By Richard Meek
L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE — Historic Destrehan Plantation will soon be the new home for the St. Charles Parish Information Center office.

During a meeting Oct. 20, St. Charles Parish Council members agreed to enter into a cooperative agreement with the River Road Historical Society to relocate the center to the plantation, which will likely create the added benefit of additional foot traffic at the site.

St. Charles Parish Economic Development and Tourism Director Corey Faucheux said the center will remain staffed by RSVP workers.

The existing building, which currently sits near the Hale Boggs Bridge, will be relocated to the plantation for a purpose that has not yet been determined.

In other news, Council members are requesting a timely financial report from River Parishes Transit Authority officials. St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parish each provide supplemental funding for the operation of the public transit system, but Terrell Wilson said he has heard complaints about the service and would like to have the opportunity to question officials.

• The parish’s sexual harassment policy is being revised to update antiquated language and eliminate the legal department from the process of employee complaints.

Parish human resources director Sandra Zimmer said the original policy was written in 1992 and needed modernizing.

Some of the language will be updated, such as changing men to male and women to female.

Additionally, the civil service board will hire investigators looking into an employee’s complaint.

Employees will be allowed to voice their complaints to individual council members, but Chief Administrative Officer Buddy Boe said employees serve under Parish President V.J. St. Pierre, so going to him first would be more appropriate.

Zimmer said the parish will not be provide legal counsel to employees but noted they “have other avenues to go to.”

“The Civil Service Board should protect civil service employees,” Wilson said.

Council Chairman Julie Fisher-Perrier suggested the policy address the vast changes in technology that has altered the harassment landscape. But officials said the updates to the policy are more about process than conduct.

• A $200,000 windfall from the Airport Expansion Agreement will help fund $75,000 for repairs to the new but troubled Emergency Preparedness Center and $125,000 to the cash-strapped wastewater fund.

Airport revenue yielded $600,000, $200,000 more than the budgeted amount.

‘The wastewater (fund) is in dire need of funding,” Chief Financial Officer Grant Dussom said, adding a nearly $3 million shortfall exists.

“Whatever money we can give that can help them out.”

The EOC has been fraught with electrical problems since opening in November, but there are two generators on site to assist in an emergency.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to pay $75,000 (for repairs),” Fisher-Perrier said.

Boe said there is some disagreement among construction contractors as to who may be responsible but added the money will be recouped once the issue is settled.