[StBernard] St. Bernard council, administration argument over access to employees ends quietly

[Westley Annis]

agree.  However, the potential exists for a member of Council to persuade
Parish staff, inspectors, public works, etc. as to which areas of concern
receive resources, or which code violations may or may not be enforced or
cited and fined, etc. Not that the current Council was influencing such
administrative duties, but the potential certainly exists.


-----Original Message-----
"He (Graves) had said that the parish charter mandates those separation of
powers."

Mr. Graves is correct.  However, separation of "powers" was never intended
to mean separation of communication.  On a daily basis members of Congress
call and speak with federal department heads and subordinates to register
complaints or get updates on various projects and constituent matters.  The
same surely goes for state legislators and members of the governor's
administrative staff.

This was an issue that never needed to arise.  The parish administration,
through common sense, from day one could have informed each department head
and employees within on what they can and cannot speak with council members.
If a council member was inquiring on a particular matter more suited for the
COA or Parish President to answer, all that employee had to do is direct the
council member to them on that question.

Such laundry issues could have easily been handled in house without being
aired before the public.