Yep, that's correct.
Provided that the Shreveport city charter is followed and complied with by the Shreveport city attorney.
Kendra Joseph is an attorney.
She is on the agenda for a special meeting of the Shreveport City Council tomorrow to be appointed as
clerk of the council.
It is understood that council president James Green, who hand picked Joseph without participation of the
full council, has the votes to confirm her appointment.
However her job as council clerk could be short lived, like only 3 months or so.
If current mayor Adrian Perkins does not win re-election, then Joseph's job will depend on the discretion
of the city attorney appointed by the new mayor.
Section 8.03 of the Shreveport City Charter provides, in part, that "All attorneys, other than the city attorney, advising or representing the council, the mayor, or any board, commission, department, official or agency of the city, shall be supervised by the city attorney and employed by his consent."
Its a well known fact that current city attorney Ron Lattier will not be retained by any of the leading
mayoral candidates other than Perkins.
It is also a fact that the new council that will take office in late Dec. will decide who will be the council
clerk. That means four members of the council can, in effect, terminate the council clerk be that Joseph
or a third party.
There is no doubt that Joseph, if approved as council clerk, will render legal advice to the council. Thus
she should be under the supervision of the city attorney.
The Shreveport city council has on many past occasions pushed to have their own attorney supervised
only by themselves. This charter provision has prohibited such action.
Good government principles dictate that the hiring of the council clerk be a transparent process. That
means a job posting, interviews , and a decision by the incoming council.
Unfortunately Green and his cohorts are not known for following these principles. Their days of power, in
the sense of 4 votes, is probably coming to an end this year after the council elections.
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.