/ L’Observateur / November 15, 1999

HAHNVILLE – St. Charles Parish President Chris Tregre is aiming to blockan attempt by the Parish Council to hire their own attorney through the veto of a line item in the proposed parish budget.

The item approved by the Parish Council at their Nov. 2 meeting providesfor $50,000 to contract an attorney specifically for the Parish Council to provide the group with legal advice.

Tregre vetoed the matter, citing the parish’s Home Rule Charter. Thecharter states that the 29th Judicial District Attorney shall serve as the legal advisor to the Parish President and Parish Council and all Parish departments, offices and agencies until such time as a Legal Services Department is created.

In 1984, the Legal Services Department was established, the current head of which is Randy Lewis.

“To execute this amendment in its present state,” Tregre’s veto message stated, “would not only violate the provisions of the Home Rule Charter but also violate th provisions of Ordinance No. 84-11-4 which created theDepartment of Legal Services.”In addition, Tregre continued, the Parish Council does not have the power or authority to sign and execute a contract, being outside their legislative powers. The Parish Council may authorize the Parish President to executea contract.

The only person who the Parish Council may hire is its secretary. However,Tregre continued, should the Parish Council try to hire its own attorney, Tregre (in his authority of administering the budget) could withhold funding.

He concluded his veto message by saying he was not opposed to additional legal assistance, but to the method attempted by the Parish Council in the budget.

“The proper approach,” he said, “would be to amend the Legal Department Budget in order to provide additional legal assistance under the direction of the Director of the St. Charles Parish Department of Legal Services.”

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