Schexnaydre ordinance pulled by council members

Councilwoman had wanted ‘No Parking During Game’ sign put on Thomas Coby to reduce street parking during DHS games

A plan to put a “No Parking During Game” sign up near residents’ homes on the south side of Thomas Coby in Destrehan was removed from consideration by five council members Monday night.

There are 15 residents that live on Thomas Coby and 13 of them signed a petition to have the signs put in place  because of concerns that parking on the street during Destrehan home games makes it difficult for emergency personnel to get down the road.

Councilwoman-at-large Carolyn Schexnaydre and Councilman Billy Raymond voted against having the ordinance removed.

Councilman Paul Hogan was absent.

“I knew Thomas Coby was not going to be discussed tonight so I was surprised when it got pulled like that,” Schexnaydre said. “I do plan on reintroducing the ordinance again.”

The ordinance was put up for consideration by Schexnaydre and Councilwoman Wendy Benedetto, who serves as the representative for the district where the road resides, asked for the ordinance to be removed.

“If I can put the ordinance  back up I will,” Schexnaydre said. “I will check with the parish attorney to see what can be done about this.”

Schexnaydre first introduced the ordinance last month, but it was voted down by a majority of the council.

Since the vote, Schexnaydre has collected signatures from residents living on Thomas Coby that are concerned about the issue and wanted to reintroduce the ordinance for the first meeting in November.

“I still believe that this is an important issue,” Schexnaydre said. “I’m very concerned about the residents living on that street and that emergency vehicles will have a hard time getting through that area should something happen during those large football games.”

Benedetto says she sees no need for the ordinance.

“If it is such a big concern for emergency vehicles, why hasn’t any previous council taken up the issue before?” she said. “Why haven’t emergency officials gone to the Sheriff’s Office and made complaints so something could have been done about it?”

Benedetto points out that the ordinance is unclear.

“What games?” she said. “There’s no specification on the ordinance as to what games Ms. Schexnaydre is talking about.”

Benedetto says she just doesn’t feel it’s an issue and doesn’t plan on going back and forth over it.

Schexnaydre says residents wanted the sign up, and always have, but didn’t know how to go about asking for it.
“I know it’s something the residents want,” she said. “But they just didn’t know how to get it enforced.”

In other council news:
The late Fay Walker Louque, who served as a parish historian, was honored with a memoriam from St. Charles Parish.

Louque had  the largest known private collection of historical documents, news articles, books, sketches and other information pertaining to the parish’s rich history.