ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / May 5, 2000

LAPLACE – St. John Parish Clerk of Court-elect Eliana DeFrancesch needshelp from the parish council to do some re-decorating and renovation work at the Clerk of Court office in Edgard.

Addressing the council last week, DeFrancesch told the council the old Edgard branch of the St. John Parish Library is just about ready for use as astorage area for old parish records. The only thing left is to fix a skylight inthe building that leaks every time it rains. Director of Public Works HenryDiFranco said he would look into it.

DeFrancesch asked the council’s permission to tear down the walls that separate the civil and criminal sections of the Clerk of Court’s office.

“I want to make both sides visible to the public,” said DeFrancesch.

She said she would like to replace the walls with glass doors and walls.

Other changes wanted by DeFrancesch are new flooring, painting the walls, removing certain counters to make movement easier for employees and others using the records vault.

She asked the council for money to buy new computers and workstations for all the employees in the office. Plus she wants to purchase a new softwareprogram for recordkeeping.

“The employees don’t like the present program,” said DeFrancesch. “They sayit is cumbersome and obsolete.”DeFrancesch said she would reimburse the council for the purchases of computers and software because she was told by the present Clerk of Court, Harold Montegut, there is a surplus in the budget.

Parish President Nickie Monica told DeFrancesch he will talk to Sheriff Wayne Jones about using the Inmate Work Program to help the Clerk of Court make the necessary renovations to the office.

The council passed a resolution to find out what funds are available to help DeFrancesch in her transition.

DeFrancesch will be sworn in as new Clerk of Court in July.

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