As Yogi Berra used to say, "It’s deja vu, all over again."
On Mon. Aug 3 the Caddo Commission work session/administrative conference was a "no go" because of the lack of a seven person quorum.
Commissioners Lyndon Johnson, Stormy Gage-Watts, Linn Cawthorne , Ken Epperson, Roy Burrell, and Steven Jackson did participate in two special meetings by Zoom Mon. before the scheduled live work session at Government Plaza.
It appeared that Jackson , Gage-Watts and maybe Johnson were at their work places during these meetings.
They did NOT show at Government Plaza for the work session/administrative conference.
Commissioner John-Paul Young also participated in the Zoom meetings. He is housebound due to recent leg surgery and could not go to Government Plaza
Commissioner Ed Lazarus was in the Government Plaza chambers for both Zoom meetings. Once it became apparent to him that there would not be a quorum for the scheduled live meeting, he left.
Much of the discussion at the second Zoom meeting on Mon. centered around several COVID cases reported on Mon. at Government Plaza.
The entire building was closed yesterday (Wed,) and it was completely sanitized.
In the chambers, plexiglass has been installed between each seat at the horseshoe . Additionally plexiglass is now in front of the speaker's podium.
Seating is limited in the chambers due to social distancing. Overflow seating is available outside the chambers with social distancing.
Visitors entering the building are subject to a temperature check and masks are mandated.
Public access to the building other than the chambers is extremely limited .
Other pandemic precautions are and have been in effect.
Showing up at Government Plaza for today's 3:30 p.m. regular meeting were Commissioners John Atkins, Todd Hopkins, Ed Lazarus, Jim Taliaferro, and Mario Chavex. Thus, again no quorum.
The agenda for the regular meeting only had two items.
The first was a proposed amendment to the ordinance regulating the sale of alcohol beverages and alcoholic beverage handling.
The other agenda item was a resolution to authorize the Caddo Parish Administrator to take certain actions concerning the execution of an oil, gas and mineral lease by the parish.
Based on the comments made at the special zoom meeting at 1 p.m. today and yesterday, it appears that Commissioners Johnson, Gage-Watts, Cawthorne, Epperson, Burrell and Jackson will not attend a live meeting in the near future.
This group hopes to get relief in the form of authority for all meetings from by Zoom from either an new Executive Order from Gov. John Bel Edwards and/or litigation.
The Commissioners, who are the highest paid part time elected officials in the state, receive full pay without regard to attendance at live meetings and/or participation in Zoom meetings.
John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.
He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.
John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.
John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.
He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.