Toye Taylor, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s deputy director of intergovernmental affairs, assured St. Tammany Parish elected officials this month that he’ll champion local needs as the governor’s inside man.

“I stand ready” to help St. Tammany, said Taylor.

Taylor rattled off a laundry list of monetary shots Jindal already allocated for St. Tammany projects, including $35 million to widen Interstate 12 to six lanes and $100,000 to revamp Camp Salmen near Slidell. And it won’t stop there, Taylor said. But District 14 Councilman Ken Burkhalter wondered if he could get a much smaller favor finished: a stop light at U.S. Highway 11 and Ben Thomas Road. Burkhalter said he sent letters to Jindal when he was a congressman asking for help to install the light. At that time Jindal said he would speak with the governor, Burkhalter said. Burkhalter has fought for the light for years.

“Now that he is the governor, you think you could talk to him?” Burkhalter asked Taylor.

“For sure,” Taylor said.

COUNCIL CLERK

After St. Tammany Parish Council clerk Diane Hutchinson retired this month after 20 years, council members didn’t have to look far for a replacement. Theresa Ford was waiting in the wings.

Ford, a former assistant council clerk, acted as chief clerk for the first time this month when she was appointed to Hutchinson’s position until 2011.

“It’s interesting,” she said less than a week after she started. “I’m going to get an assistant soon” to help her get organized.

Ford, whose responsibilities include tallying votes at council meetings, goofed one vote this month only to quickly correct herself. When prodded with good-natured jabs from council members, she laughed and from then on carefully tallied each vote correctly, even emphasizing the final count to many members amusement.

The Parish Council also appointed:

• Dr. Kumar Amaraneni to replace Eugene Bellisario on the St. Tammany Hospital Services District No. 2. Bellisario resigned Jan. 14, when he became a Parish Councilman.

• Sonny Schwing to Fire Protection District 12 in Covington.

• George Osbourn, Robert Fontcuberta, Alexander Brett and the Rev. Chopin Cusachs were reappointed to Fire Protection District 13 in Covington.