Maybe it was age.
Or personal backgrounds.
In the early days after being elected, Ollie Tyler and Adrian Perkins were like night and day.
Tyler all but won the mayor’s race in 2014 by polling 44% of the primary vote. She won the general election with 63% of the vote.
Perkins lead the field with 29 percent over Tyler’s 25% in the October primary. He won the general election with 64% of the vote.
Tyler did practically no campaigning between the primary and the general election.
Perkins worked tirelessly after the primary until the polls closed on December 8.
Tyler was sworn in as mayor on Dec. 27, 2014.
Perkins took office on Dec. 29, 2018.
Tyler was 69 when she became mayor.
Perkins is 33.
Tyler selected a 10 member local transition team on Dec. 15 , 2014. She did not announce it to the public until Dec. 29.
Tyler said the transition team would act as an advisory board on Tyler’s appointees. The board was to also advise Tyler on policy and plans.
Perkins announced his 13 member advisory board on December 13. Perkins also set up a “Future of Shreveport” website on the same day with their names and bios.
Perkins said his advisory board would oversee the development and production of a transition report. Eight committees are to be established to develop “white papers” reports that will serve as a roadmap for his administration.
Tyler started setting up meetings with city council members and city department heads after being sworn in.
Perkins met with these individuals the week after he was elected.
Tyler had her first press conference three days after taking office.
Perkins held his first press conference two hours after his inauguration ceremony ended.
Tyler announced at her first press conference that should decide department heads in her first few months. Ultimately she retained all of those appointed by her predecessor Cedric Glover.
Perkins decided before being sworn in which city department heads would definitely be retained (Community Development Director Bonnie Moore and City Engineer Patrick Furlong). He is accepting resumes for all other department head positions, including the airport director.
Tyler promised in her first press conference that she would be accessible to the public and that calls to her office would be answered.
Perkins promised regular press conferences, a responsive media communications manager, and department heads authorized to answer press inquiries.
Tyler’s post election calendar reflected her background as a bureaucratic administrator.
Perkin’s background as a military commander was obvious from day one after his election.
(This article was published in The Shreveport Times on Sunday, January 6, 2019)