White House trip yields results

St. Mary Parish Councilman Patrick Hebert reported on a meeting he attended at the White House this week.
“I would encourage next year when they do this again to attend,” he said. “This is the first president in history to hold these types of meetings. They had all these local elected officials, this go around a lot of mayors. I saw Mayor (Rodney) Grogan from Patterson there.”
Hebert said the meeting was an opportunity for local governments to have fastlane access to federal offices when in need. A list was provided to attendees with names, phone numbers and email addresses to higher-ups in federal departments. “It goes directly to the heads of those departments,” Hebert said. “If you have a problem, you can go straight to the top.”
In other business Wednesday:
—Ordinances were introduced authorizing the next round of street and road repairs in the amount of $10 million; and another by Councilman Hebert to move the council meeting time from 6 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
—Resolutions of respect were approved in memory of Andrew Joseph “Deacon” Dragna, John “Coach Menard” Louis Menard and Merwyn “Roby” Adam Robicheaux.
—The Banner-Tribune was reappointed as the official legal journal for St. Mary Parish Government.
—Councilmembers have again asked for an executive from Cox Cable to appear before the council to discuss rate increases and channel lineups, without success.