Enmity gave way to amity, with a touch of brevity, at Wednesday’s St. Mary Parish Council meeting.
The council, which made news with a series of sometimes acrimonious debates in the first months of this term, was a model of polite discourse as it moved on two of the most contentious issues, courthouse security and a possible rewrite of the parish’s home rule charter.
The council also honored two West St. Mary residents with resolutions to mark their passing, all in a meeting that lasted just over an hour.
The council introduced an ordinance by Councilman J Ina of Franklin creating the St. Mary Parish Home Rule Charter Revision Commission.
The ordinance cites Louisiana law that says charter commissions must have seven to 11 members who will serve until their proposed charter or revision is either adopted or rejected by voters.
The commission will have 18 months to submit its proposal to the Parish Council, which is not allowed to change it.
At least two issues seem sure to come up in charter rewrite discussions.
One is the status of the parish president. Parish President Sam Jones and former state Sen. Bret Allain have both spoken publicly about their belief that a full-time president is needed to represent the parish.
The current post calls for a presidential salary of $1,000 a month, unchanged since the charter was adopted 40 years ago. Proponents have pointed to six-figure salaries for chief executives in nearby parishes.
The change to a full-time presidency would not affect Jones if he abides by his one-term pledge.
The other issue is minority representation. Ina has argued that the Parish Council’s 11 districts include only two with Black majorities, even though the parish’s population is about one-third African American.
Ina has warned that if the council doesn’t take action, some outside force like the U.S. Justice Department might.
The current charter requires 20 days to elapse between the introduction of an ordinance and a passage vote. The next scheduled meeting is June 12, the 21st day since introduction.
The council also unanimously passed an ordinance by Councilman Rodney Olander of Franklin creating “security procedures and guidelines relative to maintaining a safe and contraband-free environment for the St. Mary Parish Courthouse,” according to the agenda summary.
The ordinance creates a Courthouse Safety Commission and establishes penalties for violations.
A rarity among state and federal courthouses, the St. Mary Courthouse does not require routine screening by magnetometers on entry.
Security inside the council chambers has also been an issue. One of those contentious debates has been over whether a deputy should be assigned to council meetings.
The two resolutions of respect honored Lucy Rucker Watson, retired after 28 years as a St. Mary Parish teacher, who died May 14; and Cathy Grimm Eave, a longtime St. Mary/Vermilion Community Action Agency employee who died May 11.
Councilman Dean Adams of Morgan City also congratulated participants and fellow council members for the success of Monday's town hall meeting in Four Corners.
The event was organized by parish Economic Development Director Evan Boudreaux. More town halls are in the works on a schedule still to be determined.