Citizens Guide to City Council – Voting Records Of City Council

Key Central Issues From 2010-2012: Loop, CH2MHill, Public Records, Term Limits, More

CENTRAL — The five members of the Central City Council who took office in July 2010 have served 65 percent of their four-year terms.  Now, with municipal elections only one year away, the Central City News is providing a Citizens Guide to the Voting Records of the Central City Council.

It is intended to provide a ready means for residents of Central to review the record compiled by the members of the City Council, some of whom may be running for reelection next year.

After reviewing the minutes of roughly 60 meetings of the Council over the past 30 months, the newspaper selected five votes as the most important so far in this term of office.  These are:

• Baton Rouge Loop. The Central City Council exercised a power given by the Louisiana Legislature to prohibit the Baton Rouge Loop, a proposed superhighway and toll road, from passing through Central.  By a vote of 3 to 2, the Council banned the Loop from coming through Central.  The opponents of the resolution said Central should keep its options open.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Public Records in the Hands of CH2MHill. After the City of Central was founded, it engaged a private firm, the $6 billion CH2MHill of Colorado, to provide city services to the people of Central on a contract basis.  Central became the first and only privatized city in Louisiana.   A controversy arose in March 2010, when the Central City News attempted to view public records in the hands of the private company running the City of Central.  The newspaper said privatization should not be used as an excuse for withholding public records from the citizenry.  In August 2010, the Central City Council voted 3 to 2 to direct CH2MHill to provide the records requested by the Central City News.  Even after the Council action, CH2MHill refused to provide the records.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Ending Contract with Contractor CH2MHill. As a result of the refusal of CH2MHill to provide the records ordered by the Council and concerns over the cost of the contract with CH2MHill, permit fees, and constituent service, the Council voted 3-2 to notify CH2MHill that it would not renew the privatization contract with the company but would instead put the contract out for bid.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Term Limits for Mayor, Police Chief, and City Council. The Council considered various proposals for limiting the terms of city officials, including two terms vs. three terms and making term limits prospective or retrospective.  In the end, the Council voted 3-2 for a three-term limit that will be effective prospectively.  This is the same as that adopted by the Louisiana Legislature.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Reapportionment of Central City Council. The Council considered plans to continue a five-member Council with the members elected at-large, by district, or by divisions.  By a 3-2 vote, the Council approved a plan for a combination of five single-member districts and two at-large seats for a total of seven members of the Council.  The Mayor vetoed this plan, and the Council was unable to override his veto.  The override vote was 3-2, but it takes four votes to override a veto.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

In addition to the top five issues listed above, the Central City News chose 10 other votes having importance to the citizens of Central.

They were as follows:

• Increase in Economic Development Funds. In August 2010, the Council considered whether to increase city spending for economic development.  Issues included whether the funds would be spent by a private foundation, the Central Economic Development Foundation, and how much oversight the Council would have over the spending.  The Council voted 3-2 to increase the budget amount from $60,000 to $150,000.  However, only $26,000 of that amount ended up being spent.  No – LoBue, Washington; Yes – DeJohn, Messina, Moak

• City Contractors on Committee on Ethics. The Council considered the creation of a Committee on Ethics.  During the debate, the Council voted 3-2 to prohibit city officials and employees and city contractors and their employees from serving on the committee.  Ultimately, the proposal to create an Ethics Committee died.  City officials in Central are subject to the State Board of Ethics.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Confirmation of City Attorney. Under the Lawrason Act, a state law which governs municipalities such as Central, the City Attorney is nominated by the Mayor and is then subject to confirmation by the Council.  The Mayor re-nominated attorney Sheri Morris.  However, some members of the Council questioned her selection and expressed concern about her independence.  In July 2010, they rejected her nomination by a 2-3 vote.  However, in October 2010, they considered her nomination again and this time approved it.  No – LoBue, Washington; Yes – DeJohn, Messina, Moak

• 2/3rds Vote of Council to Overturn Unanimous Votes of Planning & Zoning Commission. The Council approved requiring a super-majority of the Council to overturn unanimous decisions of the P&Z.  This means that 4 of 5 Council members will have to vote to overturn the P&Z, instead of a simple majority of three votes.  No – LoBue; Yes – DeJohn, Messina, Moak, Washington

• Allow Central Police Reserves to Reside Outside the City Limits. When the Council created the City of Central Police Reserves, it included a number of requirements, including one that members of the Police Reserve actually live inside the city limits.  By a vote of 3-1-1, the Council adopted an ordinance changing that requirement and allowing non-residents to serve as volunteer police officers.  No – Moak; Yes – DeJohn, LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Confirm Denial by P&Z of Townhouses at Entrance to Comite Hills on Triple B. Developer Brandon Dotson proposed building 20 townhouses on a tract on Triple B near Sullivan Road at the entrance to Comite Hills subdivision.  The P&Z denied this request, but the developer appealed the decision to the Council.  However, by a 5-0 vote, the Council upheld the denial of rezoning by the P&Z.  No – None; Yes – DeJohn, LoBue, Messina, Moak, Washington

• Reduce Legal Services Budget by $75,000. Concerned by what they considered excessive spending on legal services, the Council voted 3-2 to reduce the legal services appropriation in the City Budget by $75,000 in order to press for further review of spending on this item.  No – DeJohn, Moak; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Washington

• Approve $6.3 million City Budget. The current budget of the City of Central provides for revenue of roughly $6.3 million and spending of about $5.3 million, with a surplus of $1 million.  The Council approved the budget 4-1.  No – DeJohn; Yes – LoBue, Messina, Moak, Washington

• Approve Morgan Point Subdivision. The Planning & Zoning Commission approved a controversial new subdivision called Morgan Point.  When it got to the City Council, residents from the area came in large numbers to oppose the development, because of sewer and traffic concerns.  Councilman DeJohn proposed approval of Morgan Point, but his motion died for lack of a second.  Councilman Moak proposed sending it back to P&Z for further review and to keep the project alive.  His motion also died for lack of a second.  Since the ordinance was not approved, the project died.

• Rezone Northeast Corner of Hooper and Sullivan Roads. Over three years ago, the City of Central began work on a Master Plan for creating a City Center.  About two years ago, the P&Z considered rezoning the southwest corner of Hooper and Sullivan roads but rejected the rezoning on the grounds that the City Center Plan had not yet been adopted.  Then last October, the P&Z approved rezoning the northeast corner of the same intersection for applicant Jonathan Starnes, even though the City Center Plan has still not been adopted.  The Council rejected the rezoning 3-2.  Shortly thereafter, P&Z member Wade Giles purchased the property, and Jonathan Starns continued as the applicant.  Even though it did not go back to the P&Z nor was it legally advertised, the matter returned to the Council on motion of Councilman Moak.  Nevertheless, the Council again rejected the rezoning 3-2, pending the adopted of the City Center Plan.  No – LoBue, Messina, Washington; Yes – DeJohn, Moak

***

Want to do your own research on the Central City Council?  Go to www.centralgov.com and click City Council and then Agendas.  It will give you the Minutes of all Council meetings since incorporation in 2005.

Read stories about the City of Central and the City Council.  Go to the archives of the Central City News at www.CentralCityNews.net and search for any key word.  All articles since January 2007 are on-line.  For more from the Central City News, go to www.CentralCityNews.us or go to Central City News on Facebook.