Council approves insurer defense tender in suit over a child mauled by a dog after public comment urging settlement

The Parish Council approved a resolution authorizing the parish dministration to tender the defense of a lawsuit identified in the packet as Michael Rourke, et al. v. St. Tammany Parish government to the parish—i—r insurer.

Glenn Uhack, who identified himself as a parish stakeholder, urged the council to decline continued litigation and to seek a settlement, saying the plaintiff's complaint described a minor child mauled by an animal that had been rehomed from parish custody. "In short, the animal was rehomed from the St. Tammany Parish department, and there weren't dangerous-animal disclosures," Uhack said, adding he opposed continuing to fund litigation in the case.

Parish counsel Emily (name given only as Emily in the record) replied on the record that tendering the defense to the parish insurer is standard procedure and "is not settlement of the case; it is asking that the insurer for the parish take over the defense of this lawsuit," and she advised that further legal strategy would be handled in executive session if necessary.

The council then approved the resolution to tender defense to the insurer by motion and vote; the minutes record the motion passing (the clerk recorded the motion as unanimous with one absent). The resolution in the meeting packet recommended the DA ivide pproval and authorizes administration to coordinate with the insurer.

Ending: The action hands the defense over to the parish's insurer; the record shows public comment urging settlement and council acceptance of counsel's procedural explanation. The transcript does not record any agreed settlement at the meeting.