Charter in question

A St. Mary Parish resident is challenging parish councilmen to table proposed changes to the parish charter or put them on a ballot for voters to decide.

Verdunville resident Mark Bogan, who regularly attends St. Mary Parish Council meetings, said he is tired of hearing the council’s banter about changing the charter. It’s time to act or let parish residents have the final say, he argues.

“Mr. Chairman,” Bogan said at last week’s council meeting, “[the topic of changing the charter] has come up three or four times since I’ve been coming to meetings. I think we need you all to do something with it … maybe let the people to decide on it or table the thing.

“We’re getting tired of hearing about it,” he continued. “It seems like every time I come to a council meeting, there is another proposed ordinance about the same ideas.”

Bogan’s comments came during a public hearing on a proposal to increase parish council salaries to $800 monthly for district representatives and $1,150 monthly for at-large members.

The St. Mary Parish Council includes 11 seats – eight district and three at-large councilmen.

Also under review was a proposal to increase the parish president’s pay to $36,000 annually.

Set for a vote on the March 9 agenda, the measure was postponed at the request of Councilman Craig Matthews, who called the parish council’s clerk after his return flight to Louisiana was delayed. The council unanimously agreed.

Before any charter changes become final, voters in the fall elections will weigh in.

The parish council and parish president have received the same pay since the Home Rule Charter was first adopted in 1983.

The parish president currently receives $12,000 annually for the part-time job.

Council members are paid $450 monthly; at-large members get $800 monthly.

Just last month, the council opposed a charter change implementing term limits and capping unexcused absences at three.

A 2008 St. Mary Parish Charter Review Committee, appointed by the parish council, was asked to determine ways the council could operate more efficiently. Salary adjustments were among the suggestions.

St. Mary Parish, compared to neighboring Lafourche and Terrebonne, pays its parish president and council the least.

The parish president’s $12,000 salary is also less than the amount paid to the mayors of Patterson, Morgan City and Franklin – three parish municipalities.

With the lastest postponement, St. Mary’s council will discuss for at least the fifth time in recent months reworking the parish’s charter at next week’s meeting.