OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS

LAFOURCHE PARISH CIVIL SERVICE BOARD

NOVEMBER 20, 2024, REGULAR MEETING

The Civil Service Board of the Lafourche Parish Government met in regular session in the Civil Service Meeting Room located in the Lafourche Parish Agriculture Building, 402 West Fifth Street, Thibodaux, Louisiana, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at five-thirty (5:30) oclock p.m., pursuant to the provisions of a notice of regular session duly promulgated and posted in accordance with the law.

Mr. Adam Lefort, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm with the following:

PRESENT: Mr. Adam Lefort, Chairman

Mr. J. Walker Jones, Jr.

Mr. Benjamin Comeaux

Mrs. Sarah Daigle

ABSENT: Mr. Marcel Lovelace, Vice-Chairman

The Board recited the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mr. Adam Lefort.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The first item on the agenda was the acceptance of minutes from the September 18, 2024, meeting. A motion was offered by Mrs. Sarah Daigle, seconded by Mr. Adam Lefort and carried by a vote of (3) yeas, (0) nays, (2) absent Mr. Marcel Lovelace and Mr. J. Walker Jones, Jr., to dispense with the reading of the minutes. A motion was offered by Mrs. Sarah Daigle, seconded by Mr. Adam Lefort, and carried by a vote of (3) yeas, (0) nays, (2) absent Mr. Marcel Lovelace and Mr. J. Walker Jones, Jr., to adopt the September 18, 2024, minutes as written.

Mr. J. Walker Jones, Jr. entered the meeting at 5:32 p.m.

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION APPEAL

Item No. 2 was Docket No. PE2024-001, Rita Riviere vs Lafourche Parish Government (Human Resources Department), appealing automatic satisfactory performance evaluation score. Mrs. Riviere was unable to attend the meeting but provided documentation asking the Board to consider granting her very good rating in lieu of an automatic satisfactory rating. Mrs. Rivieres Appointing Authority, Ms. Savony Anderson, was present and asked the Board to grant the very good rating.

A motion was offered by Mr. Adam Lefort, seconded by Mr. J. Walker Jones, Jr. and carried by a vote of (4) yeas, (0) nays, (1) absent - Mr. Marcel Lovelace, to grant the appeal with a Very Good rating for Mrs. Rita Rivieres 2024 performance evaluation score.

EMPLOYEE APPEAL HEARINGS

Item No. 3 was an employee appeal hearing; Docket No. 2024-001, Tanya Lagarde vs Lafourche Parish Government (DPW), appealing termination. Mr. Lefort stated that a settlement was agreed upon and received by all parties.

A motion was made by Mr. Benjamin Comeaux, seconded by Mrs. Sarah Daigle, and carried by a vote of (4) yeas, (0) nays, (1) absent - Mr. Marcel Lovelace, to dismiss the Petition of Appeal regarding Docket No. 2024-001, Tanya Lagarde vs Lafourche Parish Government (DPW), since a settlement agreement was received.

Item No. 4 on the agenda was a discussion concerning a request for an employee appeal re-hearing regarding Docket No. 2024-002, Eric Givens vs Lafourche Parish Government (DPW), appealing suspension.

A brief discussion ensued regarding Mr. Givens request for a re-hearing. The Board agreed that with no new information or evidence provided, a re-hearing was not warranted. Mr. Eric Givens was not present at the meeting. Mr. Benjamin Comeaux explained that the procedure of a re-hearing is often times used in legal cases and you can request a re-hearing for new evidence. He further stated that an appeal is different from a re-hearing. Mr. Comeaux stated that Mr. Givens has the right to appeal the Civil Service Boards decision in District Court. He explained that on a procedural level, it would be improper to have the re-hearing granted. Mr. Adam Lefort confirmed that no new information was presented to justify a re-hearing.

A motion was made by Mr. Bejamin Comeaux, seconded by Mr. J. Walker Jones, and carried by a vote of (4) yeas, (0) nays, (1) absent - Mr. Marcel Lovelace, to deny the Petition for Re-Hearing regarding Docket No. 2024-002, Eric Givens vs Lafourche Parish Government (DPW) based strictly on procedural grounds.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Adam Lefort explained that the following four items on the agenda were changes to job descriptions. He stated that the only item being changed in the job descriptions was the FLSA status.

Item No. 5 was a discussion regarding amending the Animal Shelter Manager/Veterinarian Technician job description; motion to proceed with public hearing.

Item No. 6 was a discussion regarding amending the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Administrator job description; motion to proceed with public hearing.

Item No. 7 was a discussion regarding amending the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Administrator Option B job description; motion to proceed with public hearing.

Item No. 8 was a discussion regarding amending the Right-of-Way Coordinator 3 job description; motion to proceed with public hearing.

Ms. Savony Anderson, Human Resources Director, explained that the reason for the modifications in the job descriptions were the pending changes with the Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which was revising the salary requirements effective January 1, 2025. Ms. Anderson stated that the Animal Shelter Manager/Veterinarian Technicians FLSA status is changing from non-exempt to exempt. The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Administrator, Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Administrator Option B, and Right-of-Way Coordinator 3s FLSA statuses are changing from exempt to non-exempt. She stated that the salary requirement will be $58,656 annually. She confirmed that the Animal Shelter Manager/Veterinarian Technician was the only position out of the four that was above that salary, justifying the change to exempt status. Mr. Adam Lefort asked if the changes would affect any of the employees pay grade levels. Ms. Anderson stated that everything will remain the same, it will only change the way the employee earns comp time and overtime.

A motion was made by Mr. Adam Lefort, seconded by Mr. Benjamin Comeaux, and carried by a vote of (4) yeas, (0) nays, (1) absent - Mr. Marcel Lovelace, to proceed with public hearing for the Animal Shelter Manager/ Veterinarian Technician, Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Administrator, Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Administrator Option B, and Right-of-Way Coordinator 3 job descriptions at the January 15, 2025 Civil Service meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS

Mr. Adam Lefort asked Ms. Savony Anderson for an update on the Civil Service Manual re-write. Ms. Anderson stated that the Administration has received a revised copy of the manual. She explained that she and Ms. Jill Naquin, Civil Service Director, have been reviewing the changes. Mr. Lefort asked Ms. Anderson if the personnel committee had a chance to review the changes, Ms. Anderson stated that they did not. Mr. Adam Lefort asked that a public hearing be placed on the January agenda for the Civil Service Manual re-write. Mr. Lefort asked if a representative from Gallagher could be present at the public hearing for any questions.

The next Civil Service Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 5:30 pm in the Civil Service Meeting room at the Lafourche Parish Agriculture Building, 402 West Fifth Street, Thibodaux, LA.

With there being no other business to discuss, a motion was then offered by Mrs. Sarah Daigle, Jr., seconded by Mr. J. Walker Jones, and carried by a vote of (4) yeas, (0) nays, (1) absent - Mr. Marcel Lovelace, to adjourn the Civil Service Board meeting at 5:44 pm.

s/Adam Lefort

Adam Lefort, Chairman

Civil Service Board

Lafourche Parish Government

s/Jill Naquin

Jill Naquin, Director

Department of Civil Service

Lafourche Parish Government

I, JILL NAQUIN, Civil Service Director for the Lafourche Parish Government, do hereby certify that the foregoing November 20, 2024, minutes were transcribed to the best of my understanding and is a true copy as adopted by the assembled Civil Service Board in regular session on January 15, 2025, at which meeting a quorum was present.

GIVEN UNDER MY OFFICIAL SIGNATURE AND SEAL OF OFFICE ON THIS 16th, DAY OF JANUARY, 2025.

s/Jill Naquin

Jill Naquin, Director

Department of Civil Service Lafourche Parish Government

10992313 2/1/25 ($128.64)