LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / January 26, 2000

HAHNVILLE – St. Charles Councilwoman Dee Abadie claimed her request to geta vehicle for parish use has prompted political opposition, and she withdrew the request at Monday’s council meeting.

Before withdrawing it, however, Abadie read a prepared statement in which she pointed out that council members each have a budget of $50,000 to $54,000 each for such items judged necessary to perform their duties.

Normally, the money is spent on items such as cameras, cellular phones, fax machines, travel expense, office furniture and the like.

However, as she is not employed outside the home, she uses her personal vehicle in her self-appointed full-time council role,to the detriment of her vehicle, especially during recent floods.

“I am fortunate that I am able to do my job full time,” she said in her statement. “I have experienced problems with my car due to high water onthe streets of my district.”She insisted she was not asking for more money, only to be permitted to get the vehicle. However, she continued, opposition by other council membersprompted her to withdraw the request.

In other matters, the council also approved an ordinance to require solid waste disposal provisions prior to the issuance of a preliminary certificate of zoning compliance.

Numerous construction projects, residential and commercial, leave mounds of debris for collection by the parish’s curbside collection contractor.

However, with the current rate of development, developers will be asked to provide their own collection and disposal of such construction waste in a state-approved disposal site.

Among resolutions approved were: Creation of the following committees: Operations, Maintenance and Construction Management; Legislative; Contract/Finance and Administrative; and Special Projects/Public Safety, Health and Environmental Committee, from G. “Ram” Ramchandran. Assigning the Parish Administrative Complex project to the Special Projects Committee, from Abadie.

Expediting engineering and construction for drainage improvements along U.S. Highway 90, from Terry Authement. Requesting signal lights at U.S. 90 at Louisiana Highway 306 and U.S. 90 atTiger Drive.

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