EfforttorecallSt. Tammanycoroner fallsshort
”I’mcertainlyglad
BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer
With just days remaining until the deadline to collect morethan 35,000 signatures on thepetition to recall St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christopher Tape, theorganizersofthe effort made adifficult concession: The recall failed Organizers said theycollected around 26,000signatures, which put them about 9,000 short of the number they would need to get a recall on the ballot. They had until Oct. 15 to turn the signatures over to the Secretary of State’soffice for verification, and they acknowledged severaldays prior that they fell short of the needed number “We’re disappointed,” said Jean Cefalu, one of the effort’sleaders, but added that she was proudthey were able to collect as many signatures as they did.
Now,Tape is free of the effort to remove him from office.
“I’m certainly glad it’sover,”
Tape said. “But Ihave never allowed it to be adistraction from doingthe goodworkofthisoffice
MARSHAL
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We will continue to prioritize serving the families of ourparish and spending taxpayer money wisely andtransparently.”
‘I’mnot resigning’
Tape was elected last year after running for the position unopposed after the previous coroner, Charles Preston,chose not to seek reelection. Before Tape took office, achorus of elected officials were alreadycallingfor his resignation after media reports revealed he facedsexual assault charges in 2002 in New Mexico, which were ultimately dropped.Tapehas maintained his innocence.
In his first public appearance after takingoffice,Tapeopenedhis comments by saying, “I’m here to tell youI’m not resigning.” He then claimed that his life had been threatened, and that his office had called in the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office’sbomb squad to thecoroner’soffice overnight. The Sheriff’s Office determined that there was no threat.
His first official action as coroner wastodisband aprogram thatdispatched specially-trained nurses to providehealth care and assist with evidence collection for survivorsofsexual assaultin afive-parish region. Lawmakers were shocked by the move. That program is now runout of the Jefferson Parish Coroner’sOffice.
But after nearly threehours, the council voted 3-2 against approving the resolution to fireBonnet.Members StephenSaussy,E.J. Boudreaux and Contois voted against, and Pat Patterson and Eric Templet voted for.
Although Curtis has hiring and firingauthority,heneeds council approvalto terminateBonnet. The resolution cited instances of alleged insubordination, including Bonnet’s refusaltomove his desk from Town Hall to the annex building and threatening toarrest anyone who attempted to doso. He was also accused of failing to report damage to his police car and taking asafe used to secure evidence to his house, among other issues. But themeat of theadministration’sargument for dismissal dealt with how Bonnet handledthe criminal background checkfor anewly hired deputy.Thatdeputy, whowas not named during the meeting, had aprevious arrest for impersonatinga police officer that came to light during acriminal background checkthat is required by law,saidattorney Eric Hessler,who represented Bonnet.
The arrest was not prosecuted, and State Police said that it would notbar the town from hiring him, accordingtothe administration But Bonnet continued what attorney Andrew Capitelli of Milling Benson described as an unauthorizedand flawedinvestigation.He also put the deputy on desk duty and refused to continue his training, theattorney said Bonnet sent letters to otheragencies asking them to take action against the deputy,including aletter to the town’sinsurerthatCapitelli said jeopardized the town’scoverage. That resulted in the town relieving all officers from duty until they underwent mental health evaluations, according to theresolution
“He did everything but talk to the mayor and when he did. he refused aclear directive,” Capitelli said. “What will rein himin? A massive lawsuitagainst thetown?”
But Hessler argued that Bonnetwas doing his job in pursuing the investigation and ensuring the safetyofthe public. He pointed to a2006 cash for police commissions corruption scandal that had rocked the town, saying that impersonating an officerisaneven more serious matter for Abita Springs becauseofthat history.Hesaid Bonnet uncovered redflags
“Maybe it’sOKtohirehim, but thatdoesn’t meanthey should,” Hessler said.
The council was divided on how to handle what they agreed has been acontentioussituation. Templetsaid that hehas triedeverything to bring the two together and succeeded for atime. “But it’sreally clear now thatthe wheels have fallen off,” he said. “Wecan’tsaddle the mayor with that kindof relationship.” Contois said that she thought firing Bonnet was premature and thatthe councilshouldbe wary of taking adrastic actionthat could lead to another lawsuit for thetown Publiccomment wasalsosplit, with some speakers saying that Bonnet was being blamed for doing his job and others criticizing what they saw as insubordination.
Byron Armand, who defended the marshal, said if the mayor and police chief can’tget along, it might be time for the town to return to having an elected police chief. Thatsentiment was echoed by several speakers, including former Mayor Greg Lemons who suggestedareturntorelying on the Sheriff’s Office to provide protection in the town or reverting to an elected chief.
the election qualifying periods.
“Our community thrivesonthe strength of its leaders, and it’scrucial that ‘we the people’ have the power to choose who represents us,” she said.
More than 35,000 signatures
The recall effort officially kicked off in April. Since then, the organizers have been tabling at public events, enlisting local businesses to help collect signatures, and crisscrossing the parish informing neighbors of the recall effort.
But recalling Tape was always goingtobedifficult.Theyneeded 35,057 verified signatures from registeredvoters (or 20% of the electorate). They had six months to collect them.
“The threshold to place arecall on the ballot is unreasonably high and needs to be addressed,” said state Rep. Stephanie Berault,RSlidell, adding that she has “tremendous respect” for the recall’s organizers.
In order to succeed, St. Tammany’srecallorganizers would have hadtocollect nearly 200 signatures every day for 180 days to meet their deadline. They were not able to do so.
“It’spart of adisturbing overall environment, the lack of response we have to concerns involving sexual assault victims,” said state Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, one of the recall effort’ssupporters. “I hope we see aresolve by this coronertoshowthatthe concernswe had were justified. Ihope he takes that very seriously.”
What’s next
Tape has said thatthe program was not economical for St. Tammany Parish to run.
“I’m abusinessman,” he said, andthe program was“nota moneymaker.”
Another of the recall organizers, Noble-Bates Young, alegislative assistanttostate Sen. PatrickMcMath, R-Covington, urged the community to be more vigilant during
In the New Orleans metro area, no recent recall efforts have succeeded in removing an elected official from office. An effort last year to recall New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell failed after organizers fell about 18,000 signatures short. Among the signatures they did turn in were those of cartoon characters,including Shrek, MickeyMouse and Donald Duck.
Young said the recall organizers would not turn signatures in to the Secretary of State’soffice, since they know they’re short. “We’re goingtohang on to them,”she said, in case anyone else chooses to attempt to recall the coroner again. In that event, the signatures would have to be collected again —the same ones could not be used in asecondrecall effort—but it would give organizers alist of voters sympathetic to the effort.
Young said she hoped that the recall sent Tape amessage.
“I hope he has an excellent next threeyears andprovesusall wrong,” she said. “But with the number of signatures we have, I don’tthink asecond term is an option.”
“This is acommunity wherepeople loveart, and it’saprivilege to be an artist here.”
PHIL GALATAS, President’s Arts Awards honoree
ARTIST
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Galatas grew up on Bayou Liberty and found inspiration for his artwork early on among the marsh, woods and wildlife of the area.
He began sculpting the native birds he observed there after studying art at DelgadoCollege, and the success of that endeavor spurred him to continue his career as an artist. Using the medium of Tupelo gum or cedar,hecreated carvings of wood ducks and birds of prey that became the focus of collectors worldwide.
His work made its way to prestigious exhibitions including in New Orleans, Dallas, New York and Japan, with permanent collections in museums worldwide, including the New Orleans Historic Collection, Louisiana MuseumofArt, Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Maryland, and the Phillips Petroleum Museum of Oklahoma. His art has also been featured in exhibits at the National Geographic Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the Easton Waterfowl Festival in Maryland.
Hisbird sculptures are now reproduced as part of anational artwork company
In addition to worldwide recognition, Galatas made aname for himself in St. Tammany through regular donations of his work to nonprofits for sale as fundraisers.
He also supports public arts projects, including the lobby of the Slidell Technologyand Cultural Arts Center or the mural at Slidell Memorial Hospital.
Hisdedication to the community earned him the 2019 Bravo Standing Ovation Arts Award for overall community contributions through the arts.
While living in Nebraska, Galatas said, he had the inspiration for adifferent kind of sculpture, one that captivated New Orleanians. “I had avision of an eggplant on aplain, white base turned into alamp,” he said. “I just thought it would be fun and Iknew Ihad to bring back to Louisiana.”
He returned home and created a series of colorful vegetable-themed lamps —from eggplant and tomato to squash and potato. But in 2005 Hurricane Katrina pulled his attention to painting, and he abandoned the lamps for about 10 years. In 2015 and 2016, the vegetable
lamps returned and made asplash at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. “They were colorful and unique. Nobody else in the world was doing anything like them,” he said.
While Galatas saidhehasn’tcreated the lamps in about sevenyears, he has recently consideredreviving them. “I was sketching forthe Slidell Memorial new edition and it reminded me of all the sketching Idid for the lamps. Imightbeready forthem again, especially since Idon’t have one myself.”
Galatas said he’salso considering acoffee-table book detailing the inspiration for his work basedon his childhood on the bayouand an interactive art class thatbegins with atour of the bayou before apainting demonstration. He saidwhile the culture and
beauty of the Louisiana landscape
first inspired him as an artist, it’s the people of St. Tammany who have kept him passionate about his work. “This is acommunity where people love art, andit’sa privilege to be an artist here.
The recipients of the St. Tammany President’sArts Awards are selected by the parish president and the CommissiononCulturalAffairs and supported in part by agrant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of CulturalDevelopment, Department of Culture,Recreation &Tourism, in cooperationwith the Louisiana State Arts Council and the National Endowment forthe Arts. For information about the President’sArts Awards and the Commission on CulturalAffairs, visit www stpgov.org/cca.
STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
Artist Phil Galatas will be honored during the 18th annual President’sArts Awards on Oct. 24 in the Slidell Municipal Auditorium.
