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Thursday, January 2, 1986--5th Year, Number 14 Subscrlberspayhalfprlce
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THE P ON'CHA TO-ULA TIMES so o
Good grades at P. H.S. pay off, thanks to local stores
Staff Report
It pays to make good grades at Poncha-
toula High School.
Starting with the most recently
released Ponchatoula High School
Honor Roll (published in this week's
edition of this newspaper), students
bringing home a report card with A's
and B's, or all A's. will be given a special
10 percent discount on goods and
services offered for sale in Ponc hatoula.
Those receiving alI-A report cards will
be presented with a tree subscription to
The Ponchatoula Times in addition to
their speciil Ponchatoula discount.
The "Making Good Grades Pays"
promotion is sponsored by The Poncha-
toula Times in cooperation with partici-
pating Ponchatoula merchants.
If the idea proves successful the
program will be expanded to include
other schools.
"I think it's a good idea," said P.H.S.
Principal A.J. Bodker. "Maybe more
students will try just a little harde to
make the honor roll to receive the
special discounts."
Eddie Ponds, a Ponchatoula High
School teacher and a staff reporter at
The Times covering the City Hall beat,
will be in charge of the promotion he
suggested and helped develop.
Under the program s guidelines,
those eligible for what amounts to cash
awards for good grades will be Poncha-
toula High School students whose
names appear on the official honor roll.
either the A-B honor roll or the all-A
either for themselves or as a gift.
The Ponchatoula Times will periodically
list all the merchants participating in the
program. Merchants interested in parti-
cipating should call 386-2877.
Suggested discounts for those interested
are at least 10 percent off either selected
items or, if the merchant is willing, a
storewide discount.
"When Mr. Ponds first suggested the
idea, it immediately met with the
approval of the entire Times staff."
honor roll. Students will be removed
from the discount list if they fail to stay
on the honor roll. The list will be
updated to include students as they
make the honor roll.
Students will need to show identifi-
cation when they are claiming their
discounts at local stores. Merchants will
have the honor rolls on hand to check
eligibility. Those making the alI-A honor
rolls should stop by the office of The
Ponchatoula Times, 167 East Pine. to
register for their free o_nne-v_r ul;riptLon,_. commented Bryan T. McMahon, editor
and "publisher. "This is a solid oppor-
tunity
done, and to give local scholars an
immediate sense of what it can mean to
obtain the best education possible."
Those businesses already contacted
by The Times who immediately joined
the program and are currently offering a
wide array of gifts and discounts to the
honor roll students include: The Poncha
toula Times, Hardy's Ace Hardware,
Olde Town Shoppe, Appearances, The
Rainbow Shop, Aw Shucks, Aunt
Jean's Restaurant, Craft Box and
Quave's Furniture.
Other businesses who would like to
Mayor, council fireworks expected at special meeting
for the newspaper and the participate in this worthwhile program
business community to boost Poncha- to encourage scholarship are invited to
toula education, to reward work well
PLEASE SEE PAGE FOURTEEN
By BRYAN T. McMAHON
Editor & Publisher
Mayor Charles Gideon said that at
least one city councilman is "trying to
take over the city" by pushing through a
city ordinance at a special city council
meeting called for 7 p.m. Monday,
December 28.
The ordinance in question was first
introduced by Councilman Dave
Perkins. It sharply limits the powers of
the mayor in the areas of hiring, firing,
discipline, and basic administration
and makes him answerable to the
council.
A new state law, the revision of the
old Lawrason Act governing Louisiana
municipal governments, takes affect
.New Years Day. It greatly strengthens
the powers of Louisiana mayors, makes
them the administrators of their cities,
strips administrative power from city
councils, making them solely legislative
bodies in charge of the city's purse
strings.
"We have here a city councilman
(Perkins) who is trying to take over the
city. I just wish he had the courage to
run for mayor," stormed Gideon. "This
is personal. He doesn't want me to be
t
mayor But I don't want his personal
problems to cause the city to suffer for
years to come."
Of the new state law Gideon says the
council will be asked to negate by
passing Perkins' ordinance at Monday's
special meeting, the mayor said:
"Representative Dennis Hebert voted
for it. Representative Weldon Russell
(also of Tangipahoa Parish) was co-
sponsor of the bill (to strengthen the
powers of Louisiana mayors). It passed
the legislature overwhelmingly and was
signed into law by the governor."
Of Perkins' ordinance making the
mayor answerable to the city council,
Gideon said:
"The city won't tolerate it, the law
won't tolerate it, and the legislature
won't tolerate it. if I cannot appeal to
the council add this ordinance passes
Monday night I will take this to the
highest court. If this ordinance passes,
the mayor of Ponchatoula would have
less power than at any time in Poncha-
toula's history. No mayor could live
under this.
"How can you be the administrator
without being able to hire and fire? It is
hard for me to believe these men want
Twice a victim
The innocent victim of crime,
Ponchatoula s Mike Sterling lost a
leg, lost the use of his other leg, and
had his back broken. The story of
how this paraplegic is now in danger
of losing his family home despite
efforts by Sheriff J. Edward Layrisson
and his staff to come to his aid is the
subject of a special report in the next
edition of The Ponchatoula Times.
(Times Photo)
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.: NEW YEARS EVE .. :
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. Special menu of fine food ."
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Dances and parties advertised in this issue
CREOLE at Stun Cowen's Blue Room
Dancing, BYOL, $25 per couple
at St. Jose00 Gym
Dancing, BYOL, $25 per couple
this kind of power. They want to super-
sede state law. They are basically trying
to pass a form of a home rule charter
without a vote of the people It's not just
me it will affect. It's the mayors who will
follow me. If they (the council members
in favor of Perkins' proposqd ordinance)
want it (the mayor's office and power.
they ought to run for it.
"I would like to invite everyone to
come to that meeting 7 p.m. Monday,
December 30 at City Hall to see one
councilman trying to take over the city,"
said the mayor.
Perkins stands firm against mayor
By EDDIE PONDS
Times Reporter
The boundaries of a dispute currently raging between the Ponchatoula mayor
and city council could have been staked off in a December 5 letter to Mayor
Charles Gideon from the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) informing him
of the changes in city government to be brought about under Act 890 of the 1985
legislative sesson, which goes into effect January 1, 1986.
Act 890 revised several provisions of the Lawrason Act which governs how
Louisiana municipal governments must function. The law was drastically revised
by the recent legislature to give mayors executive powers formerly shared with
city councils.
According to the LMA letter signed by James C. Percy, deputy director of LMA,
the city council is required to enact wo ordinances:
One is an ordinance establishing how notice of a special meeting of the board
will be provided to members of the board.
The other is an ordiances establishing policies and procedures regulating the
employment of municipal employees.
But the council's response came Decernber 12 in the form of an ordinance
proposed by Councilman Ddve Pe/x$:, Cdir,a,ce 366, .which the mayor says
took him by surprise.
The mayor says he disagrees with the proposed ordinance because it provides
for the city council having a say in the administrative procedures of the city,
especially the hiring and firing of city employees.
"The new (state) law makes the mayor the administrative head of the city and
the council the legislative body," Gideon said.
He also said, "The mayor would have complete authority in all personeil
matters, including hiring and firing, except where an elected official heads a
departments."
Perkins had countered this argument: "The state law allows the council to adopt
the policy and procedure for hiring and firing municipal employees."
Gideon said that when he asked Perkins if this ordinancews discussed with the
city attorney, Perkins replied, "No, I discussed it with a Baton Rouge attorney and
former-City Attorney Allen Pierson," according to Gideon.
At the recent special meeting of the council, Perkins insisted, "This ordinance
wasn't introduced with animosity toward you," speaking to the mayor.
"I'm not sure of that," Gideon said. "1 don't think you want to let me be an
administrator. I am not an administrator if you have the last word."
Gideon then challenged Perkins, "Ask our city attorney," indicating Robert
Troyer.
Troyer said, "I haven't had a chance to review this document, however I'd be
delighted to review both ordinances."
"It would seem that an employee who is fired would have a right to a hearing
before the council," said Councilman-At-Large Julian Dufreche.
"You may be right," said Troyer.
"I'm (expletive deleted) well correct," rejoined the councilman.
Acting the familiar part of peacemaker Counciman "Gramps" Fitzmorris said, "1
would like a work session for the council to iron out any wrinkles associated with
the proposed ordiance, and to the model ordinance submitted by LMA."
He also said, "I feel it was the intent of the legislature that the city council be the
legislative body, adopting policy to be carried out by the mayor."
The proposed ordinance is expected to be adopted at a special meeting 7 p.m.
Monday night, a meeting originally scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday morning, a time
when Councilman Fitzmorris had to be at work.
LIONS' PRIDE
Local historian knows city's story
By BRYAN T. McMAHON
"Curiosity leads to history, and history
raises questions that lead to philosophy,"
says local historian Milburn Fletcher.
The Thibodeaux Road native is this
week's honored senior citizen,
presented with the Lions' Pride award
by the Ponchatoula Lions Club to
recognize his contribution to our com-
munity.
A "World War I baby" born in 1919,
delivered by Dr. E.J. Kevlin, Fletcher
says, "1 had a keyhole view of the Great
Depression...As children we were
immune to such problems. But my
father's brow remained furrowed for
several years."
Fletcher was raised a mile and a half
from his current North Thibodeaux
Road residence, the third generation on
that land. His father was both a farmer
and a leader of farmers on the state and
local levels, serving as president of
Ponchatoula Farm Bureau, head of the
state cooperative, chairman o the state
Strawberry Marketing Commission,
among several important posts.
But though the Fletchers had been
rooted in the rich soil east of Poncha-
toula since before the Civil War,
Fletcher's father had a love of history
that expanded his knowledge of the
world and prompted him to make a
present of H.G. Wells' famous world
history to his son at an early age.
In those days of his youth Milburn
Honoree
Fletcher reports there was no Thibodeaux
Road as we kn it today, "just a
meandering woods bail which kept to
the high spots along the river and went
all the way to Amite following the river.
The modern road was built on a section
line west of the rivet," he said.
And who would dispute him? History
PLEASE SEE PAGE FOURTEEN
!
MY PONCHATOULA
By OLE HARDHIDE
The Alligator
Ah, the start of a new year. Can you just imagine what it will bring? .
My Ponchatoula can count on just one sure thing, 12 months, 52 weeks,
360 days of endless surprises (Look over your shoulder at old '85 if you
doubt your gator's word).
First we'll have the Ponchatoula winter, a time when the gator pond gets
downright icey and City Hall heats to the point where the berry on the roof
wants to turn to jelly (! predict the longest mayor's campaign in city history
will continue on through 1986).
By Spring Ponchatoula should have enough cable strung from every
conceivable utility pole to make the city look like a giant Gulliver tied down
by the Lilliputians. By year's end how many vidiots will we have here? How
many will turn away from their last Star Trek rerun, find the Off button on
their vidiot box, and actually launch an expedition to discover the Poncha-
toula Branch Library?
How many Christmas Transformers, Optimus Primes, and Voltrons will
still have all their parts? How many Christmas ring recipients will be gracing
the center isles of my city's churches heading for the altar and marriage? My
the wedding bells of My Ponchatoula set up a clamor to deafen New
Orleans and Baton Rouge both (all these single people walking the streets
make me downright nervous).
Summer will come in sizzling hot, but not for the gentility of the balcony
being built above my cramped pond (I've got a feeling we'll soon see why
John and his bride called their pub Atop The Gator once the big project gets
started). I wonder if ! could arrange for a slide built from the balcony into my
pond where troublesome patrons could be launched into a whole new life-
style - as dinner items on my menu. (Don't go starting a Red Headed
League Pevey-style until the last nail is pounded, John!)
Autumn will dawn without Henry Powell on the gridiron, but with a
seasoned senior bending over the backsides of the center. Rah, Rah, Sis
Boom Bah!
And before you know it here we will be back again at the end of another
year. Will your gator be filling you in by then on the naked truth as it is, was,.
and will always be, from some swank penthouse suite with hot and cold
running pond water, a little swamp foliage and a place to duck in out of the
weather and enjoy m y ducks
The last i heard my simple zoo cage that was almost about to be built a
year ago was back on the drawing boards and some inspired soul was trying
to fit a fountain into the plan. Hoo Boy!
One thing for sure, one year from now your whole human race will be on
tiny notch advanced on old Mr. Darwin's evolutionary plan, which is good
news because it will mean you're that much closer to blossuming from your
current tadpole condition Into full-fledged reptiles, it may take a few
centuries, but one day you will all have strong tails to help you swim
through the swamps, you'll all live in enery efficient homes like the gator
dens of all my relatives, your skin will toughen up and develop into beauti-
ful supple green leather capable of warding off all kinds of bad weather,
! you'll grow full jaws of razor sharp teeth that will never need to see the drill
bit of a Mike Haight or a Melvin Allen, you'll be great sportsmen and 1
predict the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited will greatly expand its member-
ship when you finally blossum into full-fledged alligators. So take heart,
you're one more year closer to full development.
1'!1 tell you who's almost there already, the great kids in the Burdett
family. They'd make any gator proud!
They won the giant Christmas stocking being raffled off by One Stop
Floor Covering, a totally unexpected windfall of fancy toys, skates, stuffed
animals, you name it (everything but fresh chickens for Christmas snacking),
it was every kids dream.
But the Burdett kids figured they'ld have trouble dreaming about sugar
plums and such knowing that there were kids in My Ponchatoula who
would wake up to nothing more than a cold floor Christmas morning. So
they set out with Gina their great mum to find the children of the poor in
Ponchatoula so they could give all their toys away. Every time you get
disappointed .with someone in My Ponchatoula, just think of those Burdett
kids and it will stop you from diving under the pond water.
Will sorfleone please tell me what Mrs. Baseball was doing climbing up
into the cab of that 18 wheeler. Was she bringing baseballs north, or
heading for spring training in Florida a few months early? (You can touch all
the bases you want, Miss Margie, just don t forget to sl.__.ide home).
.. PLEASE pAGE FOUR
