At its Tues. (Feb. 14) the Shreveport City Council approved funding for the new city council clerk's office position of Director of Council Affairs. The salary is estimated to be $81,000 plus benefits.
Councilman Alan Jackson was the sponsor of the ordinance to create the position. The ordinance was approved by the vote of Jackson, James Green, Tabatha Taylor, and Ursula Bowman.
Jackson has set up secret meetings to interview candidates with three panels to avoid compliance with the Louisiana Open Meetings Law.
Panel 1 is composed of council members Taylor, Gary Brooks, and Jim Taliaferro. The meetings will be in the Chamber Conference Room, 1st Floor, Government Plaza.
Pane 2 is composed of councilmen members Grayson Boucher, Jackson and deputy council clerk LaTonay Bogan. The meetings will be in the Water and Sewer Conference Room, 3rd Floor, Government Plaza.
Panel 3 is composed of council members James Green, Ursula Bowman, and council clerk Kendra Joseph. The meetings will be held in the Council Conference Room, 4th Floor, Government Plaza.
The interviews will begin for the first three candidates at 10 a.m. and for the second three candidates at 12 p.m.
Each interviewee will spend 30 minutes in each panel.
The panels will interview simultaneously.
The meetings are set for Friday, Feb. 24.
Here are the unknowns to this writer:
a. the job description
b. the names and credentials of the six interviewees
c. if there was a job posting, and if so where
d. why city employees--council clerk and council deputy clerk--are on the interview panels
d. if the city employees--council clerk and deputy clerk--will have a vote
e. the procedure the panels will follow in the selection process
f. if their will be public hearing to review/vote on the position
g. why no transparency.
This procedure blatantly ignores good government principles.
The Caddo Commission held totally open meetings when selecting a council clerk and a registrar of voters.
This planned process is a sham.
Council members should be called out for even considering this process much less engaging in the same.
Open Meetings law litigation may be filed.
