By CHRISTOPHER LENOIS

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Council took steps this week to ensure health insurance coverage for parish employees would not be interrupted by the loss of the current carrier, The Oath. In a unanimous vote, the council adopted the insurance committee’s plan to purchase a plan from United Health care for the remaining term of The Oath’s current contract, which expires on June 1.

The council had to act fast since The Oath’s coverage was scheduled to default the day after the meeting. Insurance committee chairman Steve Lee said he and Jeff Clement, the parish’s finance director, negotiated with United for several hours.

“We promised our employees protection for a year,” said Lee during the Insurance committee meeting that preceded the full council session. “Basically we’re going to have to take it.”

Lee, who has been in the insurance business for 25 years, recommended that the council adopt what he termed United’s “richest” plan. While the prorated price of the plan for the remaining 37 days of the contract was more expensive than The Oath’s, Lee said it was also a little bit better in terms of the benefits offered.

“It’s a Point-Of-Service plan, not an HMO,” said Lee.

Lee said the proposal process was still in place to make a decision on a renewal of the annual contract on June 1. To underscore that point, the council voted to take under advisement the proposals for renewal of health, dental and life insurance coverage which were opened during the finance committee meeting. After the experience with The Oath, Lee said the parish will be looking for stability in the new company.

“I wasn’t surprised (at The Oath’s default). The same thing happened in 1999, and the state gave them money to continue. We really didn’t have much choice last year other than to go with them, because they were the only one’s who wanted us.”

The 2001 health insurance contract with The Oath came at an increased cost of 43 percent from the previous year. Lee said he would expect a similar increase in cost if the parish chose a plan with similar benefits.

The rest of the meeting focused on recognizing local citizens. A ceremony proclaimed Myron Brady as one of the parish’s greatest athletes. Parish President Nickie Monica presented plaques to Brady, who set state track records at Leon Godchaux High School in Reserve in the 1950s.

“I’m astonished that people still remember a 115-pound football player after 40 years,” said a tearful Brady. Several members of Brady’s family and former coaches who were present for the ceremony applauded resoundingly for the man who had a Garyville street named in his honor

last month.

The parish also recognized the excellence of John L. Ory Magnet School 6th grader Vincent Glorioso, who is ranked as one of the top 100 chess players in the U.S. among 12-year old. Glorioso has placed in numerous state and regional tournaments, including first place in the Cajun Chess Open U1500 Section in New Orleans earlier this year. An honor roll student who achieved a perfect score on the math portion of the LEAP test, Glorioso has only recently begun receiving professional instruction for playing chess.

Recognition was then made for members of the St. John Warriors 13 and 14 year old pre-Prep basketball teams. Both teams won the national championships in their age categories this year, and several players and coaches were on hand to receive certificates and t-shirts from Monica.

Monica also proclaimed the month of May as Community Action month, and presented a certificate to Elois Joseph of St. John’s Community Action Center to that effect.

During the Old Business portion of the agenda, the council unanimously adopted an ordinance authorizing the Parish President to execute a servitude agreement for drainage purposes with the Levet family in Garyville. Council member Allen St. Pierre called the ordinance a step toward “substantial drainage improvement” for his district.

Rep. Lester Rainey, Jr. reported that cost estimates for a new sprinkler system in the West bank library had been completed. But reported that the $84,000 price tag for a dry suppression system was beyond the means of the parish at the current time, and that he would address the issue again at a later date.

During the New Business agenda, Rainey motioned to pursue outside assistance in writing grants on behalf of the parish. The parish is eligible for monies from 15 grants, Rainey said, who’s deadlines are between May 3 and July 31. An impossible workload for the parishes’ lone grant writer, Myra Valentine. The motion was adopted unanimously by the council with the stipulation that the grant writer’s would be paid on a commission basis out of the monies awarded.

Council President Cleveland Farlough requested status reports from administration on Planning & Zoning, Economic Development, Waste Management and progress on the emergency repairs underway on the Lions’ Water Plant in Garyville.

The council had approved $75,000 in emergency funds to bring the plant up to state and federal compliance regulations. Henry DiFranco, St. John’s Director of Public Works, reported that they had successfully replaced the filters, as well as the valves on the suction and discharge pumps during an emergency shutdown last weekend. Preliminary work had also been completed for the installation of new turbidity meters, which were expected to arrive next week.

Parish attorney Arlene Labat provided a comprehensive update to the Planning and Zoning infrastructure project being developed with the assistance of the College of Urban and Public Affairs at University of New Orleans. She estimated they were still three or four years away from having a long range plan ready, however.

Rep. Dale Wolfe requested special attention be given to issues of trailer placement in neighborhoods. He said the current ordinances are “too stringent” and affect the lower income people of the parish negatively. Farlough concurred with Wolfe, saying that concern was a large part of why he put the report on the agenda. Rainey requested attention be additionally put toward ordinances for grass violations and blighted housing in neighborhoods.

Parish Economic Development Director Julia Remondet said they were very close to having their strategic plan completed. Some adjustments for addressing the needs of small businesses were necessary in the plan, developed with the assistance of the Metairie firm Performance Development Plus, after the events of September 11 and changes by the state’s department of economic development.

Rep. Ranney Wilson also asked the administration for an update on improvements at railroad crossings in the parish, particularly the Kansas City Southern crossing on Elm Street.

“We have not gotten the cooperation that we would have liked from [KCS},” said Chris Guidry, St. John’s Chief Administrative Officer. Guidry said they showed that location as well as others to a visiting KCS official earlier this year, and asked that the Elm Street crossing be given priority because of the heavy usage. Guidry said a letter is going out on Wednesday telling KCS that crossing has to be improved.

There will be special session of the council in LaPlace on Tuesday, April 30. The meeting will address to bidding process on $6.6 million in parish construction projects of the total $18 million authorized in January’s public election. The next regular public meeting will be Tuesday, May 14th at the courthouse in Edgard. Both meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm.