St. Martinville CityCouncil to again discuss items taken up after Mayor Melinda Mitchell left last meeting

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, September 3, 2019

ST. MARTINVILLE — The St. Martinville City Council will hold its regular meeting tonight due to the Labor Day holiday with several discussions scheduled to be brought back up after Mayor Melinda Mitchell and two councilmen walked out of the Aug. 19 regular meeting.

According to the meeting agenda, Mitchell has asked for discussions of:

• The council’s referral of city employee work done at her home to the state’s Board of Ethics.

• A resolution censuring Mitchell for not following the city’s home rule charter in disciplining employees.

• The charter’s language regarding what constitutes a quorum.

• An ordinance adopted Aug. 19 prohibiting Mitchell from moving employees into positions they were not hired for without council approval.

• Why items that District 5 Councilman Edmond Joseph had put on the Aug. 19 agenda were tabled while other items which Mitchell had submitted were acted on, and

• The council’s reversal of an unpaid suspension for Public Works Maintenance Supervisor Brian Touchet, instead making the suspension a paid one.

The council took all of those actions after Mitchell attempted to end the Aug. 19 meeting. She gaveled for adjournment, but no motion to adjourn had been entertained. She, Joseph and District 4 Councilman Juma Johnson left the meeting room.

At that point, Mayor Pro Tem Craig Prosper took the gavel and continued the meeting, since a quorum had already been established.

On tonight’s agenda, Prosper asked for a discussion of the suspension of two Public Works employees, Mac Thomassee and Brent Joseph, which was not brought before the council for affirmation. Mitchell suspended the two employees after the Aug. 19 meeting, but did not put it on tonight’s agenda for the council to discuss.

Similarly, District 1 Councilman Mike Fuselier is scheduled to discuss the suspension of Public Works employee John Richard, which was also not brought before the council for action.

Fuselier is also scheduled to discuss issues with the city’s trash pickup. A representative of Republic Services is expected to attend the meeting. He also asked to discuss maintenance of sidewalk maintenance and grass cutting in the city’s historic district, specifically along Port and Bridge streets, as well as the status of asphalt that remains broken along Main Street after the city’s sidewalk project was completed.

In other business, the council is scheduled to:

• Hear a presentation from Keith Baudin, candidate for State Representative District 46, on his interests and goals.

• Consider a request from George Choplin on behalf of the Knights of Columbus to hold red-light fundraising drive.

• Discuss a dilapidated structure at the corner of Buchanan and Labbe streets.

• Announce the scheduled ribbon cutting for the new Magnolia Skate Park Children’s section on Sept. 8 at 4 p.m.

•Consider a resolution for Shedrick Berard, who resigned last month after 32 years of service.

• Discuss funding materials for providing one bus stop in each city council district.

•Consider an intergovernmental agreement with St. Martin Parish Government.

• Discuss filling employee vacancies.

• Accept the Louisiana Audit Compliance Questionnaire for the fiscal year ending June 30.

The St. Martinville City Council will meet at 6 p.m. in the city council meeting room of City Hall, 120 New Market St., in St. Martinville.