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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.

 

DO ELECTED BODIES NEED TO HEAR STACY BROWN READ A POWERPOINT FOR OVER 20 MINUTES AT UPCOMING MEETINGS?

Get ready Shreveport City Council, Bossier City council and Bossier Police Jury.

It’s that time of the year when the Shreveport Bossier Tourist & Convention Center executive director Stacy Brown will be bringing her "look how good we are" dog and pony show to one of your upcoming meetings.

The trial run was Thurs. Dec. 8 before the Caddo Commission.

It exceeded 20 minutes despite several requests by commissioners to wrap up the monologue

The "see how many times I can pat myself on the back" oration featured another hard, as in almost impossible to read, PowerPoint presentation. The only thing missing was a marching band.

Brown had not bothered to send the PowerPoint to the commissioners before the meeting. And playing the bad Santa she did not bring any copies to the meeting for disbursement to the commissioners, the commission staff, or the media.

Geez.

Brown promised to provide the PowerPoint at some juncture to the Commission.

And she agreed to answer any questions from them by email after their review.

Why is this presentation needed? Why could this information be forwarded to elected official without the waste of time.

Brown spoke as a visitor before the Commission considered important matters like when to vote on redistricting, the appointment of a replacement for Commissioner Taliaferro and other matters. These key issues should not have been delayed by meaningless exercise.

Elected bodies would do well to put Brown's presentation at the end of the meeting. Then wasted time would be hers, and not citizens attending the meeting on important matters.

More than ever elected bodies should require persons making PowerPoint presentation to provide a copy of the same to the elected officials before the meetings and to provide hard copies or an email link be made available to citizens attending the meeting as well as the media to allow them to follow along during any presentation.

Additionally, department head and other government employees could leave these meetings, getting off the payroll clock, if presentations like this were last on the agenda.

ARCENEAUX OUTLINES TRANSITION PLANS, SETS DATE TO ANNOUNCE TRANSITION TEAM

THE SHREVEPORT MAYOR'S RACE HAS CREATED MORE DIVISIVENESS THAN UNITY