The coronavirus is getting the blame for a rare failure to obtain a quorum at a St. Landry Parish Council meeting.
Several Council members sent texts that stated they had health concerns about attending the meeting Wednesday.
Six members did show up to hold a public hearing on building inspection fees.No one from the public spoke about the fees.
But when it came time for the regular monthly meeting those six members did not constitute a majority of Board members, which equals a lack of a quorum.
Instead, those Board members, Nancy Carriere, Harold Taylor, Gil Savoy, Alvin Stelly, Wayne Ardoin and Chairman Coby Clavier invited Ken Cochran, president and CEO of Opelousas General Hospital, to speak about the coronavirus.
Clavier said the items on Wednesday’s agenda will be sent back through committee meetings scheduled April 1.
Council members not attending the meeting were Jerry Red, Easton Shelvin, Mildred Thierry, Vivian Olivier, Dexter Brown, Timmy Lejeune and Jimmie Edwards.
Ardoin shared text messages from some of the members about their concerns. They included:
— Brown apologized for not attending and said it was for “the health and safety of everyone.”
— Edwards cited health and age issues. “It’s very important that we protect ourselves.”
— Oliver said the health issue is “very serious” and “when they start closing all the churches it is very serious.”
— Shelvin said, “This is a very serious virus that needs to be taken very seriously.”
— Lejeune has been ill recently.
Also reported ill and not at the meeting were Amanda Cain, finance director and chief operating officer, and Richard Lucito, administrative coordinator.
