DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / July 15, 2000

CONVENT – The first order of business for the St. James Parish Council onWednesday was to retire to an executive meeting to discuss and review lawsuits pending against the parish.

The council discussed lawsuits brought forward by Non Hazardous Waste Management, Leroy Conish and Nat Santangelo. After about 20 minutes ofdeliberating the regular council meeting resumed.

A resolution was later passed authorizing the contracting of the Non Hazardous Waste Management suit to Debra Cottrell of Sher, Garner, Cahill, Richter, Klien, McAlister and Hilbert L.L.C. The 23rd JudicialDistrict Attorney’s Office was unable to provide legal council to the St.

James Parish Council due to limited resources.

Before the regular council meeting four ordinances were reviewed in public meeting. Sonny Detillier requested the rezoning of two residentialplots for commercial use on David Plantation in Lutcher. The two plots,fronting Louisiana Highway 3125, are scheduled to be used for the construction of an office for Detillier’s life insurance company.

Detillier had received the required approval and signatures of two-thirds of the residents in the subdivision. Detillier, who has been operating inBaton Rouge for 31 years, said he wishes to return home to service his River Parish neighbors. The design of the office building looks much like ahome, thus blending in with the subdivision houses. One resident who liveson the lot next to Detillier’s said he had not been contacted and would have liked more say in the matter.

Detillier and the council answered his question and concerns about the rezoning, explaining that the change would not effect the other residentially zoned lots. The ordinance was later passed by the council.An ordinance to set and adopt the property tax millages rates for the year 2000 was introduced. Parish President Dale Hymel Jr. stated that theordinance did not represent an increase in the millages. However, RodeyMartin of IMC-Agrico pursued the subject, asking for clarification. Martinasked if the ordinance would result in the increase of taxes paid by the local companies and homeowners. Again, it was stated that the ordinancewould not increase taxes.

Though the millages will not increase taxes paid to the parish, the rise in property value in fact will. Thus though the millages stay the same,residents and companies alike will be paying more in property taxes this year than they did in 1999.

Martin explained that IMC-Agrico, already in a bind, maybe shutting down and increasing layoffs and forced retirements, is distressed by the tax increase. The ordinance was rescheduled due to the need for a set timebetween the public meeting and voting, for Aug 16 and Sept 5.

In another matter, Lafarge Corp. representatives were on hand to presentthe plans for a $25 million expansion at the Lafarge/Union terminal. Phaseone would include the construction of four cement silos, at $8 million.

Five million dollars would also be spent to construct a barge loading system and upgrade the current barge discharge system.

Phase two would include the construction of an ocean vessel discharge system, costing $12 million. The expansion would require three newemployees and an increase in power usage, operation supplies and their maintenance budget. Lafarge assured that material needs and employmentwould be searched for through the parish first.

The council tabled its approval of the expansion after Ralph Patin Jr.,councilman for District 4, irately voiced his concerns about not being presented the plan before the council meeting. Patin asked how he could beexpected to vote in support of project when he hadn’t been given the consideration of being told of the plan earlier. Lafarge representativesapologized that he had not been informed and explained that they had spoken to the president’s office and did not know that he had been left out.

“I’m telling you now that I was left out,” said Patin loudly.

The resolution was set aside until Patin had a chance to review Lafarge’s proposal.

In other matters: Elliot Zeller spoke before the council on the topic of house numbers on Louisiana Highway 642. Zeller read off a list of numbers posted onmailboxes that rose and fell with seemingly no pattern. Zeller complainedof misdirect mail, including checks and other items. Zeller also haddifficulties with deliveries and repairmen finding his residence, all because another mailbox with his same house number is farther down LA 642.

Zeller was concerned that in emergency situations authorities would have trouble finding correct residences. The council and Sheriff Willy Martin Jr.understood that the problem was due to mailboxes from private drives being placed on La. 642 for the post office deliveries. The duplicate andseemingly random order in the house numbers is noted and accounted for by emergency agencies, which understand the current arrangement. Martinassured that there have been and would be no problems due to the house numbers on La. 642. The council advised that to correct the problem Zellershould put his name alongside the house number on his mailbox. Hymel advised the council of the current status of negotiations with Waste Management for trash collection services in the parish. Thecompany has presented the offer of $10.63 per resident for the next twoyears, an increase of only 30 cents. The price of collecting recyclableswould stay the same, but pickup would occur only twice a month instead of every week. The Gramercy transfer station would also reopen itscollection services for citizens desiring to drop of their trash. Thefacility is due to reopen after modifications are made to the dump site to ensure the safety of citizens using the facility.

The council requested that Waste Management recalculate the cost if recycling pickup continued on a weekly basis. Ferrel Scott was appointed to the Gramercy Recreation Board, and Bennord Lee was appointed to the Economic Development Board. A resolution was passed authorizing the parish president to enter into a contract with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources for the parish Coastal Zone Management Program. The System Survey and Compliance Questionnaire for the Financial and Compliance Audit of the Gas and Water Distribution System Fund was passed. A resolution authorizing parish utilities to assess Department of Health and Hospitals fees for the water system was approved.

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