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Parish adds three staffing agencies to fill vacancies after lengthy committee debate over caps and fairness
Summary
Terrebonne Parish authorized contracts with Helix Resources, Elite Workforce and Steadfast Employment to supplement temporary staffing alongside existing vendor Lofton after committee debate over limits, morale, and procurement process.
The Budget & Finance Committee voted to authorize the parish president to execute staffing agreements with Helix Resources LLC, Elite Workforce LLC and Steadfast Employment LLC to provide temporary employees for vacant parish positions.
Councilwoman Kim Chauvin moved the item; it was seconded and after extended discussion the committee approved the measure by a 6-1 vote (motion carried). The vote authorizes adding three vendors in addition to the parish’s existing contractor, Lofton.
Why it matters: Council members and county staff described roughly 20–39 vacancies across parish departments that have remained open for months; staff said temporary staffing firms can help fill positions such as CDL drivers and other hard-to-fill roles to avoid service reductions.
Ryan Page, risk management and human resources director, said the parish will continue to use Lofton and will add the three firms to its roster. “We will continue using Lofton in there. This will be to add the additional 3,” Page said. Page also said staffing firms will be held to consistent insurance and rate requirements during contract development with legal staff.
Several council members pressed staff on limits and process. Councilman Clayton Bozeman (paraphrasing concerns raised during the meeting) asked whether a numerical cap should be set to limit the number of temporary workers the parish could bring in. Ryan Page and other staff said available positions are limited by the parish’s budget and by the live vacancy board: the agencies will be directed to the parish job board and will work with HR to submit qualified candidates for review.
Council members also expressed concern about morale if the arrangement were perceived as unlimited. Councilman Ron Wazan said he would not support the item without a cap and some “guaranteed fairness” in how agencies are used; other members said the immediate staffing shortfall — in some departments described as having crews down to “bare bones” — created urgency.
Staff described the intended workflow: parish HR will continue conventional recruitment first; after a defined posting period, if positions remain unfilled HR will solicit candidates from the contracted staffing firms and evaluate resumes through the same screening used for direct hires. Page said successful temporary hires will have a path to permanent employment under the contract, consistent with the Lofton agreement.
The committee approved the authorization with a 6-1 vote; the item’s mover and sponsor said further procedural details and rate schedules will be provided to legal for contract drafting.
