ST. CHARLES OFFICIALS MEET TO MOVE PARISH FORWARD
Collaborative projects, goals are aims of interagency group

For immediate release May 27, 2008

LULING – St. Charles Parish officials met Thursday to discuss possibilities for collaborative projects and goals, including cleaning up blighted housing and the installation of new security measures at the parish courthouse.

INTENSE DISCUSSION – Public officials led by Parish President V.J. St. Pierre Jr., far right, discuss opportunities to work together during the first interagency meeting held Thursday at the Satellite Center in Luling. From left are St. Charles Parish School Board President John L. Smith, Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Rodney Lafon, 29th Judicial District Court Judge Kirk Granier, Public Schools Public Information Director Rochelle Cancienne-Touchard and Parish Council Chairman Dennis Nuss. Photo by Renee C. Allemand

The meeting, held at the Satellite Center on Sugarland Parkway, also gave officials the chance to update their counterparts about important issues in their own departments. The inaugural meeting, called by Parish President V.J. St. Pierre, drew seven officials, including St. Charles Parish Council Chairman Dennis Nuss, Assessor Clyde Gisclair, Clerk of Court Charles Oubre, 29th Judicial District Judges Robert Chaisson and Kirk Granier, public schools Superintendent Dr. Rodney Lafon and St. Charles Parish School Board President John L. Smith.

“During my campaign citizens always asked me why meetings like this never happen,” St. Pierre said. “I think it’s so important for the lines of communication between these agencies to be wide open. We can help each other in ways we may not realize.”

Smith said the group is in a unique position to gauge public opinion on projects it may consider, either by conducting surveys, entering referendums or combining feedback from their own constituents. Group members could then take courses of action mandated by public sentiment, he said.

Gisclair presented vital information about St. Charles Parish’s tax structure and invited all group members to visit his office.

The assessor’s input drove home the idea that all government agencies are interconnected, St. Pierre said.

“Say we want to fix the problem of blighted houses and abandoned cars,” St. Pierre said. “Doing it effectively relies on cooperation between the parish’s Planning and Zoning Department, the sheriff’s office and the court system. That’s why we should continue to meet to make our needs known.”

The group will meet quarterly, and St. Pierre’s office will call the meetings. The next meeting is slated for September, in which members expect to formally instate a name and regular structure for the meetings. In the future, St. Pierre said he hopes to welcome state legislators who represent St. Charles Parish residents.

The mission of St. Charles Parish government is to provide high quality, efficient services to sustain and enhance the quality of life for all residents of St. Charles Parish.

For more information, contact St. Charles Parish Public Information Officer Renee C. Allemand at (985) 783-5000 or rallemand@stcharlesgov.net.