DEAR EDITOR: Again, the majority of the St. John the Baptist Council shows its hypocrisy with the selection of C.J. Savoie as the design engineer of a new public works project. For the unenlightened, Savoie is the council’s engineering consultant. As one councilman stated: “Mr. Savoie is the council’s watchdog on engineering projects.” If most of this council insists upon hiring its watchdog for engineering projects, then who is going to watch the watchdog? Herein lies the hypocrisy hiring Mr. Savoie. This majority claims to be most concerned about good government and allowing the sun to shine in on all bids and projects. Here, we clearly have a case, as admitted by Mr. Savoie, of a conflict of interest. In simpler terms, the majority selected the fox to guard the henhouse on this new Reserve sewer plant. Why? In recent months, this majority pushed for public bids on all professional contracts, sought complete disclosure of all stakeholders in each company doing business in our parish, and sought to supercede state law regarding the submission of public bids. Suddenly, it appears the need for bids, disclosure and sunlight disappears if their politically-connected engineer has a chance for a plum project. This is not a poke at Mr. Savoie. As a businessman, he must seek any business for which we qualify him. However, our parish pays him nearly $100,000 to oversee engineering projects. If the majority of this council seeks his expertise as a design engineer on additional multi-million dollar projects, then we need another watchdog. Any engineering consultant who accepts our money to oversee projects must forego the opportunity to perform design engineering. Anything else is hypocritical. I admire the three councilmen who spoke against the good-government majority: Lee, Duffy and Wilson. By their actions, they are truly concenned about good government. President Monica demonstrated by his leadership by vetoing the council’s action. Unfortunately, the same majority voted to override the veto. I can only hope they see the hypocrisy fo their ways when it comes time to vote on the variance necessary in our watchdog’s contract for him to perform design engineering for our parish. Asking Mr. Savoie to resign as the council’s consulting engineer would truly be a good-government step. All eyes are on the majority.

Keith Gillies LaPlace