Robottom: Special assistants are not directors
Published 11:45 pm Tuesday, February 3, 2015
By Monique Roth
L’Observateur
LAPLACE — In a Monday meeting with St. John the Baptist Parish District Attorney Bridget Dinvaut and her civil team, St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom said discussions on the D.A.’s opinion released Friday, the Parish Council’s recent action on a hiring freeze and the application of the two recent appointments of special assistants within parish government were discussed.
The Council held a special meeting Friday to vote on a resolution — which passed — to enforce an immediate hiring freeze on new parish employees after Robottom’s appointment of two special assistants — which do not require Council approval — in January.
Blake Fogleman was named as special assistant to the parish president Jan. 28, “assigned as director of utilities to replace (Director) Virgil Rayneri,” a press release stated.
Robottom also recently announced the appointment of Laverne Saulny as special assistant to the parish president assigned to economic development.
“Saulny will serve as acting director in the absence of (Director) Torri Buckles, who is on extended medical leave,” a press release stated.
Robottom said because there are several outstanding requests for opinions from the Attorney General, “caution was encouraged by the D.A.’s office until additional information is obtained and the office can work through some of the outstanding issues.”
She said the current D.A.’s position — that the parish president did not have the authority to hire special assistants to serve as directors, and neither the Home Rule Charter nor Code of Ordinances provides for the position of acting director — does not conflict with previous A.G. opinions, however, “it attempts to define the types of duties allowable for special assistants in the absence of a confirmed director or one on medical leave.” Robottom said those issues are not clearly addressed in the Home Rule Charter, and she wanted to make clear “both the Economic Development Department and the Utilities Department are still headed by confirmed directors, thus neither special assistant was appointed as the director of the respective department.”
Robottom said Buckles was confirmed by the Council but is on extended sick leave, and Saulny accepted a special assistant appointment Dec. 22 and was assigned to economic development. Saulny began the position Jan. 5, Robottom said, and is tasked with certain duties defined and delegated by the parish president, including but not limited to duties related to economic development. Robottom said Saulny’s appointment will last until Buckles returns.
Robottom said Rayneri was also confirmed by the Council and is currently anticipating retirement. She said Fogleman accepted appointment of special assistant assigned to utilities Jan. 14 and began the position Monday.
Robottom said Fogleman is tasked with certain duties defined and delegated by the parish president, including but limited to duties related to the utilities department.
“Due to the Emergency Order and recommended reorganization, (Rayneri) is being assisted by third party consultants, water and wastewater managers and the public safety director,” Robottom said. “The term of the appointment (for Fogleman) is through the parish president’s term in office.”
Robottom said special assistants have existed since 2004 in various parish administrative positions with and in the absence of confirmed directors, and those appointments have occurred under different parish presidents with approval of various attorneys, D.A.s and A.G.s.
Robottom said the history of special assistants serving in the absence of directors due to vacancies or the inability of the confirmed director to fulfill the duties of the position include a 2007-2008 and 2008-2010 vacancy in Public Works, 2007 and 2008-2010 vacancies in Planning and Zoning, 2009-2010, 2010 and 2015 vacancies in Economic Development and the 2015 Utilities vacancy.
“Currently, discussion continues regarding options for fulfilling the responsibilities of a department in the absence of a director while maintaining the integrity of the Charter, but at this time neither appointments have been tasked with the full responsibility of the department head,” Robottom said.
Robottom said Saulny couldn’t be confirmed by the Council as the Economic Development Director because that position is currently filled, and because Fogleman’s confirmation was tabled, it will not go before the Council again.