[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6290196,"mediaKeyId","2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf","parentId",2531480,"title","Charter review committee votes 10-1 to ask council for resolution backing state bill authorizing parish-wide inspector general","audioSeconds",1113,"startMs",5828000,"endMs",6941000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf&start=5828&end=6941","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf/thumbnail_5828000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6290196/Louisiana/Charter-review-committee-votes-10-1-to-ask-council-for-resolution-backing-state-bill-authorizing-parish-wide-inspector-general","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290196-d215652ac9202b34c8bb23b967d47c72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771070721&Signature=Z7Um9bMPxy0ziGaH6CL4ih3W~BKzFnJHcWZpKfhBEemkHX-MFbd2mEz9gj~g1J0in2aN92yG0E3bDltorUEeKtbPQTcfYQP6aQycdpooPBBYh75dCebSR4EJbPYewPL0YDWU4pB14pWojXGKeavdejT9Fbyor-x8gfi~zEIQ2LPQBCd9hn3kT6YC4eINyNwj2T9myDnUjBqbCrPyHI0mToWsuGpVbMen4jJpDD~xhMTbImyI4SNidjhEWVwv1lM7qssQpeQXec1CApvtMtmjKE4tANqnkpuZ5mH8BpqAra-LhLrFj0O-Wni94hri3y4WReVXe8Z5NwerfwNIN6l~Zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","STPGtv","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","The St. Tammany Parish Charter Review Committee voted 10-1 to ask the parish council to draft and consider a resolution supporting state legislation that would authorize voters to permit a parish-wide inspector general. The committee’s roll-call vote recorded 10 yeas and 1 nay on the motion to bring the inspector-general bill back for discussion and to ask the council to consider a supporting resolution.

Committee members debated scope, cost and timing before the vote. Supporters said adding St. Tammany to pending legislation would preserve the option to place a charter provision or ballot measure before voters authorizing a parish-wide inspector general with authority to investigate parish-funded dollars across parish entities. Opponents and cautious members raised cost and governance questions—who appoints the oversight board, budget impacts, and whether a forensic auditor or internal auditor could provide similar oversight at lower cost.

During the discussion the committee heard examples from other parishes: a witness described Jefferson Parish’s inspector-general funding via a dedicated rededication of a road-lighting district (cited as about a 0.5-mill example) and said Orleans Parish’s inspector-general model has broader investigative reach. Committee members also noted that adding St. Tammany to the state bill would be permissive rather than mandatory—the bill would only provide authority; any inspector-general office would still require local approval and, if created, charter language to define structure, funding and appointment rules.

The committee recorded the vote by roll call. The chair or clerk read members’ responses: Larry Rolling — yes; Cheryl Tanner — yes; Arlena LeBlanc — nay; Jeff — yes; Arthur Laughlin — yes; Kevin Davis — yes; (Gina) Hayes and Scott Delacroix — yes; General Ernst — yes; Jill Impastato — yes. The motion passed 10–1.

After the vote, the committee directed staff to draft the resolution for the parish council and to circulate the draft to the committee for review. The resolution will request that the council consider supporting the state legislation that would permit voters to authorize a parish-wide inspector general.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Tammany Parish Home Rule Charter Committee Meeting February 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee voted 10-1 to ask the St. Tammany Parish Council to draft and consider a resolution supporting state legislation that would allow voters to authorize a parish-wide inspector general with authority to follow parish-funded money across local entities.","taxTitle","St. Tammany Parish Public Administrator, Boards & Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Louisiana","taxId",25594,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290201,"Former Jefferson Parish president urges communication, trust and 'right-sizing' as St. Tammany reviews charter",1178,1937000,3115000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf&start=1937&end=3115","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf/thumbnail_1937000.jpg","/articles/6290201/Louisiana/Former-Jefferson-Parish-president-urges-communication-trust-and-right-sizing-as-St-Tammany-reviews-charter","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290201-4d96e7d88426fc09e9172357763acde2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771070721&Signature=TvGKpTZo1UDFPFN4lxcbuE7MWMnOXChXKi0uchliD2gW-1KEcgLAg41vYna-vklyrKh7Xo-SQsCpe-N6sGuvgWtBmCRuhshi0QOZO6UX-to8jeUVzW1ldaEdtzTJxVe~s7tSG2SDLJ670q9XIGP9No3-DLxktfy4Ch13FexO1c94QFt~kAPJv7SahJe4d7I9RhI14nUwpscWXGD7gwrIInFSt3tqUw86vagPg--OOcFqoMwqWcIN59OZrxMZEmeBPo-MjR393mnQmMZgWYXvYdRopgSDEjRqjtZvIxfnUc4Z7nWPCXeTJEBNLfDPGcU05iSDz5gMosjwktf4p99arQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tim Coulon, former Jefferson Parish president, told the St. Tammany Parish Charter Review Committee that effective local government rests on communication, trust and responsiveness and urged the committee to weigh “right-sizing” the council as the parish grows.

Coulon drew on three decades in parish administration and elected service to recommend practices for parishes of varying size: he said regular, structured communication between the council and the parish executive is essential, that constituents must have confidence in elected officials, and that operational responsiveness to routine service requests builds trust.

Coulon described Jefferson Parish’s evolving council structure and staffing as a case study. He recounted transitions Jefferson made over time—from a 7-member governing form to district-plus-at-large configurations—and described how the parish provides staff and research support for full-time council members. He said at-large members in Jefferson are supported by offices on both sides of the river and larger staffs, and that district members typically have a four-person staff plus access to a council research office.

On council size and workload, Coulon said there is no one-size-fits-all answer: “It depends upon the needs of the parish,” but he warned that very large bodies can be “cumbersome” and make consistent, advance communication among members harder. He suggested that parishes experiencing rapid growth should consider whether part-time elected roles and a 14-member body remain appropriate as demands on government expand.

Coulon also discussed audit and oversight options. He described Jefferson’s internal-auditor approach and said a forensic accountant can perform deep financial reviews; he contrasted that with inspector general structures and noted the different powers they have. He said Jefferson’s inspector general is funded through a dedicated rededication of a road-lighting millage in his example and called forensic audits and internal auditors useful tools. “A forensic auditor would be much cheaper than a staff of an Inspector General,” he said, while adding that the two approaches can overlap and that an inspector general can provide broader investigative and preventive functions.

Committee members pressed Coulon on operational details—staff sizes, compensation approaches for full-time council members, how districts are drawn and how Jefferson handled coastal communities and consolidated services. Coulon recommended pursuing consolidation where it improves efficiency over time and said consolidation of services, revenue strategies and a strong capital program supported Jefferson’s ability to fund infrastructure projects.

Coulon closed by stressing that the committee must sell any recommended changes to the public and the council: “What comes out of this is very important,” he said, and encouraged committee members to seek early public engagement as draft proposals take shape.","Former Jefferson Parish President Tim Coulon told the committee that successful local government depends on communication, trust, responsiveness and that rapidly growing parishes should consider altering council size, staffing and administrative arrangements.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290206,"Police Jury Association counsel outlines parish government forms, police power limits and taxing authority",1659,186000,1845000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf&start=186&end=1845","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531480-471f6598234cb4570ad801bccd107faf/thumbnail_186000.jpg","/articles/6290206/Louisiana/Police-Jury-Association-counsel-outlines-parish-government-forms-police-power-limits-and-taxing-authority","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290206-8405d9462c99de3d01c92086e18139df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771070721&Signature=RHLHljbq6j2m0cCI2BO0syNdupCuaicvsld~HnvcBrazdpUDwioZH4QHZNc-ZfotT4SFw1pr5oqiFXhqKCphCQCVvHEd-y3t3nwzRtw~~J06I9jHo8O9YnjcNPmA7o1cTZnA6aRgIvdQ-USx4bc4AD6gwH3xVdQZIH0DA2sj1hXH~WV-hJh5gIoVT1Mm3sm0XrDFGllvFBAHqSnCJaHnbagERfjNyTggQkNdTETHJwfpGIA6WqAvHd8XTzBHsrb3z5wnKuITEb82su2aaoe-bTuIyEOD2SP3bmxQPJvb0H5kfRHlSuXc27dz8SAdw-n6WWNqC3-Vs1vhaZu2xqdeuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Debbie Hinton, executive counsel for the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, told the St. Tammany Parish Charter Review Committee that Louisiana parishes operate under several distinct legal forms and that those forms determine what local officials can and cannot do.

Hinton said the basic distinction is between police juries and home rule charters: home rule charters allow a parish to “exercise any power ... not denied by general law or inconsistent with the constitution,” while police juries are creatures of state law restricted to powers expressly granted by statute. She explained that the state delegates police power to local bodies but can also withdraw or limit those powers.

Hinton’s presentation laid out how the forms differ and why that matters for decisions the committee is considering. She described the historical evolution of parish government in Louisiana and cited Article 6 of the state constitution and Title 33 of the Louisiana statutes as the legal framework that shapes local authority. She also summarized several specific, legally constrained fiscal powers: ad valorem millage limits, purpose-limited special millages, occupational licensing limits, and voter-approved sales taxes.

In the meeting, Hinton noted specifics about local taxing authority: “That is what we call our tax, but it cannot exceed 4 mills unless the voters vote on it,” and she said a parish’s general ad valorem levy can produce significant revenue—“It generates close to $8,000,000 about a year.” She also described how special-purpose millages must state a specific purpose and time-limited term and be spent only for the approved purpose.

Hinton described other operational differences. Under a home rule charter, a parish president’s powers come from the charter itself; by contrast, a police jury’s president has no inherent executive authority beyond what statutes and the jury’s resolutions provide. She explained that a police jury combines legislative and executive functions among jurors acting as a body, that juries may hire a treasurer (commonly combined with a secretary) and may create a parish manager if they choose, and that police juries can vary in size from 5 to 14 members.

She also explained the default legal-counsel arrangement: unless a charter specifically provides for parish-employed legal counsel, the district attorney is the general legal counsel for parish government. “If you don't have the provision in the charter, then it defaults to the DA as the legal counsel for the parish,” she said.

Hinton closed by urging the committee to consider the local differences in population and services when weighing forms of government and invited questions from committee members.

The committee asked about typical council sizes across the state and about when parishes change form; Hinton said population growth often prompts parishes to adopt home rule charters because larger populations tend to require additional governmental structure and services. She also noted that the legislature can alter statutory police jury structures, which is a reason some jurisdictions choose home rule charters to preserve locally defined structures.","Debbie Hinton, executive counsel for the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, told the St. Tammany Parish Charter Review Committee that Louisiana parishes may operate under police juries, home rule charters or consolidated governments and summarized the statutory limits on local taxing and legal counsel authority.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Charter review committee votes 10-1 to ask council for resolution backing state bill authorizing parish-wide inspector general

Former Jefferson Parish president urges communication, trust and 'right-sizing' as St. Tammany reviews charter

Police Jury Association counsel outlines parish government forms, police power limits and taxing authority