EA Drainage favors law naming Parish President as EA Drainage Director

By an 8-2 majority, East Ascension Drainage Commission (comprised of all Parish Council members) adopted the following resolution on Monday. RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE EAST ASCENSION CONSOLIDATED GRAVITY DISTRICT NO. 1 TO REQUEST CHANGE IN STATE LAW TO DEFINE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHEREAS, the East Ascension Consolidated Gravity Drainage District No. 1 […]

Crime on the rise, time for new leadership in Gonzales PD

At the end of four terms, 16 years into his tenure as Gonzales’ Chief of Police, it is time for Sherman Jackson to go.  The latest word is that Jackson will seek a fifth term on November 5, his hand-picked successor yet to move into Gonzales (and Tyson Dennis has little chance at winning the […]

EA Drainage’s 2021 coup attempt is over (Cointment wins big)

The only noteworthy item on Monday’s East Ascension Drainage Board agenda was the one omitted.  Nearly 13 months ago it appeared that President Clint Cointment had been forced into a power-sharing agreement whereby an, as yet unidentified, Drainage Director would be hired to usurp certain of the parish chief executive’s authority over drainage.  The usurpation […]

Corey Orgeron’s social media meltdown aims accusations at Cointment, denigrates Compton

At least Orgeron concedes that 20′ roads are safer for school buses to travel than 18′ roads. Future one-term council member, the now un-electable Corey Orgeron is not a fan of Pelican Post or our editor (yours truly). Neither is he fond of President Clint Cointment and newly-appointed Director of Planning and Facility Maintenance Ricky […]

Taxpayers were not supposed pay for new courthouse (the $3 Million council resolution)

Below you will find the resolution, unadulterated and in its entirety, whereby Ascension’s Parish Council seeks to offer up $3,000,000 for, in part, “Audio Visual Equipment for the Courtrooms at the New Courthouse.”  This project was pitched from its inception under former President Kenny Matassa (recall Judge Jason Verdigets’ recusal in the criminal case because […]

Matassa’s illegal $27,456 raise (and other tales of pillage in parish government)

NOTE: We first published the following piece on December 15, 2019.  Since the current administration has weighed in at The Advocate’s prodding, we republish today. The Corrupt Organization (we don’t think it’s Racketeering Influenced, RICO) that is Kenny Matassa’s administration has been a blight on Ascension Parish for four years.  With two weeks left before that cancer […]

The PEOPLE won on Friday; Sewer deal DENIED, rescheduled for January 23

The power of THE PEOPLE was evidenced last night as their Parish Council postponed the momentous decision, whether or NOT to approve a controversial agreement with Bernhard Capital Partners-backed Ascension Sewer, LLC.  The PEOPLE showed up in force, unhappy and unwilling to endure lectures or pontification from Ascension officials, elected or not.  Anticipated to be an […]

Ascension’s first Stormwater Manager out in less than six months. How’d he last that long?

Oh, Malcolm, we hardly knew ye! Introduced by Infrastructure Director William Daniel in April, Ascension’s first ever Stormwater Program Manager Malcolm Sayes almost made it six months.  In a recent group email sent from Parish Government, the alert was included almost matter-of-factly.  Dated September 30, that email closed with: Malcom Sayes is no longer with […]

AG opines that power to approve subdivision may be taken away from Planning Commission

O’Neil Parenton’s attempt to game the system nothwithstanding, Louisiana’s Attorney General opined that Ascension’s Planning Commission could be stripped of its power to approve subdivision preliminary plats by amendment of the Home Rule Charter. The AG opined nine months after receiving Ascension’s request that posed two questions: Can Ascension Parish Council through a Charter Amendment […]

Matassa adds 140 employees, $5.3 Million to Ascension’s payroll (and counting)

President Kenny Matassa inherited a 403-man personnel roster from his predecessor, with a total payroll of $17,437,530 according to records produced by Ascension Parish Government on February 10, 2016.  Matassa had been on the job 34 days, having already gotten rid of former lead engineer Bob Horner in a personnel move to belie the monumental […]