JOHN E. SETTLE JR
At the last Shreveport city council work session, council chair James Green read a statement he titled "The Standard."
It basically was a lecture to fellow council members Lavette Fuller and John Nickelson and a self-proclaimed justification for his committee assignments. Green cited Politics 101 and Politics 102 in his defence.
Green should now school new council member Alan Jackson on Politics for Beginners 101 and Politics for Beginners 102. On second thought, it would be better if someone else handed the tutoring.
Jackson took office on Dec. 28--so he is still wet behind the ears.
Jackson was NOT vetted by the council in its failed attempt to name a replacement for James Flurry after his resignation.
Jackson was NOT vetted by the voters in District E because he never ran for council.
Jackson has NEVER has been a political candidate.
Jackson was NOT a registered voter in District E until just days before his appointment by the governor.
Politics for Beginners 101 is to know the geographic area of your district.
Apparently Jackson does NOT know his district lines. Maybe he should take a car ride around District E.
Ord. 12 of 2022 is a zoning case in District E. This application to change the zoning was approved by the Metropolitan Planning Commission at its Jan. 5, 2022 meeting.
This case first appeared on the Jan. 24 work session agenda. This is a two reader--and thus could NOT be adopted until the Feb. 8 regular council meeting.
The zoning ordinance was thus on the Jan 25 regular session agenda, the Feb. 7 work session agenda, and the Feb.8 regular meeting agenda.
It was obvious at the Feb. 8 meeting that Jackson did NOT know this zoning change was in his district. Apparently dumbfounded, he made a motion to postpone which was approved.
The earliest the council can vote on this zoning change will now be its regular meeting on Feb. 22. This means the business applicant will have a six week delay in expanding his business operations.
Politics for Beginners 202 is to respond to media inquiries. The media will publish with or without the assistance/cooperation of elected officials.
This writer discovered that Jackson had been appointed by the city council to the board of the Shreveport Bossier Tourist and Convention Bureau in Nov. of last year before his council appointment. Not even the Tourist Bureau knew of this fact.
Inquiry was made by email to Jackson if he had resigned from that board after his council appointment.
After no response an op ed was published on Settletalk "Should New Council Member Jackson Stay on Tourist Convention Bureau Board"?
With still no response from Jackson, this writer filed an inquiry with the Louisiana Ethics Commission.
Jackson has also failed to respond to an inquiry concerning his employment as director of financial aide at Grambling.
Specifically, must he take PTO to come to council meetings and do council work during the work day.
Public records request are pending with Grambling to obtain payroll records to answer this question and litigation will be filed if necessary to get this information.
An Attorney General's opinion has also been requested to determine if payment by the state for his day job and by the city for his council job constitutes dual office holding.
And maybe Jackson should review Politics for Beginners 301, which is be careful who you take advice from.
Council chair Green's anti media position is not defendable and is violative of his duties as an elected official. The same applies to council member Tabitha Taylor as well as her potential conflicts of interest in several council votes.
Jackson asked for the council appointment.
That fact along with his education (doctorate degree) means that he should be held accountable for learning the very basics of his council position.
To date, its is obvious that he has not.