[StBernard] St. Bernard council introduces charter amendments that could give it more control over contracts, hiring

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard council introduces charter amendments that could give it more
control over contracts, hiring
Print Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune By Benjamin
Alexander-Bloch, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 
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on June 03, 2014 at 10:18 PM, updated June 03, 2014 at 10:27 PM

The St. Bernard Parish Council on Tuesday evening introduced various parish
charter amendments, including proposals that could give the council more
power over contracts, the hiring of its employees and appointments to boards
and commissions.

Voters would have to approve the amendments, as early as November, for any
changes to take effect.

The five ordinances are now scheduled to go in front of the council for
final adoption on June 17. If approved by the council, they would be placed
on the Nov. 4 ballot.

One of the proposed charter amendments would require the council to approve
professional service contracts that are $25,000 or more by resolution.

Currently, the council approves the budget for projects and the
administration can name contractors without requiring council approval -
unless the budget needs to be amended.

While St. Bernard Parish President Dave Peralta did not attend the parish
council meeting, he told a NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reporter by phone
shortly before meeting that the he was "absolutely opposed to it," saying
that president should have executive power not the council. He said that
allowing the council direct approval of contracts would "delay the process
of signing contracts and the jobs done."

"All this does is raise another layer of bureaucracy that we don't need,"
Peralta said. "We don't need another layer of having to go back and forth to
the council every time."

He said "the council does have control because it controls the budget,"
adding that, "by rule, I cannot award a contract if I don't have funds for
it." He said he already informs the council of contract decisions and that
his staff posts all contracts to the parish website.

At the meeting, Councilman Casey Hunnicutt advocated for the charter
amendment saying that it would "create more transparency for the people" and
help "make sure everything is on the up and up."

Another proposal would allow the council to appoint non-clerical staff in
addition to the clerical staff that they currently are allowed to appoint.

Councilman Ray Lauga said the amendment could allow for the hiring of one or
two employees "who could follow-up on complaints that we have filed with the
administration after constituents have called about problems in their
neighborhoods."

Hunnicutt said it also could allow the council to hire its own legal
attorney "and other employees as it deems it necessary." Councilman Guy
McInnis suggested that the council even potentially could hire a budget
director.

Another charter amendment introduced on Tuesday could give the council more
control over board and commission appointments by changing the charter's
current procedures for the appointment, operation and duties of the
appointment review board.

Currently the parish Appointments Review Board submits three potential
applicants to the parish president, and then the president sends one to the
council for its approval.

Hunnicutt said passing the amendment would allow the council to receive more
information about the potential applicants, including any rankings made by
the review board to help the council ensure "that the best person, the most
qualified person serves on that board."

Meanwhile, the Parish Council tabled one proposed charter amendment that
would have staggered council seat terms. The council decided against the
item after citing problems implementing the proposal, as it likely would
have required electing some council members in the fall of 2015 either to a
short two-year term or a long six-year term instead of the regular four-year
term.

Lauga had said that the proposal could have helped create more continuity
between council elections, as it would have ensured that the council never
was entirely made up of freshman members.

In other matters, the council on Tuesday adopted ordinances authorizing the
administration to borrow $7.8 million by issuing revenue anticipation notes.
The debt largely would be paid off with revenue expected in January from the
property tax for fire protection approved by parish voters in December 2012,
parish finance director Ross Gonzales has said.

Gonzales has said he hopes not to have to draw down the whole $7.8 million,
which he described as a safety net in case it's needed before the January
tax revenue comes in.

Below view and download the draft charter amendments, which do not include
the various amendments made to them during the Tuesday evening (June 3)
council meeting:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/06/st_bernard_council_introduces
_1.html