Attempt to change the time of parish council meetings defeated

An effort to change the time of St. Mary Parish Council meetings failed Wednesday.
The move by ordinance to change the time of council meetings from 6 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. was an offshoot of an effort that began several meetings ago when a large group of Wednesday church service participants asked that the council change their sessions to Thursday nights. That request ultimately was denied on vote of the council.
Councilman Patrick Hebert moved for adoption of the current action, with a second by Councilman Ken Singleton.
Councilman Dale Rogers then motioned to amend the ordinance to a 5:30 p.m. session opening, with a second by Hebert. That move failed with a vote of three in favor, six against and two absent, council members James Bennett and Glen Hidalgo.
Before the vote, Councilman Kevin Voisin said he spoke with attorneys about the ordinance. “Both of them…said the only thing this really changes is the time,” Voisin said. “Going from 5:15 to 5:30 more or less changes the entire body of the ordinance. If this would happen to pass I will personally write a letter to the attorney general, asking for a legal opinion if this was done legally. I feel by not having to reintroduce this at 5:30, you’re lacking the advertising period, the layover period and the public hearing. We held a public hearing here for 5:15, now we’re going to change it.”
Councilman Hidalgo had sent correspondence that was read into the record, opposing the change.
Chairman Gabriel Beadle noted, “I kind of echo Mr. Hidalgo’s thoughts on this. I think what we try to do is create ordinances that create more inclusiveness from the parish body. I believe that this ordinance is more exclusive to the parish’ residents…if this does pass, I’m going to urge the parish president to veto it.”
On the subsequent vote, the ordinance failed with two in favor, seven against and two absent.