Council seeks police rule
YOUNGSVILLE — The City Council adopted a resolution Thursday that would give the police chief the power to appoint his second-in-command even after the city implements a fire and police civil service board.
The move toward a civil service board is due to the city’s population growth during the last census, Mayor Wilson B. Viator Jr. said.
“We’re mandated to implement civil service in an appropriate time schedule,”Viator said.
Police Chief Earl Menard said the cities of Carencro, Scott and Broussard have already passed similar resolutions.
The resolutions would only go into effect if state Sen. Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, introduces and successfully passes legislation in the upcoming session that will allow cities to bypass the civil service requirement for the post, Assistant Chief Byron Romero said.
Romero, who was appointed to the position late last year, said he and other officers within the department will be grandfathered into their positions.
Menard told council members that the resolution will allow future police chiefs to appoint a person that he or she can work with.
Councilwoman Dianne McClelland agreed. “I feel the people have trusted (Menard) enough to do the right thing and that’s what he’s going to expect from his assistant chief as well,” McClelland said.
Opponents argued the position should be kept under civil service rules as it would prevent the chief from potentially appointing an unqualified candidate.
In other council news, the council agreed to schedule a special meeting to vote on whether to pay Picard Group, a lobbying firm, a possible $30,000 to lobby the state for $3 million in capital outlay funds to help fund the city’s planned large-scale recreation complex near the Sugar Mill Pond development.
Voters passed a 1-cent sales tax last year that will fund the majority of the project.
The council will also hold a special meeting Wednesday to further discuss the sales tax and the complex.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Ascension School, 1800 Chemin Metairie Parkway.