Ascension council to fill zoning panel vacancies

DONALDSONVILLE — The Ascension Parish Council called a special meeting for 6 p.m. Tuesday to fill the seven
vacant seats on the parish Planning and Zoning Commission.

The prior council removed all of the members from the commission in mid-December and reduced the size of the body from nine to seven members.

The action came after a year of controversy on the commission, which included clashes with the parish administration.

The commission did not meet in January because it had no members. It is scheduled to meet Feb. 15.

Last week, the Council Personnel Committee recommended 10 of 24 people who applied for the commission: seven commissioners and three alternates.

At the top of the committee’s rankings are Robert Burgess, former Eatel president and chief operating officer, and former Ascension Schools Superintendent Donald Songy.

Under its bylaws, the council must vote on each candidate individually in the order of the committee’s rankings until seven spots are filled.

Alternates would be voted on for a possible spot on the commission — again in order of their ranking — only if the council votes down one of the top seven candidates.

The council meets at the Ascension Parish Courthouse, 300 Houmas St., Donaldsonville.