Transition Team Sets Meetings

Mayor-elect Jr. Shelton Monday announced the appointment of a transi-tion team equally divided between citizens who supported him and those who opposed him in the election April 5.

Shelton said in an interview with the Central City News that he is calling the group, the Central First team.  “We’re excited about working together to make sure we are up and running by the time new city officials are sworn in July 1,” he said.

Shelton said he paid careful attention to the makeup of the committee to insure a cross section of the community so that all voices could be heard and also to  help heal divisions in the community.  However, he said he told the committee

that its decisions would be recommendations only and that he would reserve the right to make the final decisions himself.

He said the group will help him prioritize the major issues facing the city and help him plan the first 120 days of his administration.

He said he hopes action items will be prioritized and included in a legislative package he will submit to the new City Council.

Shelton said the committee held an organizational meeting Monday night.  “A lot of attention was given to working together and putting Central First,” he said.

“The next meeting will produce more detailed actions.  Everyone agreed that this effort will help us produce a good start for the city,” he said.

Because the meetings are advisory in nature to a person who has not yet taken office, they are not covered by Louisiana’s Public Meetings Law.

However, the mayor-elect said the transition team will hold two Town Hall meetings to get input directly from citizens in June.  The exact times, dates, and locations will be announced later, he said.

Members of the Central First transition team are Morris Anderson, Mike Breaux, Cathy Caraway, Louis DeJohn, Brennan Easley, Mike Faulk, Pete Firmin, Joan Lansing, Jim Lloyd, Keith Kepper, Ted McCulley, Bennie Payne, Mike Stephens, and Terry Summers.  David Barrow, the executive assistant to Mayor Mac Watts, advises the group.