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 […]

First Anniversary: Jamestown Crossing preliminary plat approval

One year ago today Ascension’s Planning Commission approved Jamestown Crossing (two phases), 172 lots on either side of Hwy 930.  It was the last plat approval before the Parish Council enacted a stringent Traffic Impact Analysis policy that would have, in all probability, killed the project.  Hwy 930, a substandard roadway, runs into one of Ascension’s busiest, Hwy […]

Is CPEX listening? We have no infrastructure; No more development

There seems to be a disconnect between Center for Planning Excellence’s (CPEX) work product and the public input being put in at multiple Open House meetings to gauge citizenry sentiment on the way to confection of a new Master Land Use Plan.  Hundreds of sticky notes attached stuck to CPEX’s slick displays overwhelmingly convey one message […]

Livingston Parish Council approves/denies subdivisions (but Parenton says Ascension CANNOT)

Livingston Parish has a planning commission, but its council is the decision maker when it comes to approval/denial of subdivision developments.  Meanwhile, here in Ascension, the Parish Attorney insists state law prohibits our parish council from doing the same. Like Ascension, Livingston is a Home Rule Charter municipality.  Its charter, at Section 7-06, includes: A. […]

Charter Revision Committee hoax a disservice to members, council, and citizens

25 years ago Ascension voters, by a wide margin (64% to 36%), opted for Home Rule adopting the Charter which has been amended once to revise the Employee Appeals Process.  Those of us who pay attention to such trivialities concur that it could do with further tweaking, others believe drastic changes are in order.  While A […]

President Matassa, Sheriff Wiley, judges address heroin use…Advice from an addict

As a recovering addict/alcoholic it is a source of irritation when politicos politicize “the scourge of illegal drugs.”  A fusion of ignorance and hypocrisy generally results in a spectacularly abject failure like America’s War on Drugs.  At least once a year I have to vent and my (toned down) rant comes early this year. The […]

Tommy Martinez, Kenny Matassa, and the TRUTH! (?)

One Thursday just after Kenny Matassa announced his candidacy for Ascension’s Parish Presidency the current occupant of the position summoned, well invited, this writer to his Donaldsonville office.  Tommy Martinez wanted to talk politics.  Martinez insisted that he would neither support, nor endorse, any candidate but would stay abreast of the race like any ordinary […]