The Caddo Commission will next meet on Monday, May 18 after a month-long rest break to allow the overworked, highest paid part-time Louisiana elected officials plan their summer vacations and the five commissioners who vacationed in Maui on the taxpayer’s dime prepare reports on what they learned at the conferences.
No doubt the Hawaii Five will yap long and hard about all they learned during the commissioner comments sessions which generally doubles if not triple the time this esteemed body discusses parish issues. And one hopes that commissioner comments will focus on local issues, not state or national politics or recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, which would certainly be a novel idea to some of them.
Maybe the group will insist that Caddo Administrator Erica Bryant give a detailed update on the status of the $10 million pickleball complex approved by the commissioners without voter approval with some mundane comments such as:
a. Identity the complex design team and give details on how this team was selected, fees for service, etc.
b. Advise the status of the complex design
c. Current estimated costs of the complex
d. Selection of the construction manager
e. Details on the land lease with the Forbing YMCA
f. Planned construction dates.
Without regard to the proposed $40 million general obligation bond to underwrite a sports complex, much of the same information could be provided.
The Parish Administration and the Commission should have learned that their collective laissez faire “just trust me” approach that was followed on the pickleball complex was not appreciated by voters who most likely would have defeated a bond proposal on that project.
No doubt there will be substantial pushbacks to the sports complex bond proposal this fall unless a full disclosure approach is followed. One hopes that numerous public records requests will not be needed to provide this information.
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.