LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / May 17, 2000

HAHNVILLE – A request for office rental and purchase of furnishings for the St. Charles Parish Department of Legal Services was sent to committee forfurther study prior to any approval.

The request included funds to rent a suite on the third floor of the new One American Place bank building on River Road near the Hale Boggs Bridge at a monthly rate of $2,025 per month for three years.

In addition, the request called for full furnishing of the suite, including $2,355 for an executive desk, $750 for an executive chair, more than $2,500 for bookcases, $2,600 for a conference table and everything from a TV/VCR combo to a $9 trash can.

Stanford Caillouet of New Sarpy objected to the idea and said Legal Services Director Bobby Raymond would be running his personal law practice from the suite, shortchanging the taxpayers by doing so.

Several council members likewise objected, and Councilman Barry Minnich suggested locating rather to the old First American Bank building on River Road in Luling (once the Bank of St. Charles), as offered by United Way of St.Charles.

“We need to look at the needs of all the departments first,” Councilman G.

“Ram” Ramchandran said. Councilman Desmond Hilaire moved to refer thematter to the appropriate council committee, which will review the space needs of all departments.

First American Bank recently donated the Luling bank building to United Way, whose executive director George Williamson recently met with Parish President Albert Laque. Williamson offered office space in the Luling building,rent-free, in exchange for the parish picking up the building maintenance expense.

“I’m just waiting to hear back from Mr. Laque,” Williamson commented.The present United Way office building, the original Bank of Hahnville built in the 1920s, will become the law office of Andrew Lemmon.

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