After hearing another round of criticism about the closed selection process utilized in selecting Steve Theriot as Interim Parish President, the Jefferson Parish Council voted again to ratify Theriot. As it was two weeks ago, the vote was 6-0 with Councilman John Young again abstaining to protest the process.
According to Deputy Parish Attorney Louis Gruntz, the Council voted again due to a possible technical violation in the first vote. Gruntz said the vote was necessary not because several Council members engaged in secret telephone calls but "out of an abundance of caution because there may have been a technical omission."
After then Parish President Aaron Broussard resigned on January 8th, 5 of the 7 Council members held a series of telephone conversations from Friday, January 8th through Sunday, January 10th, to discuss potential candidates for the Interim Parish President position. During these conversations, the 5 Council members decided upon Theriot. Incoming Council Chairman John Young and Councilman Byron Lee were not involved in these conversations.
Lee was informed of the 5 Council members decision regarding Theriot on the evening of Sunday, January 10th. Councilman Young was told of the Theriot selection on Monday, January 11th.
The 5 Council members, along with Councilman Lee, held a press conference on Monday, January 11th, announcing Theriot as Interim Parish President. Councilman Young was not present for the press conference.
At the January 13th Council meeting, several citizens expressed their displeasure with the selection process and also discussed several potential violations of the open meetings law that the Council might have committed, through the series of weekend telephone calls among members and the lack of notice given for adding an item to the meeting agenda.
After the January 13th meeting, several citizens including Richard Brown of Kenner, along with Margaret Baird and Margie Seemann with the group Citizens For Good Government, prepared complaints to file with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. Brown sent his complaint to Councilman Young and the Parish Attorney and asked the Council to rectify the procedural errors involved in the first selection of Theriot.
While not admitting that an error occurred, the Parish Attorney determined that it would be better to hold the vote again.
Before today’s vote, several citizens spoke out again discussing their displeasure with the selection process. Many asked the Council to start the selection process again.
Margie Seemann from Citizens For Good Government said that the selection process “Was done behind closed doors, in a secret deal, and this is unacceptable.” She called the selection of Theriot an “Illegitimate process.”
Al Morella of Kenner said that the Council needed to re-ratify Theriot because "It's either ignorance of the law or total disregard for the law," and said the Council was “here today to cover your backside.”
Councilman Louis Congemi continued to maintain that the Council did nothing improper regarding their weekend selection of Theriot. At one point, Congemi asked Parish Attorney Tom Wilkinson if two Council members having a telephone conversation violated the open meetings law.
"It's certainly OK for a council member to call another council member," Wilkinson said. "You can't take a poll over the telephone, but it's not my impression based on what I've heard and my discussions with you that you did that."
Councilman Congemi admitted to having one conversation with another Council member on the Saturday after Broussard’s resignation. He did not disclose which Council member he had the conversation with or what was discussed.
Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng disclosed that she had a telephone conversation on Friday afternoon after the announcement of Broussard’s resignation and a constituent mentioned the need for a “Steve Theriot-type” as Interim Parish President. She did not discuss any telephone conversations with other Council members regarding any potential candidates.
Left unclear in all of the debate was how 5 Council members could independently arrive at the same decision to appoint Theriot and then schedule a press conference without holding a series of conversations.
Theriot will serve as Interim Parish President until a new Parish President can take office. There will be a Special Election held on October 2nd with a runoff, if needed, scheduled for November 2nd.
Prior to the re-ratification of his appointment, Theriot addressed the Council and discussed what he has done during his first two weeks on the job.
“It’s been an adventure,” Theriot said.
He then went on to discuss specific measures that he was implementing including:
- Putting as much information as possible online including information regarding contracts, budgets and employee salaries
