Lafourche may raise parish president salary

THIBODAUX, La. (AP) - The Lafourche Parish Council will consider a proposal Tuesday that would nearly double the parish president’s salary beginning in January 2016.

Current Lafourche President Charlotte Randolph earned $70,899 in 2013. Several councilmen have said they wouldn’t consider running for the parish’s top spot because they say the pay is too low.

The Daily Comet reported (https://bit.ly/1ipC8gB) that if approved, the president’s salary would increase to about $130,000.

In 2013, Sheriff Craig Webre earned $124,000, former Assessor Mike Martin got $135,000 and Clerk of Court Vernon Rodrigue received $132,000, according to the state Ethics Commission.

Councilman Mike Delatte said Randolph’s position deserves higher compensation that the other elected officials.

“She is a part of everything that goes in the parish. We pay the light bills, repair bills or billing for the prison or something else. She touches the whole gamut, whereas they only touch their section,” Delatte said.

Councilmen Lindel Toups, Jerry Lafont and John Arnold have expressed support for the ordinance, arguing the pay does not match the amount of work.

“I wouldn’t do that job, no way,” Arnold said.

Toups agreed.

“It’s way behind everybody else in the parish. It ought to be the same as everybody else,” he said.

Lafont, who has often played been an adversary for Randolph, said the current pay under-appreciates the position.

The president’s salary can be amended by a vote of the council, but the parish’s Home Rule Charter prohibits the council from granting the raise for a sitting president.

If the council approves the ordinance, the raise wouldn’t take effect until after Randolph’s term expires on Dec. 31, 2015.

Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet has earned $75,782 a year since 2005.

In January, the Parish Council adopted an ordinance that would make the salary of the parish president equal to the average salary of the Terrebonne sheriff, assessor and clerk of court.

___

Information from: Daily Comet, https://www.dailycomet.com