By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — The St. John the Baptist Parish Council readily welcomed and approved one new parish director Tuesday night but emphatically tabled the decision on another in a move Parish President Natalie Robottom called “petty political nonsense.”

Robottom recommended the appointment of Kerry Watkins as director of parks and recreation and Blake Fogleman to take over as director of utilities in the wake of Director Virgil Rayneri’s resignation effective in late February.

The Council unanimously approved the appointment of Watkins, a native of St. John Parish and former professional football player with an eight-year career in the Canadian Football League. Watkins has been an active volunteer in the parks and recreation department and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Georgia Tech.

Councilwoman Jaclyn Hotard authored a motion, which was unanimously approved by the Council, to table the vote on Robottom’s recommendation of Fogleman to take over as director of utilities.

Hotard said she received information about Fogleman that day and didn’t want to vote until more research on him could be done. “Often times we’re asked to vote on things at the last second,” she said.

Councilman Lennix Madere said he would not vote to appoint someone unless he knew who he was, and that it was a very important decision.

“I owe it to myself and to my district to avoid a mistake,” Madere said.

“We don’t want to make the wrong selection,” Councilman Marvin Perrilloux added.

Robottom told the Council they were doing the parish an “extreme disservice” in not approving the recommendation, especially “for someone who insists they’re concerned about the residents.”

Perrilloux called that sentiment a low blow.

In a memorandum dated Dec. 29 from Robottom to Council members, Robottom wrote the interview process for a utilities director was complete and a recommendation was being finalized. She said a recommendation for a director would be forthcoming.

In a Monday memorandum, Robottom named Watkins and Fogleman as appointees for the two director positions. The memorandum included biographical information.

Hotard said at the meeting the delivery of the information did not leave her with enough time to research and ultimately vote on the issue, a sentiment shared by several other Council members.

Robottom said she had planned for Fogleman to start in early February to allow for a transition period, as Rayneri’s resignation would be effective in late February.

“This is important to our residents to maintain their health, their welfare and their safety,” Robottom said. “There’s going to be a requirement for a transition period. We are going to change directors and now what you’ve done is postpone our ability to get started on that.”

Robottom said she may choose to bring Fogleman on as a special assistant, which does not require Council approval, so the transition period could continue as planned.

“We need to get started,” she said, adding Fogleman is no stranger to the Council and has worked on several parish projects, as well as with the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Environmental Quality.

The Council voted unanimously Oct. 28, requesting Robottom ask for Rayneri’s resignation. Rayneri continues to lead the department through the ongoing water scandal after the Aug. 27 announcement that water taken in a sample two weeks earlier from Water District 1 tested positive for Naegleria fowleri ameba, commonly known as the “brain-eating” ameba.

DHH issued an Emergency Order in August requiring St. John Water District 1 perform a 60-day free-chlorine burn to kill the ameba within the water system. The burn was completed last month.

The impacted water district serves six parish schools and more than 12,500 people in Reserve, Garyville, Mt. Airy and a small portion of LaPlace on West 5th Street from Acorn Street to Apricot Street.

Council members Cheryl Millet and Ranney Wilson were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.