Tauzin lobbying contract approved by St. Charles council

Council also tables effort to compel chair to respond to council members or step down

With little discussion, the St. Charles Parish Council renewed the one-year, $180,000 contract with lobbyist Tauzin Consultants.

The measure was sponsored by five council members, including Wendy Benedetto, Mary Clulee, Dick Gibbs, Marilyn Bellock and Julia Fisher-Perrier, at its Aug. 6 meeting.

Council members Terrell Wilson and Paul Hogan both questioned renewing the contract for state lobbying considering Louisiana budget problems, but no consideration was given to the move. They asked the contract be separated into two contracts, one for the state and the other for federal lobbying.

The contract calls for $60,000 for state lobbying and $120,000 for a Washington presence. The firm will continue to receive $15,000 a month.

The council also approved paying Tauzin Consultants for the month of service provided since the contract expired July 31.

In other business, the council tabled Hogan’s resolution that would have compelled Gibbs, who serves as council chair, to respond to council members or step down as chair.

Clulee, seconded by Benedetto, motioned it be tabled indefinitely.

Gibbs read the measure aloud at the meeting that states should he choose or be unable to communicate with any council members “due to personal issues, personal feelings or whatever the case may be, that he step down from serving as Council Chairman due to the fact that his lack of or unwillingness to communicate as Council Chairman is detrimental to the Council as a whole and ultimately to the residents of St. Charles Parish, which the council represents.”

Hogan did not comment at the meeting, but later said he intended to speak but was prevented from doing so by Clulee’s quick move to postpone the resolution indefinitely.

He also said he introduced the measure over concerns about the Sunset Drainage District levees and maintained meetings were not being held to discuss them being settled and reduced the level of flood protection to the district.