LIVE BLOG: Investigation and Blue Line school zone tickets topics at Shreveport City Council

During the Tuesday, Aug. 22 Shreveport City Council meeting, the council will be discussing and voting on various talking points like launching an investigation into the city council, adding a new section to the Code of Ordinances and appointing a hearing officer for the Blue Line Solutions school speed zone tickets.

4:39 p.m. - The council meeting adjourns.

4:37 p.m. - The appointment of Manushka Gracia-Desgage as the Hearing Officer for the Electronic Speeding Ticketing Program will be subject for confirmation on the city council meeting scheduled for Sept. 12.

4:35 p.m. - Councilman Brooks moved to deny this motion in his district. The motion to deny the rezoning passed with seven votes.

4:43 p.m. - Councilman Brooks stated that the neighborhood association that they don't want this rezoning and that the residents are against it as well. The person asking for the rezoning is wanting to build offices and the residents would like to reestablish their community instead of allowing commercial development.

4:35 p.m. - Ordinance 89 Zoning Case No. 22-26-C is an ordinance to amend the official zoning map of the City of Shreveport Unified Development Code, by rezoning property located north side of Merrick St. approximately 130 feet west of Roosevelt Ave. in Shreveport from R-1-5 single family residential zoning district to C-2 corridor commercial zoning district is up for vote.

4:30 p.m. - Ordinance 88 to add a new Section 38.5-10.5 of Chapter 38, Article IV of the City of Shreveport Code of Ordinances relative to procedure for enforcement of liens and additional requirements passed with seven votes.

4:30 p.m. - Ordinance 87 amending the 2023 budget for the Community Development Special Revenue Fund passed with seven votes.

4:29 p.m. - Ordinance 86 amending the City of Shreveport, Louisiana 2023 Capital Projects Fund Budget, appropriating the funds authorized herein passed with seven votes.

4:29 p.m. - Ordinance 85 amending the 2023 budget for the Streets Special Revenue Fund passed with seven votes.

4:29 p.m. - Ordinance 84 adopting the 2023 budget for the Public Safety Special Revenue Fund, appropriating the funds therein passed with seven votes.

4:28 p.m. - Ordinance 83 amending the 2023 budget for the General Fund Relative to funding for the police department. Administration requested to postpone. Postponement passed with seven votes.

4:27 p.m. - Ordinance 74 authorizing an encroachment into the city's public right-of-way located 813 King Pl., as more fully described herein, and to authorize the Mayor or his designee to execute an encroachment permit with JDRO Properties, LLC. All council members voted to postpone.

4:27 p.m. -Ordinances on second reading and final passage are up for vote.

4:25 p.m. - Resolution 110 congratulating the city of Shreveport internal audit office for winning the 2022 Distinguished Knighton Award from the Association of Local Government Auditors' Awards Committee passed with seven votes.

4:24 p.m. - Resolution 109A is a resolution to launch a city council investigation as authorized by Section 4.29 of the City of Shreveport, Louisiana Charter passed with four votes. Green, Taylor and Jackson were opposed.

4:23 p.m. - There will be a budget amended out of the General Fund that will need to be voted on by the council.

4:22 p.m. - Councilwoman Bowman stated that there should be funds created already for internal and external investigations. CAO Dark said he would look into it.

4:20 p.m. - CAO Tom Dark stated it would likely come from the General Government Professional Services and the General Fund.

4:17 p.m. - City Attorney Edwards explained that he would appoint an independent attorney or law firm to go forward with the investigation, including an investigation plan and report back with findings. The timeline is uncertain dependent on the chosen attorney's schedule and how much work it will take. There is no ballpark estimate on how much this will cost the city, but Edwards doesn't believe this will be a "budget-busting investigation" and isn't sure where the money to fund the investigation will come from, but will look into it.

4:15 p.m. - Jackson goes on to state that there is an annual audit, and nothing has ever come of it.

4:13 p.m. - Councilman Jackson stated he would be voting no because he believes paying for an external audit is "going to turn up absolutely nothing" and that this 13 percent raise is "gone due to inflation." Jackson stated being able to 'trim the fat' and give more money to those who can then spend it with local businesses is the way to go.

4:12 p.m. - Councilwoman Bowman stated that she spoke with the city council clerks this decision affected and that "sometimes it's not about black or white, it's about what's wrong and what's right."

3:55 p.m. - Council Chair Green stated that he "made a mistake according to the gray area" and that the council just voted to appoint a person that directly violated the charter into a city council position, talking about Zelda Tucker.

3:53 p.m. - Councilwoman Taylor stated that she will not be voting for the investigation and stated "systemic racism" is the possible cause for this investigation. She also stated that the council staff didn't ask for the raises, but worked hard for them and earned them.

3:51 p.m. - Councilman Brooks and Councilwoman Bowman both announced they were in favor of the investigation despite voting against it in the previous council meeting.

3:47 p.m. - Resolution 109A is a resolution to launch a city council investigation as authorized by Section 4.29 of the City of Shreveport, Louisiana Charter is up for vote.

3:45 p.m. - Resolution 107 is a resolution ratifying the execution of a cooperative endeavor agreement between Caddo-Bossier Parishes Port Commission and The City of Shreveport, relative to temporarily housing SFD Station #20 passed with seven votes.

3:45 p.m. - Resolutions on second reading and final passage or that will require only one reading are up for vote.

3:44 p.m. - The motion to appoint Zelda Tucker as Assistant City Attorney passes.

3:43 p.m. - Jackson gives a substitute motion to postpone the appointment of Zelda Tucker as Assistant City Attorney. The motion failed.

3:39 p.m. - City Attorney Marcus Edwards couldn't speak to what her original title was when she was initially hired in January. Tucker was transferred to the mayor's office in August. The issue in question is if Tucker is being paid by the city attorney's office or the mayor's office to avoid a charter violation.

3:37 p.m. - The appointment of Zelda Tucker as Assistant City Attorney was halted by Jackson due to a "possible charter violation" and that she was hired as a legal assistant.

3:33 p.m. - Previous councilman Bowman took to the stand to accept an apology from Green and Jackson on any slander or bad comments made about him in yesterday's financial and audit meeting. He did comment that the way the information was presented that it could have been taken in a negative light.

3:33 p.m. - John Settle commented that the previous council chairs all had council approval for pay raises and called them out for talking negatively about previous council chairs and their actions.

3:29 p.m. - An external auditor will be holding an open meeting before the next city council meeting. External audits are also sent to the legislative auditors.

3:27 p.m. - Council Chair James Green explained that for the city council to be audited that it must come from a legislative branch and will be auditing the entire city of Shreveport.

3:20 p.m. - Public comment opens.

3:19 p.m. - Resolution 112 ratifying the mayor's signature on a contract with series environmental services for storm debris removal was added to the agenda.

3:16 p.m. - Mayor Arceneaux stated that he met with the Blue Line Solutions representative this morning and everything is in order for the license plate readers.

3:10 p.m. - Councilman Dr. Alan Jackson recognized and congratulated the city of Shreveport internal audit office for winning the 2022 Distinguished Knighton Award from the Association of Local Government Auditors' Awards Committee

3:07 p.m. - Shreveport City Council meeting begins. All seven council members are present.

Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at mgwhite@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Shreveport City Council voting on launching an internal investigation