williams, Jo’Lynn Pierre and Tamsyn Siemen.
•The council introduced an ordinance creating an American With Disabilities Act policy and grievance procedure. The ordinance would direct complaints from residents and employees to Human Resources Director Holden Murray and would create an appeal process.
•The council proclaimed Oct. 19 to be Catholic Daughters Sunday. The proclamation recognizes the Catholic Daughters goals of “growing in spirituality and working in faithful service.”
•The council proclaimed October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Charlesha Henry of Chez Hope said Louisiana ranks fifth in the nation with 2.18 women of every 100,000 killed each year. Chez Hope’s system of shelters and advocacy covers St. Mary, Iberia, Assumption and St. Martin parishes.
•The council approved a can shake fund-raiser for the Patterson High girls basketball team 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 8.