by Timothy Achan Gates, Covington Weekly Correspondent
Two years ago, Covington Weekly launched an Economic Development Series with the purpose of understanding how a seemingly quasi-public agency (The St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation) can operate among regional organizations without public scrutiny. The Parish Legal Department has since inserted a disclaimer on EDF financial statements that the presentation of information is “not an admission of a quasi-public agency,” although the STEDF appears to fall within the Louisiana State Legislative regulations for that designation (RS 24:513).
That regional business organizations have more influence than the public raises questions of proper representation with regard to the use of public money. The continuous reiteration that regional organizations have no greater influence on an organizational level than the areas of development that they actually influence appears to be representative only of standard political manipulation. The morning that the first article appeared, the Covington Weekly website received thousands of spam comments and the St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce called to correct erroneous information.
Admittedly, mistakes present in the piece were a result of confusion over the array of organizations in existence related to St. Tammany economic development that have overlapping membership. There was exception taken to the use of the word “above,” thought to indicate a “hierarchy” of organizations, as described in a printed response by Don Shea, St. Tammany Parish Economic Development Director, who, after insulting the public, is no longer under the employ of the Parish Government.
No answer was offered as to why the Parish Government responded on behalf of private individuals initiating contact through a private business organization, or how regional organizations that influence specific areas of development are actually lateral organizations, when the public has no access to them. The conclusions of this writer are that the Northshore Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce hold a disconcertingly greater degree of influence among the Parish Government than the public, and GNO, Inc. already decided on the direction of St. Tammany’s economic development four years ago.
Full Public Disclosure of EDF activities? Fuhgeddaboudit. The Parish is now facing a legislative debate with the D.A.’s office regarding legal representation, a subject that directly relates to the Parish’s Home Rule Charter, a very controversial document of late. View the St. Tammany Home Rule Charter at stpgov.org.
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