Council amends cultural‑facilities ordinance to preserve noncommercial user status
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Summary
Terrebonne Parish council introduced an ordinance to raise rental rates at cultural facilities and approved a substitute amendment—striking the word 'religion' from a noncommercial definition—to avoid disqualifying a longtime civic-center user; the substitute motion passed unanimously.
The Terrebonne Parish Council introduced an ordinance to update rental policies for parish cultural facilities, including the Dumaslin Municipal Auditorium, and approved a substitute amendment that removes the word "religion" from a proposed noncommercial‑rental definition.
Councilmember Clyde Hamner moved the substitute amendment, saying a key civic‑center user could lose its noncommercial status under the original language. "I move that the ordinance be amended by striking the word religion and the comma following that word from proposed section 2‑403(g) of the ordinance and introduce as amended," Hamner said. Staff confirmed that the substitute motion matched discussions held before the meeting and recommended the substitute be entertained as a replacement motion.
The council voted 9–0 to adopt the substitute amendment. The ordinance itself was introduced and a public hearing on cultural‑facility rental rates was scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
The change preserves parish discretion to classify specific users as noncommercial for discounted rates; staff said the amendment corrects an oversight in drafting and that affected user groups will have an opportunity to comment at the public hearing.
The council recorded no dissent on the substitute motion; the ordinance will return for a public hearing and final vote on the scheduled January date.