The Caddo Commission had a zoom work session meeting scheduled for yesterday at 3:30 pm.
A question was raised if the meeting was proper--i.e. did any agenda items meet the requirements of Louisiana Statute 42:17.1 that authorizes zoom meetings of public bodies.
After a zoom conference with parish attorney Donna Frazier, Commission president Lyndon Johnson and vice president John Atkins, Frazier advised the Commission that NON of the agenda items qualified for a zoom meeting. Thus the work session was adjourned.
The referenced statute sets forth the requirements for a valid zoom meeting when the governor has declared a state of emergency or disaster. This is case now with the COVID-19 pandemic.
These are listed as follows:
1. Matters directly related to the response to a disaster or emergency AND are critical to the health, safety, or welfare of the public.
2. Matters that if delayed will cause curtailment of vital public services or severe economic dislocation and hardship.
3. Matters that are critical to continuation of the business of the public body AND that are not able to be postponed to an in-person meeting due to a legal requirement or other deadline that cannot be postponed or delayed by the public body.
4. Other matters that are critical or time-sensitive and that in the determination of the presiding officer should NOT be delayed; however, such matters shall NOT be considered at the meeting unless the members of the body present at the meeting approve the consideration of the matters by a tw0-thirds vote.
At the work session, the agenda items did NOT get approval for action by a two-thirds vote.
Thus a vote should be taken at the beginning of the Shreveport council meeting today to determine if two-thirds of the Council agree to proceed by zoom.
If not approved by 5 votes, then city attorney Ron Lattier and council president James Flurry must review the agenda items meet of the 4 criteria set forth above.