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Jefferson Parish council approves $50,000 PR contract after heated debate over firefighter pay plan
Summary
After weeks of public pushback, the Jefferson Parish Council approved a resolution with Gamble Communications to prepare an educational public-information piece about the East Bank consolidated fire pay plan, adopting an amendment to split costs across district accounts rather than charge the fire millage directly.
The Jefferson Parish Council on Nov. 5 approved a contract with Gamble Communications LLC to produce an educational public-information campaign about the East Bank consolidated fire department pay plan, following extended public comment from firefighters and residents and a contentious debate among council members.
Council members introduced the resolution (item 29) to fund an informational campaign “to fully explain the fire department's pay plan, all of its benefits, the laws that make the plan and how much money it would take to fundraise,” according to remarks from the parish president during the meeting. The contract carries a cap “not to exceed $50,000.”
Firefighters and union representatives filled the public-comment period, warning the council the contract would be used to "silence dissent" and disputing the administration's characterization of department pay. Speakers said the underlying pay study used inconsistent comparison data and accused the administration of adding jurisdictions after the study was drafted. "You rigged the pay study," one union member said during public comment; administration representatives denied that claim and said the public deserves a factual explanation before any ballot measure.
Council debate focused on the funding source. Several members said millage funds for East Bank Consolidated should not underwrite a public-relations campaign. After discussion, the council adopted an amendment specifying that the cost structure would be budget-neutral to the East Bank consolidated millage by drawing on district accounts for amounts above a $5,000 baseline and allocating remainder across district accounts 2, 3, 4 and 5 as identified in the meeting. The amended motion then passed on a roll-call vote after the change was adopted. The council clerk recorded that members spoke their votes on the record during the roll call and the motion passed.
Supporters of the resolution, including the parish president, said materials produced by the consultant will be reviewed by the parish attorney's office for accuracy before dissemination. Opponents argued the parish public-information office could handle outreach at lower cost and that spending $50,000 risked further inflaming labor tensions.
Council members signaled the campaign is intended to provide voters factual background should the millage or funding question advance to the ballot; supporters said voters should not be "kept in the dark." Opponents said they favored transparency but objected to the vehicle and the initial proposal to charge the East Bank consolidated fire millage directly.
The council approved the amended resolution and instructed staff to finalize the contract consistent with the adopted funding amendment. The administration also committed to attorney review of any materials before publication.
