ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / January 5, 2000

LAPLACE – Tuesday night was not the only last St. John Parish Councilmeeting of the year, the century and the millennium, but for one parish president and five councilmen it was the last council meeting, period.

Council President Duaine Duffy handed out plaques and the thanks of St.

John residents to outgoing councilmen, Perry Bailey, Kevin Duhon, Rock Perrilloux, Steve Thornton and Joel McTopy. There was also a specialplaque for retiring parish president, Arnold Labat.

In his final remarks to the council, Labat, who has served as parish president for 12 years, said he has a sense of satisfaction because he, the council and the parish employees have made “St. John Parish a better placeto live.””I leave this job with the parish on solid footing,” Labat told the council, “and ready to go forward and face the future.”Labat went on to list all the accomplishments his administration was responsible for: a parishwide water and sewerage system, paving over 95 percent of the roads in the parish, new libraries, new parks, a re-vamped health unit, ambulance services, fire stations and fire equipment which lowered fire insurance rates for parish residents.

Under Labat, the bond rating has improved and put the parish on strong financial footing. The parish now has a modern state-of-the-artEmergency Operations Center and a 9-1-1 phone system.

“We have an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent,” said Labat, “which is thelowest in parish history. We are the fastest growing parish in the statewith an average of 10 new families moving into the parish every week.”He said that the new Hurricane Protection Levee is now being planned. Itwill protect the parish from Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain.

“It won’t be completed until 2011, but a plan can’t start unless it has a beginning,” Labat said.

Labat ended his speech by saying, “I have led St. John Parish with pride.There have been no scandals or even a hint of a scandal in my administration. I challenge the new leaders to keep turning their dreamsinto reality.”Labat received a standing ovation as he took his seat.

Finally, all the retiring councilmen each had a few words to say before adjournment.

Bailey thanked everyone for working as a team and a unit.

“Because of this, we got a lot accomplished, ” said Bailey. “We tackledmany problems and got a lot done.”Perrilloux gave thanks to his wife who was “my biggest supporter.”He said being a councilman is a tough job and it affects your daily life and it was important that his wife was by his side the whole time.

“It has been a hard 12 years,” Perrilloux said with a catch to his voice.

“But it has put something inside of me that I will never be able to let go of.” Then he warned his fellow councilmen, “It hurts to leave, but I’m justtaking a four-year vacation. I am coming back.”Thornton told the council his tenure has been a “learning experience.””I hope not to come back,” he jokingly told his colleagues, “if everybody does a good job.”Getting serious, Thornton said, “I think it should be mandatory for everybody to serve four years on the council. You really get to know whatit is all about.”McTopy, who has been on the council 16 years, said, “I will miss the squabbles, but I will not miss the job. It is a hard job.””Seventeen years ago,” McTopy reminisced, ” I had a choice of either buying a new boat or running for parish council.” He paused. “I should have boughtthe damned boat.”Joking aside, McTopy said the voters had given him a great opportunity, but “I’m waiting for midnight of Jan. 10, 2000, when I become just plainold Joel McTopy again.””I don’t look forward to coming back,” he continued. “but I will miss theguys up here. We’ve made some tough decisions. I’ll miss you all, I love youall, and it’s been a great 16 years.”Duffy then thanked everybody on the council and Labat, and closed the meeting with some observations.

“The biggest thing about this job,” he said, “is cooperation. This job issimilar to being on a sports team. All in all, I think we did what was bestfor St. John Parish.”Then, as sort of a lesson for the incoming new council, Duffy said, “Good council members are willing to compromise. If you are not willing tocompromise, resign right now, because compromise is what it is all about.”

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