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Former Jefferson Parish president urges communication, trust and 'right-sizing' as St. Tammany reviews charter
Summary
Former Jefferson Parish President Tim Coulon told the committee that successful local government depends on communication, trust, responsiveness and that rapidly growing parishes should consider altering council size, staffing and administrative arrangements.
Tim Coulon, former Jefferson Parish president, told the St. Tammany Parish Charter Review Committee that effective local government rests on communication, trust and responsiveness and urged the committee to weigh “right-sizing” the council as the parish grows.
Coulon drew on three decades in parish administration and elected service to recommend practices for parishes of varying size: he said regular, structured communication between the council and the parish executive is essential, that constituents must have confidence in elected officials, and that operational responsiveness to routine service requests builds trust.
Coulon described Jefferson Parish’s evolving council structure and staffing as a case study. He recounted transitions Jefferson made over time—from a 7-member governing form to district-plus-at-large configurations—and described how the parish provides staff and research support for full-time council members. He said at-large members in Jefferson are supported by offices on both sides of the river and larger staffs, and that district members typically have a four-person staff plus access to a council research office.
On council size and workload, Coulon said there is no one-size-fits-all answer: “It depends upon the needs of the parish,” but he warned that very large bodies can be “cumbersome” and make consistent, advance communication among members harder. He suggested that parishes experiencing rapid growth should consider whether part-time elected roles and a 14-member body remain appropriate as demands on government expand.
Coulon also discussed audit and oversight options. He described Jefferson’s internal-auditor approach and said a forensic accountant can perform deep financial reviews; he contrasted that with inspector general structures and noted the different powers they have. He said Jefferson’s inspector general is funded through a dedicated rededication of a road-lighting millage in his example and called forensic audits and internal auditors useful tools. “A forensic auditor would be much cheaper than a staff of an Inspector General,” he said, while adding that the two approaches can overlap and that an inspector general can provide broader investigative and preventive functions.
Committee members pressed Coulon on operational details—staff sizes, compensation approaches for full-time council members, how districts are drawn and how Jefferson handled coastal communities and consolidated services. Coulon recommended pursuing consolidation where it improves efficiency over time and said consolidation of services, revenue strategies and a strong capital program supported Jefferson’s ability to fund infrastructure projects.
Coulon closed by stressing that the committee must sell any recommended changes to the public and the council: “What comes out of this is very important,” he said, and encouraged committee members to seek early public engagement as draft proposals take shape.
