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

CONVENT – Three lawsuits against St. James Parish were discussed inexecutive session during the July 5 council meeting.

The Non Hazardous Waste Management company is suing the parish concerning its intent to buy a parish landfill in 1988. At that time thecouncil had given the parish preliminary approval to consider the sale of the land fill to NHWM. The waste management company is suing the parishfor allegedly reaching an agreement for the sale but never actually selling the property.

The council voted to authorize 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 Judicial District Attorney’s Officewas unable to provide legal council to the St. James Parish Council due tolimited resources.

Assistant District Attorney Bruce Mohon will assist Cottrell in the case.

Concerning the racial discrimination suit of Leroy Conish vs. St. JamesParish, the council was informed that a verdict had passed in its favor.

Conish was refused permission to sell family subdivision plots as a public subdivision. Parish President Dale Hymel Jr., commented that there arecertain requirements that must be met to sell family subdivision plots to the public, and Conish had not met the requirements set out in the pertaining ordinances.

Bruce Mohon represented St. James Parish in the suit.In a third suit, the parish settled out of court and paid damages to the Santangelo family, which sued the parish after their son, Nat Santangelo, hung himself while being held at the St. James Youth Detention facility inMay 1998. The damages were covered by the facility’s insurance policy,said Hymel.

An attorney from the insurance company represented the insurance company and the parish in the case.

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