“So we have been looking at this for a while, and we plan to move forward, of course,” Goldsmith said.
He said that on the advice of the parish’s attorney he couldn’t provide more details about the contract.
Orgeron faulted the administration for not disclosing the investigation sooner, arguing it is part of a pattern of a lack of transparency.
Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Dupaty said he has been tasked to investigate the contract and has advised parish officials not to comment publicly on the matter until the investigation is complete.
Once done, he and other officials will make a presentation to the council.
“If there is going to be some (criminal) charges or anything going forward, we’ll do it in (a closed-door) executive session. If it’s something we don’t feel that that’s going to go that way, we’ll discuss it in public,” Dupaty said.
Dupaty is one of the parish’s civil legal advisors but is separately a career criminal prosecutor for 23rd Judicial District Attorney Ricky Babin.
Under parish rules, the contract did not appear before the Parish Council for approval in advance as other larger contracts do because it falls under a longstanding $50,000 minimum threshold.
Under that cutoff, the parish president retains the sole power to issue contracts, though these smaller contracts are later listed in a monthly report to the council.
Cointment, who wasn’t present for the council meeting Thursday due to a family matter, signed the Insulation Sales and Service contract on Jan. 19 after the parish received a price quote eight days earlier.
Under state law, the contract, which was for professional services, was not required to be put out for public bid as public works contracts are.
Goldsmith said that under parish rules, contracts worth less than $100,000 need one quote while those above that figure need three, though often more are obtained.
It’s not clear if the hydrant job garnered other quotes besides the one from Insulation Sales and Service. Goldsmith wouldn’t offer details.
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