Hopefully these issues will be discussed at the Council's work session today (Mon.) and/or tomorrow's council meeting (Tues.) about the proposed Director Council Affairs.
The blog "Does the Shreveport council clerk's office need a Director of Council Affairs" lists the responsibilities of this position.
Here are relevant questions that need to be discussed by council members and communicated to citizens before a vote on this resolution is made:
1. Who is/are the sponsors of this resolution?
2. Is this resolution a one or two reader?
3. Is this position a full time or part-time?
4. What is the proposed pay scale for this hire?
5. Does the council clerk's budget provide for this position and its salary?
6. Is the position to be a barrier/filter between council members and constituents?
7. What can't these duties be performed by the current clerk's staff?
8. Which of the defined duties are an inappropriate delegation of the responsibilities of the elected council members?
9. Is it legal/ethical for a paid city employee to “coordinate constituency " newsletter for each district?
10. Why does a council member need a "liaison" between the council members and their constituents?
11. What is meant by the "manage the affairs between the Council and constituents"?
12. Why should this new hire "prepare all communications of the council" versus existing staff?
13. Who are the council is to decide "the vision of the council" to be communicated to constituents?
Hmmm.
A resolution on the agenda for the Mon. and Tues. Shreveport city council meetings is to hire a Director of Council Affairs.
The resolution lists the responsibilities and duties of this position as follows:
1. manage the affairs between the Council and constituents
2. Prepare all communications of the Council
3. Act as a liaison between the Council and constituents
a. communicating the vision of the council to constituents
b. ensuring that concerns, problems, and/or inquiries are addressed, and
c. coordination a constituency newsletter for each district
4. Perform other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Council
The resolution does not set the salary.