Mandeville City Councilman David Ellis (R-Dist. 1) is asking his constituents to sound off on preferred projects to be included in the budget for the coming fiscal year.
At its last meeting, the City Council worked with Mayor Donald Villere to begin the budgeting process slightly earlier than in previous years. The somewhat accelerated timeline, designed to give more time for Council review and citizen input, has the Administration meeting with Council members soon to discuss budget priorities and requests.
“Although I have my own ideas about priorities for City …

Mandeville City Councilman David Ellis (District I) said he agreed tonight to cover 100 percent of employee healthcare costs, but cautioned municipal workers to be prepared for increased insurance premium costs in coming years.
At tonight’s Council meeting, Ellis joined the other four members in asking the administration to cover a $44,000 increase in health insurance costs by utilizing funds made available by a decrease in Worker’s Comp premiums. But Ellis said the practice is unsustainable in the long term, and is also a risky proposition even now.
“As it …

The likelihood of Mandeville City employees having to pay increased costs for health insurance was averted tonight after the City Council asked Mayor Donald Villere to maintain benefits without raising costs.
A pending proposal presented to the Council at the Jan. 10 meeting would’ve increased employee costs by $11 per paycheck and dependent coverage by as much as $46 per month. City employees are paid twice monthly, and the City pays the entire cost of health insurance for its workers.
The shortfall in the budget for employee benefits would’ve been approximately …

Mandeville City Councilman At-Large Rick Danielson has taken initial steps to launch a comprehensive program to improve transportation infrastructure around the City, utilizing existing funds and in cooperation with Parish Government.
Danielson’s proposal, called SCIP – the Safety and Capacity Improvement Program – will appear as a discussion item on the Jan. 10 City Council agenda. The councilman met with Parish President Pat Brister and Mayor Donald Villere on Thursday to discuss the undertaking.
In 1990, the City and Parish entered into an intergovernmental agreement titled the “Sales Tax Enhancement Plan” …

By Heather Nolan, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on December 13, 2012 at 3:06 PM, updated December 13, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Judge William J. “Will” Crain, who has served as a district judge in the 22nd Judicial Court for St. Tammany and Washington parishes for the last four years, will be sworn in Friday as a judge on the state’s 1st Circuit Court of Appeal in Baton Rouge. The swearing-in ceremony, which is open to the public, will begin at 10 a.m. in the misdemeanor courtroom on the first floor of …