By MELISSA PEACOCK

RESERVE – The delay in the pre-clearance of a new St. John the Baptist Parish redistricting plan may not be related to changes in the racial composition of redrawn districts, U.S. Justice Department spokesperson Casey Stavropoulos said.

“I would not single out any one factor as a cause for delay,” Stavropoulos said. “Each case has its own deadline.”

That deadline gives the Justice Department 60 days from the time the request for preclearance is received to review the information and issue a response. If attorneys reviewing the request have addition questions about the information provided, they can submit the question, gaining an additional 60 days to review any new information received.

“Obviously we are aware that there are deadlines and we try when possible to expedite the process.”

Some School Board members said that is not good enough. Last week, the board stood by while School Boards in neighboring parishes qualified candidates for October elections. Now, candidates for re-election will have to wait until January or February to qualify. The next election is slated for April 2003.

“We are at a standstill,” School Board President Gerald Keller said. “Yeah, it is a distraction. I want to run.”

All the elected members of the Board were expected to qualify and run for their respective seats in October. Newly appointed District 7 representative Phillip Johnson had not yet announced his intention to run.

“I think the Justice Department is a waste of time,” Keller said. “To me they are just nitpicking. They have enough information to make a decision.”

Disappointed and a little distracted by redistricting delays and a lawsuit filed on behalf of residents concerned with minority compositions outlined in the new redistricting plans, the board said there is nothing they can do but wait.

“I have got a wait and see attitude,” Leroy Mitchell, District 1, said. “There is some disappointment. When you get all geared up to do something and then you don’t get to do it, it throws you off. But we still have work to do.”

Until elections are held, St. John School Board members will retain their powers and their seats on the School Board.

“I still have a duty to the people,” Mitchell said. “I am going to do that duty until the dust settles.”