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Recreation committee approves IGA with Gonzales after city representatives urge cooperation
Summary
Ascension Parish Recreation Committee approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Gonzales to allow parish use of city-owned baseball and softball fields after city representatives urged the parish to finalize terms. The vote passed by voice with no objections.
The Ascension Parish Recreation Committee on Jan. 15 approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Gonzales to allow the parish to use city-owned baseball and softball fields for parish programming, following public comments from city representatives urging the parish to move forward.
The agreement, placed on the committee agenda as item 5, drew public comment from city representatives who said negotiations have been ongoing since a parish approval last September and that only a small number of Gonzales council members oppose the deal. "We're here in, speaking favor of the IGA agreement," one city representative said during public comment, and a commenter said Mayor Riley would put the matter back on the Gonzales council agenda on Jan. 26 if a council member changed a 'no' to a 'yes.'
The committee recorded a motion to approve the IGA, which was seconded and brought to a voice vote. Chair (unidentified) asked for objections; hearing none, the chair said, "No objection. It passes," and the agreement was approved. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; the action was carried by voice vote with no objections noted.
Supporters told the committee the agreement would expand recreational access for children and youth and had been the product of months of negotiation involving parish staff and Gonzales city representatives. A public commenter said the parish had already worked with AP Baseball and other local partners during negotiations.
What happens next: Gonzales city officials indicated the matter could return to the Gonzales city council agenda on Jan. 26 if any council member changes a prior vote, according to public comment made during the meeting. The parish committee took formal action and approved the agreement; any city-side approvals would be handled by the City of Gonzales.
Notes on attribution and scope: Quotes and attributions in this article come from speakers recorded in the meeting transcript. Where the transcript reported an explanation of next steps given on behalf of Mayor Riley, the committee was reporting that statement rather than the mayor speaking directly.
