Wes Merriott (SOBO Wes) has been correctly classified as a Bossier watchdog who regularly attends Bossier Council meetings. SOBO Wes frequently calls out the Chandler Administration and many of the Bossier Council members for both their inaction, and action, on important Bossier issues.
Frequently SOBO Wes has been treated with contempt by at least one Bossier Council member. His appearance and comments usually fall on deaf ears of at least three Councilmen, sometimes as many as five of the seven.
Merriott is meticulous in his research and very expressive in his well-documented comments to the Council. The same is true of his postings on Sobo. Live, his South Bossier-centric blog and community news source with an audience of 35,000. He is a regular contributor to this publication and media guest on American Ground Radio, Bossier Watch and KTBS Channel 3 News and other media outlets.
On Wednesday January 24 Merriott filed a public records lawsuit naming the Tommy Chandler, Mayor of the City of Bossier City, along with Bossier Councilman David A. Montgomery as defendants. The litigation is based upon the failure of the named defendants to respond to public records requests submitted by email on December 18, 2023. He requested the following from the City:
1. Cell phone call logs for the city-issued Cell Phone to Rodney Taylor, Director of Permits, for the following dates 7/7/2022-7/9/2022.
2. Cell phone call logs from City Councilman David Montgomery on the dates 7/7/20222-7/9/2022 on either a city-issued cell phone or any personal cell phone used to conduct city business.
3. All text messages sent to for from the city-issued cell phone for Rodney Taylor for the following dates, 7/7/2022-7/9/2022.
4. All text messages to and from City Councilman David Montgomery on the dates 7/7/20222-7/9/2022 on either a city-issued cell phone or any personal cell phone used to conduct city business.
Merriott also made a public records request on the same date to Montgomery for the information listed in paragraph 2 and 3 above. He also requested all copies of emails between Montgomery and Taylor sent or received in July 2022 using their city or personal emails.
Bossier City Assistant City Attorney Richard Ray acknowledged the public records requests on December 21 of last year, asking for 10 more days to provide the information. Ray then advised SOBO Wes by email dated January 5, 2024, that the documents would be provided no later than January 16 of this year. Ray has not sent any other communications to Merriott.
On the date the litigation was filed, more than three weeks (actually 23 days), had elapsed from the date of the public records requests. SOBO Wes has not granted any further extension of time for the responses to his requests.
Merriott is requesting that the Bossier District Court issue an order setting a hearing to compel the delivery of the requested information to him. He has also asked for court costs. A hearing has been set for February 15 before Judge Allie Stahl.