ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / October 20, 1999

LAPLACE – Greg Bush, director of St. John Parish Public Works, has turnedin a letter of resignation to parish president Arnold Labat, effective Oct.

31, but he’s agreed to stay on through the end of the year.

“I talked with Mr. Labat, and I agreed to stay until the end of his term,”Bush said.

In the letter dated Oct. 15, Bush said, “I can no longer effectivelyadminister my department since it appears I have no authority or responsibility regarding the hiring or pay status of the employees who work under my supervision.”Bush said he’s upset because a week ago two individuals were interviewed and hired for his department without his knowledge.

“Mr. Labat told me that Pat McTopy hired the two individuals,” said Bush.However, in a later interview Labat said the hirings were necessary.

“We had a couple of deaths in the department,” said Labat, “and there was nothing we could do. One of the people we hired was transferred fromanother department, and we really didn’t have a choice in the matter.”Also, at last week’s Parish Council meeting during discussion of the Public Works budget, Bush said 15 individuals were given pay raises without his knowledge or input.

“This was unfair to me as their supervisor,” wrote Bush in his letter, “and other employees who worked for me who may have wanted to compete for the position and impacted the Department of Public Works budget which I am responsible for maintaining.”Labat also talked to Bush about this issue. “He was just confused becausehe thought these people were under the equalization plan,” Labat said.

Under an equalization program implemented 15 years ago, all parish department heads are supposed to meet with their employees and work out a plan where all salaries and wages are on equal footing. This plan is thenhanded over to the council for approval. Equalization was supposed to endall disparity in wages.But Bush didn’t think certain members of the councilwere playing fair last week.

“To selectively pick those 15 people on Tuesday night just wasn’t right,” said Bush. “If we are to use an equalization plan, then let’s use it.”Councilman Dale Wolfe, who was trying to get raises for certain employees at Tuesday’s meeting, blames Bush for what happened.

“Greg Bush needs to submit a plan for equalization,” Wolfe commented. “Ijust tried to get the wheels rolling on this thing.”The equalization plan seems to be at the root of the whole issue, and Labat seems to be disgusted with the matter.

“This equalization issue has been going on since the ’70’s,” he said. “Nobodycan agree on equalization.”District 7 Councilman Steve Thornton agreed.

“There is no such thing as the equalization plan,” he said. “They institutedit, but then everybody wants to make exceptions and help out their friends.

You either have equalization or you don’t. You can’t have it both ways.”Thornton thinks Bush is doing a great job and said it would be a real loss to the parish if he leaves.

“He is a gem, and if we had given him control like he should have, we would be in good shape right now,” he said. “As of right now, Bush doesn’thave any control.”Labat thinks that election time is the reason for all this confusion.

“They are all worried and confused because of the election.” he said. “I toldGreg, ‘it’s election time and you just have to bide your time’.”It looks like Bush will be biding his time until January when Labat leaves office. Bush said he doesn’t have any future plans after he leave thedepartment.

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