An appeals court has ruled in favor of Terrebonne Parish government in its lawsuit against District Attorney Joe Waitz Jr. in connection with a state agency’s investigation of possible environmental damage caused by oil companies.
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Terrebonne Sheriff Tim Soignet has apologized for using a term at last week s Parish Council meeting that in the past was used to describe people with mental disabilities.
While addressing the council during a heated discussion about installing traffic cameras in school zones, the sheriff used the word, now widely considered derogatory, to criticize a portion of the language in the ordinance.
The council delayed the traffic-camera proposal 30 days while parish attorneys examine any legal issues associated with the program.
“We need to get something done and things need to move,” Soignet said during Wednesday night s meeting. “If it takes 30 days, I’m willing. (Parish Attorney Jules Hebert), that last statement at the bottom, they asked us to put it in. I thought it was r d, but we did it.”
A Terrebonne Parish committee voted Monday to increase the pay rate for the parish attorney, but not all council members were on board.
Meeting as the Budget and Finance Committee, the parish council voted to approve an agreement between the parish and Houma law firm Hebert & Marceaux LLC for legal work at $150 an hour.
Jules Hebert will continue serving as parish attorney and Brian Marceaux will serve as assistant parish attorney. Michelle Neil, Harley Papa, Christian St. Martin and Derick Bercegeay will work as assistant parish attorneys.
The parish previously paid $127 an hour for legal services.
Council members Danny Babin and Gerald Michel voted against the increase.