By Richard Meek
Contributing Writer

LAPLACE – Code enforcement officers in St. John the Baptist Parish will no longer be commissioned, and the vehicles they were using have been returned for exclusive use by the Sheriff’s Office, Parish President Natalie Robottom said Thursday.
Robottom and Sheriff Mike Tregre met Wednesday to settle what had become a stalemate between the administration and the sheriff regarding the financing and governing of the officers. Robottom had entered into an agreement last April with previous Sheriff Wayne Jones for the office to commission officers and provide vehicles and training.
According to the agreement, which was signed by Robottom and Jones on  April 16, the Sheriff’s Office “shall commission (officers)  and provide police radio communications and various aspects of training.”
The agreement, which was scheduled to expire April 20, 2013, also called for the sheriff to provide professional liability insurance for the officers.
But in a letter dated Dec. 5 Tregre advised Robottom’s office to return the vehicles the next day.
According to Robottom, Tregre “advised that he needs his vehicles for his department as a result of vehicles losses during (Hurricane Isaac) and the shooting incident (in 2012),” Jones said.
In an email Thursday Robottom said Tregre, in their meeting Wednesday, acknowledged the lack of advanced notice for return of the vehicles “should have been handled differently.”
She said Tregre agreed to work with the parish to maintain the code enforcement officers program but also said his office would no longer commission the officers or “abide by the terms of the previous agreement.”
Tregre, who according to Robottom has agreed to assign two deputies to work with the enforcement officers when needed, did not return a call seeking comment. Tregre surprised many political observers by unseating Jones in October 2011. Jones, who had been sheriff since 1996,was seeking his fifth term.
Four enforcement officers have previously been contracted by the parish for 20 hours to enforce the parish Code of Ordinances. However, Robottom said officers have recently been working without a contract “as the program was being evaluated and reorganized based on input” from the parish council.
She said job responsibilities, hours worked, minimum qualifications and pay rate have been revised, and her office has received applications from potential officers.
“I remain committed to the Code Enforcement program and the safety of the residents of this parish through enforcement of all parish codes,” Robottom said. “We will revisit the current (officers) program proposal and make revisions with plans to have unilateral control over the program, the employees and provisions for completion of their responsibilities.”    
During the parish council meeting Tuesday night Robottom noted she and the sheriff “were at a standstill.”
She and council members discussed several options, including the hiring of two full-time and two part-time officers.
“I got this vision,” Councilman Larry Snyder said. “The vision is elderly people working four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon.”