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St. Charles Parish, Louisiana

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Budget Y
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Meetings Y
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Elected Officials Y
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Administrative Officials Y
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Permits, zoning Y
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Audits Y
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Contracts Y
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Lobbying Y
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Public records Y
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Local taxes Y
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County websites
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Transparency grading process

Contents

Saint Charles Parish, Louisiana is one of sixty-four parishes in Louisiana. A parish, in Louisiana, is the equivalent of a county in other states. The parish seat is Hahnville. In 2000, its population was 48,072.

[edit] Website evaluation

In 2011 St. Charles Parish earned a Sunny Award for having a perfect website transparency score.

Main article: Evaluation of Louisiana parish websites

This Web site was reviewed Jan. 11, 2012.

[edit] The good

  • The website posts its budget and financial statements.[1]
  • A list of meeting dates and times are available,[2]along with agendas and minutes dating back to early 2007.[3]
  • Includes a complete list of council members with their contact information.[4]
  • Includes a complete list of administrative officials with their contact information.[5]
  • Information on building permits and zoning is available online.[6]
  • The Auditors statement is included in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.[7]
  • List of the contract bids.[8][9]
  • Lobbying information is available.[10]
  • Information is provided about how parish residents can request access to public documents of the parish under Louisiana's sunshine laws.[11]
  • Information on the local sales tax is provided.[12] There is also a breakdown of other applied taxes.[13]

[edit] 2009 website upgrade

In January 21, St. Charles Parish officials unveiled a substantial upgrade of the parish website. Renee Allemand Simpson, public information officer for the parish, said, "We've reorganized the site based on what people want to do." Residents are now able to file complaints, download the form needed to speak at a council meeting and get customized e-mail alerts from various departments.

According to the Times-Picayune, more information was also added to the website "partly in response to a review of the parish's old Web site by the Sunshine Review, a Chicago nonprofit that lobbies for more transparency in government." The parish's budget was added, as was audit and other financial information to the site in response to an August 2008 review of the Web sites of Louisiana parishes by Sunshine Review.[14]

The new site was built for $47,000 by Vision Internet, a Santa Monica, Calif., company that specializes in government Web sites.[14]

[edit] Government

St. Charles Parish operates under a Home Rule Charter, which provides for separate legislative and executive branches independent of each other. Legislative matters are handled by an elected nine-member Council, while the elected Parish President serves as administrator.[15]

The Home Rule Charter was an option offered to local governments when the State of Louisiana adopted its new constitution in 1974. It was included in the State Constitution at the insistence of local officials who felt the need to strengthen local governments throughout the state. Prior to this, the Parish operated under the Policy Jury System. Under this system jurors were elected from Wards or Districts. They operated as both Legislators and Administrators, handling day-to-day operations of the Parish. The system was restrictive since Parish Government could exercise only that authority specifically given them by the State Legislature. The Home Rule Charter of St. Charles Parish allows much more flexibility. The Parish has the authority to do anything that is not inconsistent with State Law. St. Charles Parish adopted its Home Rule Charter in 1978, the second Parish in the State to embrace this form of governance. The conversion to home rule was completed in 1980, when the Council and Parish President were installed under the new charter. [15]

The Council is made up of nine members. Seven are elected from districts and two at-large members are elected Parishwide, with one residing on the East Bank of the Mississippi River and one residing on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. The Council’s principal function is to enact ordinances or laws. However, the Charter also gives them broad additional powers including levying taxes, appropriating funds and fixing penalties for violations of local ordinances. [15]

Current Council members:[16]

Electorate Title Name
At Large, Division A Councilwoman Carolyn K. Schexnaydre
At Large, Division B Councilman Terry Authement
District I Councilman Billy Raymond, Sr.
District II Councilman Shelley Tastet
District III Councilwoman Wendy Benedetto
District IV Councilman Paul J. Hogan
District V Councilman Larry Cochran
District VI Councilman Marcus M. Lambert
District VII Councilman Dennis Nuss

The daily routine of government is the responsibility of the Parish President, who heads the executive or administrative branch of Parish government. The President carries out the policies developed by the Council and implements the Council’s decisions. He has the responsibility for hiring and firing subject to personnel policies and rules adopted by the Council. Department directors are appointed by the Parish President and must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Council.[15]

The current Parish President is V.J. St. Pierre, Jr.[17]

All programs are handled on a Parishwide basis by departments staffed by professionals. The departments include Community Services, Economic Development and Tourism, Emergency Preparedness, Finance, Legal Services, Planning and Zoning, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Wastewater, and Waterworks. [15]

[edit] Parish Budget

The operating and capital budget funds for 2011 includes revenues and other financing sources of $101 million plus estimated fund balances carried over from 2010 of $65 million and expenditures of $145.9 million. Sales tax collections equal 24% of budgeted revenues, and ad valorem taxes equal 20% for government funds.[18]

[edit] References

  1. ↑ Budget
  2. ↑ Council Meeting Schedule
  3. ↑ Council Agendas
  4. ↑ Council Members
  5. ↑ Staff Directory
  6. ↑ Planning and Zoning
  7. ↑ CAFR
  8. ↑ St. Charles Contract bids
  9. ↑ Bids and Proposals
  10. ↑ Lobbying Information
  11. ↑ How to file a public records request
  12. ↑ Sales Tax
  13. ↑ Cost and incentives
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 New Orleans Times-Picayune, "St. Charles re-designs website", January 22, 2009
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Government Structure
  16. ↑ Council Members
  17. ↑ Parish President
  18. ↑ 2011 budget summary

[edit] External links

http://sunshinestandard.org
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