ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / August 19, 2000

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish council meetings will be a little bitlonger now thanks to Dale Wolfe. Shortly after the installation of MelissaFaucheux as the new chairperson of the council, Wolfe called for the abolition of the consent agenda.

The consent agenda is a list of items that are not up for discussion and can be passed quickly. Items such as the approval of the minutes for theprevious meeting, approval of block parties, races and parades and approval of certain reports and resolutions that need a council vote but don’t require any discussion.

The consent agenda was introduced by former council chairman Duaine Duffy in 1999 in order to streamline the council agenda and make the meetings go a little faster.

However, Wolfe thinks the consent agenda constitutes a “hidden agenda” and wanted to get rid of it.

“I want everything to be discussed in the open,” said Wolfe. “I want to getrid of the consent agenda.”However, Duffy pointed out that if any item on the consent agenda needs to discussed, anybody can take it off the consent agenda and place the item within the regular meeting agenda.

Wolfe was not satisfied and called for a motion to get rid of the consent agenda. The motion passed by a vote of 6-3, with Duffy, Steve Lee andRanney Wilson voting to keep the consent agenda.

In other council business: There will be an increase in certification fees for fire training at the LSU Fire Training Center.

The council approved the South Central Planning and Development Council’s comprehensive Economic Development Strategy report.

A resolution was passed setting the speed limit of 40 mph for Main Street between U.S. Highway 61 and the junction of U.S. Highway 51 andalso for Woodland Drive from Cambridge Drive to Cane Drive. A speed limitof 35 mph was set for Woodland Drive from Cane Drive to U.S. 51. A resolution was passed making the entire street of Woodland Drive a “No Passing Zone.” Dale Wolfe nominated Peter Jasper to the River Parishes Tourism Commission, and the council voted unanimously on the selection.

The council gave permission to the administration to buy property on Castle Drive in Edgard for the Recreation Department. The price was$20,500.

Allen St. Pierre commended the fire departments of Garyville and Mt.Airy for their cooperation with the parish in helping to clear dangerous tree limbs from 13 streets in the area.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Clement got the council to approve his recommendation of Hibernia National Bank as the fiscal agent for the parish.

Lester Rainey got the council to agree to send a resolution to the state Legislature and the Department of Hospitals and Health opposing the closing of the health unit in Edgard. Rainey wants the DHH to re-considerthe closing because it is difficult for some people on the west bank to get to other health clinics in Vacherie, Reserve and St. Charles Parish. Cleveland Farlough announced that the Falgoust family has donated land to the parish to build a new fire station in Pleasure Bend.

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