<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0hz5Hm_0vkqtHzw00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0hz5Hm_0vkqtHzw00" width="1763" height="1175" ><figcaption>After entering a compromise agreement with the property owners at 1100 Rue Chalet, the City of Hammond paid to tear up a new driveway that the owner poured. Photo by Richard Meek/AN17.com</figcaption></figure>A three-hour meeting Tuesday night offered further evidence of a growing fissure among city council members and included several tense moments that saw one council member asking another to leave the meeting.Among the hot topics showcasing the divide among council members: continued talk of an investigation into the Hammond Building Department, which is likely be launched in the coming weeks, according to Councilman Sam DiVittorio, who is spearheading the effort.The meeting also navigated its way through several additional hot-button topics that included requiring the administration to provide quarterly financial reports to council members, discussion of how a new requirement by the United States Postal Service is affecting one Hammond neighborhood and the successful blockage of the Northshore Regional Airport implementing new fees, which was led by a local businessman who commandeered the meeting for close to an hour.DiVittorio, who called for the investigation into the planning department after what many believe was a mishandling of a zoning issue in the Villa West subdivision, said he is finalizing details of the probe and additional time was needed.The issue centers around a recent attempt by property owner Joe Piediscalzo, who is a Hammond business owner and St. Tammany Parish resident, to turn his house at 1100 Rue Chalet Dr. into what residents believe would have been a duplex, which is prohibited by zoning. Neighbors and city officials were first alerted to the potential violation this past summer when the property owner poured a concrete slab in front of the house and added a new fence in the backyard.As had been previously reported, one neighbor said she went into the house and saw a second kitchen had been added and what was previously a doorway boarded up, evidence of what could potentially be a duplex.After several weeks of contentious discussions, Piediscalzo, according to city officials, agreed not to build the duplex, and in a compromise, the city agreed to pick up the tab for tearing up the new driveway.On Tuesday night, the question was raised if a city employee had been allowed access inside of the residence to investigate if the work the owner promised had been completed.“Absolutely not,” Hammond Mayor Pete Panepinto said.But city attorney Andre Coudrain said he was told by a “reliable source” the work had been completed, but when pressed said he did not wish to reveal the identity of that source.“This is not going to go away,” said a resident who had previously agreed to sign an affidavit stating she had been inside the house and saw evidence of a duplex under construction.“I did not sign an affidavit because we trust (the unnamed source),” she said.Councilman Devon Wells then took the first of what would be at least two verbal shots at Coudrain, the longtime city attorney, saying “it is bad when we can’t trust you no more.”There was bit of confusion when Panepinto said he “can only (do) what I can legally do” and added “as of right now, the only way we can get into that house is for (the resident) to sign the affidavit.”But Coudrain explained conditions have changed and added he will ask a building official to access the house and conduct a thorough investigation, including documenting what is found, as well as taking photographs.“The mayor is testifying to what he knows and I am testifying to what I know,” Coudrain said. ”It may be different things.”“We don’t speak all of the time. When we need to speak, we speak, but we did not speak directly about who went into the house,” he added, when questioned by a member of the audience.DiVittorio requested the inspection be completed soon and the results presented at the council’s Oct. 8 meeting.The introduction of an ordinance requiring the administration provide council members quarterly financial reports sparked another heated discussion.Council President Kip Andrews, who the originator of the ordinance, said the reports would allow council members to be “good stewards.”“I feel like this is just a waste of time and people’s efforts,” Councilman Steve Leon countered, noting that all financial records are public and can be obtained through a public records request.“To me, this is just another way of micromanaging the administration,” he said.“My God, I ain’t heard something so dumb in my life,” Wells said, admonishing his fellow councilman.“We the city council,” Wells said. “If we don’t how much money the city have, we are just fools up here.“Yeah, the mayor watch the money; it’s our job to control the money.”The issue was apparently borne out of a recent meeting when Panepinto did not know the exact balance in the city’s general fund, which is essentially the checkbook for any governmental entity.Leon conceded he is agreeable if the intent is to track capital outlay or be presented quarterly reports on capital outlay, but he questioned the logic of receiving a quarterly report on every expenditure and every revenue (source) that comes into the city.“We have access to that anytime we want it,” he informed Wells. “If you want to learn more about the budget, if you want to manage it more, it is at your fingertips.”The council had previously adopted a resolution for those reports to be presented, but it has not gained traction because of the complexity and lack of appropriate software to produce those reports.Councilwoman Carlee Gonzales recommended collaborating with the administration to determine if there is an efficient process in place to produce such reports.Andrews said he would meet with City Administrator Charles Borchers, IV, to work out the kinks.The introduction of the ordinance passed 4-1, with Leon the lone dissenter.Council members also approved a resolution directed to the Postal Service objecting to the agency’s surprising mandate for some Hammond residents to erect mailboxes at the end of their driveways, eliminating the convenience of mail being delivered to their doors. At the start of the discussion, Wells once again directed harsh words toward Coudrain, apparently unaware the city attorney had already addressed the matter.But when asked by a resident who has had to buy and erect the new mailbox about any updates, Coudrain, who did respond to Wells’ comments, explained he had been in contract with the offices of Congressman Steve Scalise and Congressman Julia Letlow, advising them of the residents’ concerns. Coudrain explained the U.S. Post Service is a federal agency governed by federal law under federal jurisdictionBoth congressional offices are cooperating, Coudrain said, adding that he suggested more residents sign forms objecting to the new requirements.“There is strength in numbers,” he said. ”It allows the (two Congress members) to go to the Postal Service on behalf of those residents.”He is awaiting a call back from each of the offices.“I would like to have answers,” a resident said, adding that some neighbors have experienced difficulties having medications delivered.For seemingly unknown reasons, during this discussion, Wells looked over at Leon and asked him to leave the meeting.“You know you can always leave; just go,” he directed Leon, who replied that he would remain.City council members also awarded a $774,900 contract to Kelly Construction Group for construction of a pavilion in downtown Hammond.(Coming next: Council members ground a proposal that would set new fees at the airport.)</div></body>

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GROWING DIVIDE: Councilman pushes forward on investigation into Hammond Planning Department

A three-hour meeting Tuesday night offered further evidence of a growing fissure among city council members and included several tense moments that saw one council member asking another to leave the meeting. Among the hot topics showcasing the divide among council members: continued talk of an investigation into the Hammond...