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Mistake may require millage election on day after Christmas

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by Doug Mouton / Northshore Bureau Chief

Posted on November 18, 2009 at 6:40 PM

Updated Wednesday, Nov 18 at 6:47 PM

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ST. TAMMANY, La. -- A mistake in failing to put a millage measure on the ballot this year has St. Tammany officials calling for an emergency election to be held the day after Christmas to continue funding for a St. Tammany Parish fire district.

Thursday morning, the State Bond Commission must decide whether to set an emergency election. Leaders of Fire District 5 around Folsom asked for the election for their millage renewal.

The millage was approved by voters ten years ago, and is up, but the Fire District's Board of Commissioners didn't ask for the renewal to be put on a ballot, until now.

"There's no explanation other than, they screwed up, basically," said St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis.

"It's very difficult in my view, to extend the definition of emergency to a situation like this," Secretary of State Jay Dardenne told Eyewitness News Wednesday. Dardenne sits on the Bond Commission and said, he'll argue against the emergency election.

"In my view, there's just no justification for having an election at this time," Dardenne added, because he said there were four election dates this year commissioners could have used to schedule this election.

Leaders of Fire District 5 are requesting an election date of Dec. 26.

"Unfortunate, it happened," Chief David Pittman of the Fire District 5 told Eyewitness News Wednesday, "I wish I could change it, but I can't."

Chief Pittman said, if the bond commission doesn't grant the emergency election, he'll be forced to gut his department. "Unfortunately, it happened," Chief Pittman said. "If this was a perfect world, it wouldn't have happened, but we don't live in a perfect world. I would just ask that the bond commission would approve this, and we can go on."

When asked if his commissioners should have known the millage was up, Chief Pittman responded, "Yes, sir. They should have."

"It's a no win situation," Kevin Davis said, in reluctant support for the emergency election. "At the end of the day, after we vent over how did this happen, and we need to do something, you still don't have fire protection if you don't put it on the ballot. We don't like it, but I think, we don't have an option. We have to get it to the voters for them to decide the continuation of fire service in the greater Folsom area."

Secretary of State Dardenne said, approving the emergency election would set a dangerous precedent because no emergency exists. "I certainly intend to oppose it tomorrow," Dardenne added. "I can't support a special election the day after Christmas. It's not fair to the electorate, it's not fair to the people who are called upon to work."

Dardenne said, he puts the blame for this situation on the Fire District's Board of Commissioners.

The Bond Commission meets tomorrow morning at 10:00am, in the State Capitol.
 

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wholesomefolsom said on November 19, 2009 at 12:27 AM

BOO HOO!! So a couple of state and parish employees have to come in on a Saturday!! People have to work on Christmas, you know!! The whole country doesn't shut down. Sometimes you just have to work when you don't want to. So Dardenne, you're ok with putting about 5000 people's lives in danger, just so 10 or 20 can have the weekend off!! I always thought public officials were supposed to serve the public, not be against them. And again Dardenne, NO EMERGENCY, about 5000 people will lose fire protection and ems first response and you see no emergency!! What is your definition of emergency? If you and your family lived in Folsom you wouldn't see anything wrong with this!! Idiot!! With the closest city being Covington, how would you feel if your child was choking and help was minimum 15 minutes away? Because of past experiences with Chief Pittman and his men I give him 3 minutes...TOPS....and they're running through my door!! In ending, it's really not up to you!! Let me vote on this!!

hmmmmm said on November 19, 2009 at 6:21 AM

I would love to hear Mr. Dardenne's plan, maybe it's better than funding the fire dept with taxes. Surely he has one because I know he wouldn't seriously ask us to forgo adequate fire protection simply because a handful of people would have to work. I have more faith in our political leaders than that! Don't you? BTW, I would be one of those people who would have to work.....

wholesomefolsom said on November 19, 2009 at 10:04 AM

Maybe Dardenne is planning a bailout for Fire District #5! The government is bailing out everybody these days! In response, to tell you the I truth have no trust in any governmental body. If the governing body of FIre District#5 would have been paying attention in the first place, then Chief Pittman and personnel wouldnt have to be worried about their jobs. But things happen and you just have to roll with the punches. If Dardenne had an alternative plan wouldn't you have expected him to release it on the news? What a better way to get press coverage? I'm glad your involved with this operation. With minimal staffing how much staff are required to run an election? By your use of "us" I assume your a Folsom area resident as I am. Shouldn't it be our vote that decides if we get fire protection rather than a politician who doesn't even live in our area? Can we call him if our house catches on fire?