By Richard Meek
L’Observateur

A seemingly benign discussion regarding a lawn care company turned into a verbal flare-up between two St. Charles Parish Council members Monday night.

Brennan Dauzet was appearing before the council appealing to the council to adopt an ordinance that would allow him to operate his lawn maintenance company out of his house. Dauzet, who has been in business since 2011 and recently moved from Ormond Estates to Montz, agreed to several stipulations set by the planning and zoning committee, including no heavy equipment being stored on the premises and no employees being allowed to park on the site.

“People will be watching you,” council member Carolyn Schexnaydre said. “If you get (reported for violations) you can’t do it. I want to make sure you understand it.”

Stanford Caillouet, who lives nearby, questioned the council about an anonymous call someone allegedly made against Dauzet, at which point council member Wendy Bendedetto asked, “Do you think anyone up here made (the call)?”

Caillouet also pointed out that a neighbor passed a petition against Dauzet, which went unsigned.

“I moved to Montz because I though it would be a lot easier,” said Dauzet, adding he noticed someone living on the same street storing equipment on the property. “This has been a lot of headaches.”

At one point council member Larry Cochran asked Schexnaydre if she had a personal interest in the manner, even questioning if her son had made the anonymous call.

Schexnaydre admitted her son is able see Dauzet’s property from his backyard but maintained the call was anonymous.

Cochran later said he believed Schexnaydre made what amounted to a threat to Dauzet.

“We don’t state ‘we are watching you,’” he said. “That is my concern.”

“That is an accusation,” Schexnaydre responded.

Following more discussion, the measure passed unanimously.

In other council news:

• Registrar of Voters Brian Champagne announced early voting would be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 13 at the east bank library and during the same hours May 15 at the west bank library.

• Council members approved an ordinance that will allow the parks and recreation department to hire a parish-approved private security vendor when a deputy from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office is not available. Recreation officials said they will consult with the sheriff’s office regarding the selection of a vendor, and a Request for Proposal will be published.