It’s the question of the day.
No, the question of the week.
Actually the question of the next two weeks.
The $64 thousand question is what does the Port City Fest, the Bayou Classic and live Caddo Commission meetings have in common?
The Bayou Classic football game between Grambling and Southern universities will be played at Independence Stadium on April 17.
The Port City Fest will be held April 15-17 at festival plaza.
The fest will feature numerous public event including the Mayor' Golf Invitational Tournament, the Classic Business Exp and the Party on the Red.
Assuming the weather gods bless Shreveport for this 3 day event, one can expect large crowds at all of these events, starting with 25,000 at Independence Stadium. (This is the max allowed capacity under the current COVID guidelines of Governor John Bel Edwards, which may be further relaxed before the game.)
Needless to say the Port City Fest is a "live" event.
The golf tournament will also be "live."
So is the Bayou Classic football game.
But so far the Caddo Commission meetings are still by Zoom.
Yes, Caddo Commissioners (actually the Democrat Commissioners) participate in many events outside their homes including go to places of employment, out of town trips, etc.
And no doubt many of these Commissioners will be attending the Port City activities.
Despite this, the Commission (actually the Democrat Commissioners) still stubbornly refuses to come down to the plexiglass sterile chambers at Government Plaza.
The Caddo Commission has its next regular meeting on Thurs. April 8. The work session/administrative conference is today (Mon.).
After that the next commission meeting is a work session/administrative conference on Mon. April 19.
Maybe a poll will be taken at that meeting on the attendance of Commissioners at the festivities/football game the previous weekend.
If the meeting is by Zoom, hard questions should be asked by Caddo citizens to the commissioners who are the highest paid part-time elected officials in the state ($22,707 per year.)
Its hard to distinguish between entertainment participation and government business when it comes to COVID-19 safety precautions--or is it?
That's the $64,000 question.
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.