It’s never a good time to lose a good employee.
This maxim holds true for government.
And it is especially true for the Shreveport City Council at this time.
Danielle Farr-Ewing resigned her position as clerk of the council and environmental hearing officer effective Friday, Aug. 12, to pursue other employment.
Danielle served as assistant clerk of council to long-tenured Art Thompson until his retirement. She then assumed the position as council clerk.
Needless to say, taking the reins from Thompson was a challenge for anyone, and Danielle handled the transition well.
The clerk of council is a very important position in Shreveport’s mayor-council form of government.
The duties of the clerk’s office are manifold. They include drafting of resolutions and ordinances, preparation and posting of council meeting agendas, and publication of council minutes.
At council meetings, the clerk ensures that the council rules of procedure and state law are followed in the process of adopting resolutions and ordinances.
The council clerk works for the council and, in effect, must report to all seven council members.
The clerk supervises an office with four employees.
A very important task of the council clerk is to serve as the hearing officer for Shreveport’s Environmental Court. This position not only requires a law degree, but also the temperament to be a fair and impartial hearing officer.
Danielle has gotten high marks for her service as clerk, both from council members and those who regularly review her work in council meetings and Environmental Court. Unfortunately, one, if not two, of the council members seemingly tried to undermine her efforts by having meetings with the deputy clerk of council and excluding Danielle.
This is an election year for the council. At least four new members will be elected this year. Since one member is an interim employee, there will actually be five new, elected members.
The new council will take office in December and will start official business in January.
The council would be wise to approach Thompson to return on an interim basis through the end of the year.
The naming of a new council clerk is a very important council decision. It should be delayed, if possible, until the new council team takes office.
Hopefully, the next clerk will serve as well as Danielle and Thompson and will be in the position for a long term.
Politicizing this position is bad government, and any council member who attempts to do so should be called out.