LEONARD GRAY

HAHNVILLE – Without a murmur, the garbage collection rate edged up by $2 a month for St. Charles Parish residents following Monday night’s vote of the parish council. “We feel we got the lowest price around of the surrounding parishes,” Councilman Brian Fabre commented during the brief discussion prior to the vote. The new contract with Waste Management Services edged the rate from $5.67 per month to $7.75 per month and was approved in an 8-1 vote. Councilwoman Dee Abadie voted against the increase. The contract agreement covers the 16,275 residential and commercial sites for garbage collection in St. Charles Parish. In other matters, the parish council approved a $2.5 million short-term line of credit for St. Charles Parish Hospital. Executive Director Fred Martinez asked for the line of credit to fund cash needs through the fiscal year, and pledged there would be no more such requests for this fiscal year. Martinez added all earlier such loans made to cover the operation expenses have been repaid using tax revenue and uncompensated care compensation from Medicaid programs. Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran opposed the action and told Martinez, “You are a very good doctor, a spin doctor. As a businessman, I stood by you for four years. I am getting tired of it.” Martinez said the only way to avoid such cash flow problems would be to eliminate services such as emergency room operation and ambulance service. Abadie, likewise, opposed the action and commented on stories she heard of poor employee morale. Fabre, who serves on the hospital board, disagreed with Abadie. The action was approved 7-2, with Ramchandran and Abadie against it. Following a half-hour executive session, the parish council approved a settlement with J. Caldarera & Co. to pay the firm $6,000 in exchange for dropping all legal actions against the parish. The matter developed from the Lakewood Drive drainage improvements project, which derailed into costly and time-consuming repairs. Mistakes in engineering drawings which failed to show sewer hookups resulted in line breakages and delays in the project. In response to questions by New Sarpy resident Stanford Caillouet, it was noted by parish attorney Bobby Raymond that Caldarera is receiving a total of $267,649, including $157,500 on behalf of Burk-Kleinpeter Inc. and $110,149 on behalf of St. Charles Parish. This last included $39,100 for catch basins solicited but not used in the project and now available for future projects, $60,049 retainage withheld, $5,000 for a check valve and the $6,000 approved by the council. In another matter, an ordinance was voted down aimed at “a clear separation of roles and responsibilities” of the program management firms and the various contracts they supervise. Public Works Director Steven Fall said the ordinance was not necessary, as all legal protections for the parish are in place with the state engineering licensing board and state law. The ordinance, proposed by Ramchandran and Terry Authement, failed in a 5-4 vote, with Ramchandran, Authement, Abadie and Barry Minnich voting in favor of the action. Also, the parish council established a QBS Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee to review the activities of the Quality-Based Selection Committee and report to the council. Members may include former members of the parish council. The action passed 6-3, with Ramchandran, Minnich and Abadie voting against the measure. Finally, grants officer Henry Wolfe and Parks and Recreation Director Larry Matson informed the council a $100,000 application to the Governor’s Rural Development Fund to build three ball parks and a soccer/football field at the West Bridge Park. Additionally, new restroom facilities are being added at the Boutte, Ormond parks and at the Norco Elementary facility used by the parish.