St. Martinville District 3 Councilman Dennis Paul Williams defends himself from attacks over his wearing of a hat during the pledge of allegiance and prayer at Monday night’s city council meeting. ‘I pledge my heart, not my head,’ Williams said in response to questions from resident Nary Smith over the issue.

ST. MARTINVILLE — The city of St. Martinville finally has an employee handbook.

The city council approved adopting the 28-page document during its regular meeting Monday night during a relatively quiet and mostly polite city council meeting to kick off the new year.

The only discussion of the document centered on the city’s random drug testing policy. Mayor Melinda Mitchell asked how that would be accomplished.

“We can use the last number of each employee’s social security number,” said Chief Administrative Officer Avis Gutekunst. “When we want to do a test, we just send out a note that says we need all of the people with this number and that number at the end of their social.”

Police Chief Ricky Martin said that whichever vendor the city selects will probably have a system for randomization of the test subjects.

“They have a system and keep records of that,” Martin said.

City Legal Counsel Allan Durand asked if the policy addressed the fact that employees are forbidden from working on private property.

“The state ethics office asked about that,” Durand said.

District 1 Councilman Mike Fuselier said that because state law prohibits workers from doing any work on private property, the rule should not be required in the handbook.

“We have laws that prevent that,” Fuselier said, “That would be like saying you can’t drink and beat people up while you are on the clock. It’s already illegal.”

The council also decided to solicit bids for the demolition of a property at 6365 N. Main St. Zoning Administrator Danielle Fontenette said she has already sent the property owners, who live in Breaux Bridge, two certified letters regarding the demolition of the nuisance property.

District 4 Councilman Juma Johnson argued that the process should be put on hold until the owners actually speak to someone with the city. Mayor Pro Tem Craig Prosper said the city will continue its efforts to reach the owners, but that in the meantime the administration should continue soliciting bids and moving forward with the demolition.

“We’re not going to sit outside their door for three days and wait for them so we can talk to them,” Prosper said.

In the only moment that recalled the tension that has marked most of the council’s meetings for the last 18 months, resident Nary Smith used his time during the public comment period to attack District 3 Councilman Dennis Paul WIlliams over the wearing of his beret during the opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.

“I had an 8-year-old boy who watches the meetings online who asked me why you do not take off your hat,” Smith said.

“I pledge my heart, not my head,” Williams replied.

Smith continued to badger Williams, who brought up the attacks he has been subjected to since the Mitchell administration took office.

Prosper asked that the comment time be ended.

“Who is running this meeting?” Smith asked.

“I am,” Mitchell said.

“Then why is he (pointing at Prosper) asking for me to be silenced?” Smith asked.

In other business, the council:

• Approved adding Section 8 Program employee Larry Duplantis II to the city’s Section 8 checking account.

• Approved a bid of $5,700 from Davis Fencing for work to repair backstops on the baseball fields at Magnolia Park and a bid of $9,755 for groundwork on the four fields from BR Construction.

• Appointed members of the St. Martinville Main Street board.

• Authorized Mayor Pro Tem Craig Prosper to renew a contract with former Public Works Superintendent “Boo” Champagne for part-time work as a consultant.

• Approved the hiring of reserve police officer Rodney Porrier as a full-time officer.