Harlan Kirgan
A 10-mill, five-year property tax proposed in Fire District 3 failed with only 36 percent of the 5,339 votes cast on the March 24 election.
Now, the St. Landry Parish Council Administrative-Finance Committee recommended that the full Council seek a state Attorney General opinion about familial relationships among it leadership.
Wayne Ardoin, committee chairman, said, “The reason why I have asked for this is because the fact we all know that there is board member that is si tting on the board, which would a relative through marriage of the chief. Now, it has come to my attention that the chief, that his wife and this acting chief, his wife, is sitting on the civil service board of Fire District 3.”
Ardoin added, “And, it was brought to my attention by some firemen that if a fireman appeals to the civil service board then the wife is sitting as a secretary.
“I didn’t want to bring it up before the election to cause any stink, but I think we need to get an attorney general opinion...,” he said.
Councilman Timothy Lejeune asked Ardoin if he thought there is an ethics violation.
Ardoin responded, “I don’t know if it is an ethical violation. It don’t look good.”
Ardoin said three firefighters came to him about the question.
“I just think this don’t look good and we do the appointing of the board members over there,” Ardoin said.
The district sprawls across about a third of St. Landry Parish from Lawtell to Washington and around the Opelousas area with nine fire stations.
The 10 mills would have been added to an existing 16.75 mills and given the district another $1 million in revenues for equipment.
The fire district tax proposal lost in the same election in which voters by 75 percent majority defeated two St. Landry Parish School Board property tax proposals.