By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

VACHERIE – Wednesday night’s St. James Parish Council meeting generated more talk about the circumstances surrounding the St. James Parish Youth Detention Center as the Jun. 30 due date looms closer. No decisions have been made, even as the youth center’s fate teeters between the eight-parish commission and an offering by Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack.
Last year Waguespack announced plans to build a new adult detention center in Napoleonville. Once the new facility was built, Waguespack planned to move the St. James Parish Youth Center into the building that once housed the adults. To move forward with this plan, Waguespack must get the approval from the state’s Department of Children and Family Services. According to Ridgely Mitchell, assistant director of operations for St. James Parish, DCFS was set to meet with the sheriff on Friday to verify that the facilities are suitable for that purpose.
As for the commission, Mitchell said it cannot take over the youth center at this time because the finances just are not available, and many are leaning toward Waguespack’s plan for the center. Ridgely also said the few meetings the commission has had have been generally unproductive, though he has attempted to make headway.
“There is no money involved. We tried to discuss it last meeting about looking for funds some place, but that didn’t materialize,” he said.” So at this point the commission is not functional, moneywise.”
Also covered in the council meeting: the appointment two new members, Rachael Schexnayder and Melissa Aubert, to the Keep St. James Beautiful Board; the  reappointment of Dr. Roland Waguespack to the St. James Parish Hospital Board; condolences to the families of Junior James and Helen LeBlanc; various authorizations to receive bids for industrial equipment for industrial equipment, and a special thank you to Tiny D. De la Cruz and Aston Skye for the donation of $30,000 to St. James Parish for the purchase of a sandbagging machine.