The Acadia Parish Police Jury will meet in special session at 6 p.m. Tuesday to interview potential candidates for the position of secretary-treasurer.
Selection of the secretary-treasurer took a turn when members of the police jury voted recently to ignore the announced deadline for applications and continue accepting resumés.
Before they were sworn in to office, five jurors-elect — Steve Comeaux, Ray Morgan, Jeff Morgan, Pat Daigle and Chance Henry — sent a letter requesting that the jury’s administration “advertise for the position of Secretary/Treasurer and accept applications,” further designating that “the application period run from December 16, 2019, to January 3, 2020.”
During the monthly meeting last Tuesday, the first for the jury that had been sworn in just a day earlier, now-President Henry announced that the entire jury would serve as a “committee of the whole” to review resumés and interview applicants for the position.
Asked how many applications had been submitted, Henry deferred to Donna Bertrand, human resources director, who explained that she had received “four prior to the Jan. 3 deadline and one after.”
Henry added that he had “a few more” to be added.
Four more have been added to date.
Asked about the advertised deadline, Henry called upon jury counsel Glen Howie, who explained that he could find nothing in state statutes that spelled out the procedure for the appointment of a secretary-treasurer or mandating that the position be advertised.
“We don’t have to advertise,” said Juror A.J. “Jay” Credeur. “Applications can be submitted up until the night we make the appointment. In fact, we can appoint someone that hasn’t turned in an application if we want to.”
Tuesday’s meeting is open to the general public.