Mathews: Reimbursement policy for travel is unfair

Compensation of St. Mary Parish Council members for expenses incurred in travel to conferences and training sessions was debated Wednesday.
Councilman Craig Mathews asked that the council and administration accommodate “state travel lodging the same way that we do for air fare...I served on this council for the first time in 2008, and one thing became painfully obvious to me: I believe the way this charter was written in 1985, I believe it was done in a manner that would suggest that only a certain class of individual can serve on this council with the ease of being able to adequately and equally represent their constituency. I believe that is totally unfair to the general population of St. Mary Parish. If you don’t earn a certain amount of wealth, it’s almost as though you’re not welcome on this council, or it’s not conducive to serve, and serve to the fullest capacity.”
Mathews said conferences and opportunities to interact with other officials and contacts is important to serving in office.
He offered a resolution to that effect that passed 8-3.