Saying that he “can’t just take their word,” St. Charles Parish Councilman Paul Hogan has introduced a resolution that asks the council to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the East Bank Regional Library’s size increase.
Hogan has said that the increase in the project from 26,000 square feet to 39,655 square feet cost taxpayers over $3 million. He said no documentation has been provided to him to explain this increase and that it was never voted on by members of the Library Board.
Library Board President Carolyn Tregre said in a Sept. 22 meeting that the issues were brought up and discussed, but that no member of the board made a motion to accept the changes.
“The board apparently did not feel it was necessary to make a motion to adopt each of those changes,” she said.
All of the Library Board members have said that they approved of those increases, even though they were never voted on or recorded in the minutes.
Since a mention of the size increases was not recorded in the minutes, Hogan requested detailed information on what exactly was brought up and discussed by the board in regards to the changes.
Tregre responded in an Oct. 14 letter where she said that all of the information concerning the library had already been provided to Hogan and that there is no reason for further correspondence on the issue.
“Unfortunately for some, but fortunately for the taxpayers, I, as a member of the governing authority, do not and cannot accept ‘believe me just because I am telling you so,’” Hogan wrote in a letter accompanying the resolution. “This is not acceptable with regard to the expenditure of public funds, especially to the tune of over $3 million!”
The resolution calls for the council to conduct an investigation in order to discover how the library size increased since there are no public records that detail the change.
“As the governing authority, we have a duty and an obligation to the public to initiate an investigation,” Hogan added. “Failure to perform an investigation would signal to the public that the Parish Council is not concerned with accountability and the spending of their tax dollars.
“I ask for your support and that of the entire council with regards to this proposed resolution, calling for an investigation by the council.”
Parish President V.J. St. Pierre has already released a statement saying that until Hogan can provide proof that something illegal was done, librarian Mary des Bordes and the rest of the Library Board have his full confidence and support. That is also the opinion of a vast majority of the council members. In fact, every member except for Hogan and Carolyn Schexnaydre signed a letter expressing confidence and support in both des Bordes and the Library Board.
The resolution will be voted on at the Nov. 16 council meeting.
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