ST. MARTINVILLE — Two discussions about a Christmas Day “parade” are on the agenda for the St. Martinville City Council’s regular meeting Monday evening.

The parade consisted of a small carnival train and a group of people on bicycles that made its way through the city without permits. The event has exacerbated an already contentious relationship between Mayor Melinda Mitchell, who rode one of the bicycles in the procession, and members of the council.

District 1 Councilman Mike Fuselier is scheduled to discuss the city’s parade ordinance during the meeting. That ordinance was passed after the city denied a permit for the Newcomers Club parade in 2015 and requires organizers of any parade or procession to get a permit 60 days prior to the event. 

The Christmas train parade did not have any permits, according to St. Martinville Police Chief Ricky Martin.

Mitchell is scheduled to address the incident during her comments as well. According to the agenda, she will offer a “clarification of (the) Christmas Day train event.”

Calls and messages left for Mitchell on her cell phone were not returned.

The train incident comes on the heels of several other public disagreements between Mitchell’s camp and council members. Just last month, the state Attorney General’s Office issued an opinion stating that Mitchell couldn’t remove discussion items from the council’s agenda. 

Mitchell had removed multiple items in violation of the city’s charter from the council’s regular meeting agendas during her short tenure. The removed items include actions related to the hiring of a chief administrative officer, advertising for bids for an electric utility vendor for the city and a discussion about extensions for payment of electric bills in the city’s electrical department.

An argument between District 2 Councilman Craig Prosper and Mitchell led her husband, Lawrence Mitchell, to make threats against Prosper in the police chief’s presence while using Martin’s cell phone. 

That incident led to a restraining order against Lawrence Mitchell and his arrest for violating that order on Friday.

Charges Prosper filed in the wake of the threats are still pending with the 16th Judicial District Court’s District Attorney Office.

Prior to that, Mitchell had adjourned a council meeting abruptly when Prosper began questioning her proposal to hire her former transition manager to a one-year consulting contract at a price of between $65,000 and $165,000.