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JAMES
D.
"BUDDY"CALDWELLATTORNEYGENERAL
Ms.ErinKuehlSt.BernardParishLibraryBoardofControlPresident8126SaroLaneSt.Bernard,LA70085DearMs.Kuehl:
~tat£of1Gnuisiatta
DEPARTMENTOFJUSTICE
P.O.BOX94005
BATONROUGE
70804-9005
OCT15
2009
OPINION08-0057
3Appropriations8-ABondIssue-PoliticalSubdivisions33Elections-SpecialElections-TaxBonds129Taxation-Levy&Assessment(advaloremtaxes)l.a.R.S.29:721
etseq.;
La.R.8.39:704,705La.Atty.Gen.Gp.Nos.06-0160,98-287,97-434,96-494,89-369,88·
601.
81.BernardParishmayallocateParishfundsandpropertyasitdeemsnecessary,butmayonlydososubjecttoLouisianalaw,whichprovidesthattheproceedsofanyspecialtaxshallconstituteatrustfundtobeusedexclusivelyfortheobjectsandpurposesforwhichthetaxwaslevied.Absentavoter-approvedrededicationofthefundingorpropertyderivedfromthespeciallibrarytaxandbondswhichwasapprovedbythevotersin81.BernardParishonMay2,1962,81.BernardParishmustonlyusetheseassetsinamannerconsistentwiththeintentoftheapprovedpropositions.
OnbehalfoftheSt.BernardParishLibraryBoardofControl("Board"),youhaverequestedanopinionoftheAttorneyGeneralregardingSt.BernardParish's("Parish")useofaspecificlibrarybuildingaswellasthelandonwhichthebuildingislocated.Inyourrequest,youstatethat,post-Katrina,theParishconvertedtheexistinglibrarybuildingintoofficespacefortheSt.BernardDepartmentofPublicWorks.Youspecificallyaskwhethertheparishgovernmentcan"appropriatethelandandthebuildingwithoutfair-marketcompensationtothelibraryorwithoutprovidingalibrarybuildingofequalsizeandpresence."Inadditiontoyourrequest,youhaveprovidedthisofficewithminutesfromalibraryboardmeetingconductedonDecember12,1963,a1963LegislativeAuditor'sReport,a1988independentaudit,selectaccountingrecordsofSt.BernardParishfor2007,andthespecifictaxpropositionsfrom1962whichillustratethatthelandinquestionwas,infact,purchasedwithdedicatedlibrarytaxrevenues.Youhavealsoinformedourofficethatthelibraryiscurrentlybeingoperatedoutofa"trailer,"theSt.BernardParishDepartmentofPublicWorksstilloccupiestheformerlibrary,andthattheparishappearstohavenointentionsofreturningthelibrarylandandbuildingtolibrarypurposes.Infurthersupportofthis,youreferencethe2007closingjournalentriesfortheParishwhichactuallyremovethelibrarylandandbuildingaslibraryassets.YouhavealsoprovidedthisofficewithSt.BernardParishCouncilResolution#66-07-07("Resolution"),enactedinJuly2007,whichprovided,intheaftermathofHurricaneKatrina,thattheSt.BernardParishLibrary("Library")wasrelocatedtoaninterimlocationpursuanttoagenerousofferofassistancebytheGatesFoundation.TheResolutionfurtherstatedthattheinterimassistancewouldbeprovidedtothelibraryinsustaininglimitedlibrary
OPINION08-0057Ms.ErinKuehl-S1.BernardParishLibraryBoardPage2servicesoverthenextthreeyears;andthenthelibrarywouldbesupportedbytheS1.BernardParishCouncilforanytimebeyondtheperiodthattheGatesFoundationdoesnotprovidesuchsupport.Infirstconsideringthecircumstancesofthisrelocation,itisnecessarytoconsidertheemergencyauthoritythattheParishholdsinasituationsuchastheoneitfacedintheaftermathofHurricaneKatrina.ThisinformationisthekeytounderstandingwhattheParishcandowithlibrarypropertyinatimeofemergency.TheLouisianaHomelandSecurityandEmergencyAssistanceandDisaster
Act1
CAct")setsforththeapplicablelawgoverningemergencysituationsintheStateofLouisiana.La.RS.29:727(F),withinthisAct,specificallystatesasfollows:[i]nadditiontoanyotherpowersconferredupontheparishpresidentbytheconstitution,laws,orbyahomerulecharterorplanofgovernment,suchauthoritymaydoanyorallofthefollowing:(1)Suspendtheprovisionsofanyregulatoryordinanceprescribingtheproceduresforconductoflocalbusiness,ortheorders,rules,orregulationsofanylocalagency,ifstrictcompliancewiththeprovisionsofanyordinance,order,rule,orregulationwouldinanywayprevent,hinder,ordelaynecessaryactionincopingwiththeemergency.(2)Utilizeallavailableresourcesofthelocalgovernmentasreasonablynecessarytocopewiththelocaldisasteroremergency.(3)Transferthedirection,personnel,orfunctionsoflocaldepartmentsandagenciesorunitsthereofforthepurposeofperformingorfacilitatingemergencyservices.(4)Subjecttoanyapplicablerequirementsforcompensation,commandeerorutilizeanyprivatepropertyifhefindsthisnecessarytocopewiththelocaldisaster.WhiletheActallocatesthepowersabovetotheparishpresidentsofpoliticalsubdivisions,La.RS.29:727(0)specificallystatesthat"[a]1IexecutiveordersorproclamationsissuedunderthisSubsectionshallindicatethenatureoftheemergency,theareaorareaswhichareormaybeaffected,andtheconditionswhichbroughtitabout."S1.BernardParishCouncilResolution#66-07-07,anordinanceoftheS1.BernardParishCouncil,wasenactedpost-Katrina,butitdoesnotindicateanyemergencysituation,areaswhichwhereorwouldbeaffected,oreventheconditionswhichbroughtitaboutasstatedinLa.RS.29:727(0).ItisthereforetheopinionofthisofficethattheResolutionwasnotenacted
La.R.S.29:721
etseq.
2
OPINION08-0057Ms.ErinKuehl-St.BernardParishLibraryBoardPage3pursuanttotheemergencypowersallowedtoparishesundertheLouisianaHomelandSecurityandEmergencyAssistanceandDisasterActbecauseitdidnotcomplywithLa.R.S.29:727(0).ItmustalsobenotedthattheResolutionwasenactedbytheSt.BernardParishCouncilandwasnotanorderoftheparishpresident.2SincetheResolutionwasnotenactedpursuanttoanyemergencypowergrantedbytheLouisianaHomelandSecurityandEmergencyAssistanceandDisasterAct,itisnecessarytoconsiderthelocallawgoverningsuchsituations.TheHomeRuleCharterfortheParishofSt.Bernardstatesasfollows:Sec.2-14.Emergencyordinances.3(a)Tomeetapublicemergencyaffectinglife,health,property,orpublicsafety,thecouncilbythefavorablevoteofatleastamajorityofthetotalcouncilmembership,mayadoptanemergencyordinanceatthemeetingatwhichitisintroduced,providedthatnosuchordinancemaybeusedtolevytaxesorspecialassessments;grantorextendafranchise;incurdebt,exceptasprovidedinsection5-04(b);adoptoramendanofficialmap,platting,orsubdivisioncontrolsorzoningregulations;orchangerates,fees,orchargesestablishedbytheparishgovernment.Eachemergencyordinanceshallcontainaspecificstatementoftheemergencyclaimed.***(c)Emergencyordinancesshallbeeffectivefornolongerthansixty(60)calendardaysafterfinalapproval.Whiletheresolution,onitsface,appearstobeenactedpursuanttotheemergencycreatedbyHurricaneKatrina,theresolutiondoesnotsetforthanyspecificstatementoftheemergencyclaimed.Inaddition,subsection(c)ofSec.2-14oftheHomeRuleCharterexplicitlyprovidesthatemergencyordinancesshallbeeffectivefornolongerthansixty
TheLouisianaHomelandSecurityandEmergencyAssistanceandDisasterActstatesthattheemergencypowerslistedinLa.
RS.
29:727(F)are"conferredupontheParishPresident"andnotthe~overningbodyofthepoliticalsubdivision.Section5-04(b)oftheSt.BernardParishHomeRuleCharterallowstheParishtomakeemergencyappropriationstomeetapublicemergencyaffectinglife,health,property,orthepublicpeace.Whilethecouncilmaymakeemergencyappropriations,theseappropriationsshallbemadebyemergencyordinanceinaccordancewithSection2-14.
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