[StBernard] Not enough St. Bernard council members show for SDT investigation

[Westley Annis]

Not enough St. Bernard council members show for SDT investigation

08:33 PM CST on Thursday, November 6, 2008

Lee Zurik / Eyewitness News 

The meeting was set to begin at 5 p.m. but quorum was not met. The council
needs four of seven members to appear, but only three members showed at the
parish council. 

The meeting was planned to set the rules and the procedures for an
investigation into SDT Waste and Debris services. 

Parish President Craig Taffaro, however, has called and conducted much of
his own investigation. Through his term, Taffaro said, SDT owes the parish
approximately $1.8 million for waste brought to the landfill for other
municipalities and possibly SDT's commercial account that was billed to St.
Bernard. 

Taffaro said that price tag could be approaching $3 million, if garbage
collection is added from before his term. 

When asked whether four council members not showing meant that they were
satisfied with Taffaro's investigation, Council Chairman Wayne Landry said,
"I don't want to speak for them, knowing that one of them is an attorney and
he has jury trial that is running late and another has two youngsters that
he had to go attend to. And I know Councilman Everhart has a movie deal
going on at the other end of the parish that he is attending to. So, no, I
don't think that you can read anything into it." 

Landry said he hopes to reschedule another meeting for as soon as next week.


However, sources said that at least one council member that did not show up
at the meeting was in the building and chose not to go down make quorum.