John Settle filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, Jan. 3, in the Caddo District Court to determine who should be the 2023 chairman of the Shreveport City Council.

The suit names as defendants the city of Shreveport, the Shreveport City Council clerk, Kendra Joseph, and the 2022 council chairman, James Green.

The city council met at noon on Saturday, Dec. 31, after the new council took the oath of office at the 10 a.m. mayoral and council inauguration.

The new council members are James Green, Tabatha Taylor, Alan Jackson, Ursula Bowman, Grayson Boucher, Jim Taliaferro and Gary Brooks. Green chaired the meeting.

This special meeting was duly noticed under the requirements of the Open Meetings Law.

Boucher was nominated to be the new chairman. Taliaferro and Brooks voted "aye" on this resolution. Green did not call for any "nay" votes.

The council rules state that resolutions are adopted by "only a majority of those present and voting." The only votes cast on the Boucher resolution were "aye" votes.

After the vote, Green declared that Boucher did not receive a majority of the votes and that the Boucher resolution did not pass.

Thereafter, a resolution naming Green as the new chairman was introduced and passed with four votes.

Green then declared he had been duly elected as the new council chair. Again, Green did not call for any "nay" votes.

Neither Boucher nor Green could vote for themselves as chair because that position receives additional compensation.

The meeting was adjourned by Green after votes on the council clerk and assistant clerk.

Before the council members departed the chambers, Green then called a second meeting of the council. At this meeting, "nay" votes were recorded.

This second meeting was not noticed under the Open Meetings Law. Settle alleges that this meeting was null and void.

Settle's suit asks the district court to determine if Boucher was validly elected as chair. It also asks the court to issue a restraining order to prevent any new votes on the council chairman position until the litigation is resolved.

As of press time Thursday, Jan. 5, at 12:30 p.m., the requested order had not been signed by Caddo District Judge Brady O'Callaghan.