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Advisory committee opens education on government forms, redistricting and potential consultant support
Summary
Members debated whether to study alternate forms of government and the practical implications of changing council size, including who redraws district lines, public engagement, and whether to hire consultants for drafting and mapping.
The Home Rule Charter Advisory Committee opened a sustained discussion about whether to recommend changes to St. Tammany Parish—s form of government and how any change to council size would be implemented and paid for.
Committee members repeatedly raised redistricting as a practical hurdle if the council—s authorized membership were reduced. "Would that have to align with that census because of redistricting also or?" asked a committee member. Carrie Menard, the committee—s legal advisor, replied that an amendment need not align with the decennial census but that timing the change to redistricting could make implementation easier.
Members asked who would redraw district boundaries and whether that work requires outside mapmakers or judicial involvement; the committee directed staff to research which bodies have legal authority and the timing such a change would require. "If we shrink the council ... who would be responsible for making the reallocation of the districts and what third party government bodies, if any, have to be a part of that?" one member asked; Menard said she would research that question.
Several committee members urged an educational first step. Mary (staff) told the group she had contacted the Police Jury Association and that Debbie Hinton could present at the panel—s next meeting to overview different forms of parish government. Members also proposed inviting officials from parishes that recently revised their charters, including Jefferson Parish and the town of St. George, to describe obstacles and lessons learned.
The panel debated whether to hire outside consultants to assist with drafting, mapping and legal review. "This is going to get a little complicated. We're actually going to have to write text where we change it," one committee member said, recommending bond counsel for specialized ballot drafting. Another member urged caution on initial contracting, noting limited parish resources.
Concerns about representational equity and cost emerged repeatedly. Committee member Cheryl warned that reductions in council size could dilute rural representation and drive up per-member staffing costs. "If you downsize, you're gonna go by population. That means that the rural area is going to lose their representation," she said. Other members asked for hard financial comparisons showing the fiscal impact of fewer, possibly full-time, council members.
The committee set an educational agenda for the next meeting: an evening session with invited speakers on government forms and redistricting logistics before any substantive drafting or consultant procurement.
