Celebration and mourning at Patterson council meeting

PATTERSON – Tuesday was a bittersweet time for the City Council’s regular meeting.
The council joined in a celebration for Patterson Junior High’s Lauren W. Rentrop, who was recently named Louisiana’s Principal of the Year.
And council members passed a resolution of respect for longtime legal counsel Russel Cremaldi, who died Aug. 27.
The business portion of the meeting included two re-zonings, notification that water and sewer rates are going up, and a decision not to raise the pay of Police Chief Garrett Grogan.
A parade of Patterson band students accompanied Rentrop, riding in a convertible, to City Hall.
The Louisiana Department of Education named Rentrop Principal of the Year on July 25 in New Orleans.
When she became PJHS principal in 2019, the school was struggling on the brink of state intervention.
In 2025, the PJHS school performance score was up by 18.1 points to 80.8, the best among the parish’s middle schools.
Mayor Rodney Grogan presented Rentrop with a plaque and a key to the city.
“To bring that school up from where it was to the level where they are now, and to be spotlighted, to be the jewel for this area here, we are so blessed,” Grogan said.
Rentrop called Patterson “a community built on pride and faith and caring about one another. …
“While my name is on that trophy, it’s not just about me,” Rentrop said.
“It’s about the teachers who work behind the scenes, and the parents who trust us with what matters most. It’s about the kids who challenge us day to day and keep us on our toes.”
The resolution of respect for Cremaldi came after his more than 30 years as Patterson’s city attorney crafting legislation and offering advice on how to avoid pitfalls.
“He was very quiet,” the mayor said. “But he was a fighter. He was always about finding common ground.”
Cremaldi “gave it to me straight,” Grogan said. “He told it like it was. … This is a major loss not just for Patterson, but for St. Mary Parish.”
The council passed another resolution honoring country music superstar Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25.
Also Tuesday:
•Two ordinances up for introduction on Tuesday’s agenda didn’t make it that far.
An ordinance that would raise the police chief’s pay about $10,000 to about $69,000 a year was tabled at the August meeting. On Tuesday, Councilman R. Demale Bowden moved to bring the ordinance up again for introduction.
The motion died for lack of a second, so the bill wasn’t introduced.
Another ordinance would authorize the purchase of a service truck for the Patterson Volunteer Fire Department from the Franklin department. Introduction was tabled while the Patterson city government works out the details.
•Mayor Grogan announced four pieces of state aid headed for Patterson: $25,000 for economic development, $25,000 for improvements at the Park Street Park, and two appropriations totaling $150,000 that aren’t earmarked for specific projects.
•The city’s water and sewer charges, which are tied by ordinance to the Consumer Price Index, will go up 3.4% this year.
•The council voted 5-0 to rezone two lots, both at the request of Emmanuel Listi.
The property at 1305 11th St. will be rezoned from residential to C2, a commercial zone. The land at 0 Park St. will be rezoned from residential to C1.
•At the request of Chez Hope, a program to help and advocate for victims of domestic violence, the council proclaimed October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
•100 Black Men and the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center are among the partners offering screenings for breast, colorectal, skin and prostate cancer 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6 at Cypress Point Fresh Market.
Appointments at 985-239-5739 are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. The screenings are free if you haven’t been screened within the last 12 months. Insurance will be billed for mammograms, but those without insurance will be screened free of charge.
•Young boxers will engage in bouts at Lace ’Em Up 2 on Sept. 19 at the Berwick Civic Center, 300 Pattie Drive. Doors open at 4 p.m., and bouts begin at 5 p.m.
Ringside tickets are $50. General admission is $20 and $10 for kids 12 and under.