The council has hired a career Air Force and Department of Defense construction and maintenance specialist to take charge of the city’s Public Works division.
St. Martinville native Brian Touchet is a 22-year military veteran and has been involved in public works operations for 40 years. He has supervised military base construction and on-base public works in many parts of the world as well as supervising embassy construction in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Mayor Melinda Mitchell said Touchet has an impressive resumé, which Councilman Mike Fuselier referred to as “an incredible resumé, one of the best I have ever seen.”
Councliman Craig Prosper said, “If anything, it worries me to see such an overqualified applicant, who could make four times what we are paying,” but added that Touchet has said he wants to come home and “sleep in his own bed for a change.”
Touchet’s hiring will be subject to a six-month probationary period. Fuselier commented that the city needs, “stability and accountability” at Public Works.
Touchet joked, “I think I will be able to keep us out of the news.”
Lawrason Act Out
Seeking to consolidate more power in the mayor’s office, Councilman Juma Johnson again raised the issue of dissolving the city’s 200-year-old charter and reorganizing city government under the state’s Lawrason Act, which most Louisiana municipalities follow.
Johnson had raised this issue two months ago but the change was voted down in a 3-2 decision.
The measure fared no better this time. Fuselier, Prosper and Dennis Paul Williams said they believe the city is better off when more people are making the decisions.
But Mayor Mitchell favored the switch, saying “I get the blame in the newspapers, I should have more control.”
Attorney Allan Durand said a provision in the Lawrason Act requires a public vote for such a change..
Arguing against the change, Fuselier said, “This charter has served the city well. Any change we want to make can be made by a council vote.”
Prosper added, “If we wanted to give the mayor more power we could
do that. We don’t have to throw out a system that has served the city well.”
“What would the change accomplish, other than giving the mayor more power?” Fuselier asked Johnson, who did not offer a clear answer, but said the voters should decide.
Resident Nary Smith read a rambling prepared statement in favor of the move to the Lawrason Act, saying that black people did not have a vote when the home rule charter was adopted. He said that racism had been a part of police chief selections and other council actions such as the cancellation of the Newcomer’s Mardi Gras Parade.
“But I’m not trying to stir up race here,” he said.
Prosper moved to deny placing the change on a ballot, adding a provision to keep the issue from returning to the agenda again until after the next council elections.
“We should not have to deal with this question over and over. It has been decided,” he said.
The vote was 3-2 again, with Johnson and Edmond Joseph the only members in favor.
