Employee questions EPPJ’s hiring of one

By: MICHAEL BORDELON

News Editor

The Evangeline Parish Police Jury hired an employee for the Crooked Creek Recreational Park amid some protests during its meeting Monday, June 2.

Jurors approved hiring Rachel Carter to manage the park’s front office. However, employee Elma Fruge asked jurors why she was never offered the position and why no one else was offered the position.

Public Works Superintendent Chester Granger told Fruge she was not offered the job because all Crooked Creek employees are on probationary status. On top of that, Granger said he was informed Fruge would be leaving the park in the near future.

Fruge said she did not believe her trying to leave had anything to do with it, as she claimed talk of hiring someone outside was already underway before she attempted to find another job. However, she said finding another job has proved difficult as her current probationary status has cost her two jobs thus far. She said employers are wary of her because of the probationary status, but she said she has done nothing wrong.

Juror Lamar Johnson said he was informed that Carter, the new hire, was very qualified and would have the skills necessary to work the new computer system the park will receive. Jurors agreed and approved the hiring of Carter.

In other business, the jury:

•Heard from Parish Inspector Barney Deshotel, who requested he be named parish building official. Deshotel asked for a salary of $1,700 per month and proposed lowering inspection cost by 45 percent. In Deshotel’s proposal he stated the current cost of inspecting a home, $1,040, would be reduced by 45 percent, making it $572. When the parish collects these fees, Deshotel suggested the parish receive approximately 18 percent ($104) and he would receive the rest ($468). Jury President Bob Manuel said the proposal would not work because the parish carries all the overhead and would receive only $104 per inspection. The jury agreed to review the matter and will discuss it further at its meeting Monday, June 9.

•Approved supplementary pay of $320 per month for District Four workers Granger, Nolan Soileau, J.D. Crawford and Neil King retroactive to March 1. These men will receive this pay for the next three years. Funds come from Ward Four bond monies set aside for that purpose.

•Agreed to advertise for bids for three tandem dump trucks.

•Authorized Granger to hire one employee to help with security on Friday and Saturday at Crooked Creek Recreational Park.

•Approved a $30 per month cell phone allowance for James Fontenot Jr., who will eventually take the place of Sewer Manager Hurley Mose.