Watts Kills Council Compromise Plan

CENTRAL — Central Mayor Mac Watts has killed a compromise plan to reapportion the Central City Council.  The Council approved the plan last month after a reapportionment study committee created by the mayor held a series of six public hearings on how the new City Council should be configured.

After hearing from citizens who wanted to elect City Councilmen from districts and others who wanted to keep the current at-large system, the committee twice voted to recommend that the Council adopt a mixed plan as a compromise — a seven-member Council composed of five members elected from single-member districts and two members elected at large.

The City Council ratified the committee recommendation and approved the Council reapportionment plan last month.

Watts had 10 days to sign or veto the proposed ordinance.  He vetoed it Oct. 6.  The only specific reason for his action stated in the veto message issued on that date was that the plan, which increased the Council from five to seven members, would “erode the trust our citizens have placed in us.”

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, Watts did not speak or defend his actions.  During the public hearings, a group of citizens led by former school board member Russell Starns argued that adding two Council members was the beginning of “big government” in Central.  Supporters of the compromise plan said the cost of having two additional Councilmen was only about $20,000 a year.

Reapportionment committee member Jr. Shelton pointed out that the City of Central is running a surplus of more than $1 million  and can easily afford $20,000 a year to provide better representation.  Watts announced at the meeting that Central had another windfall of over $100,000 last month because of additional sales tax revenues.

R. J. Saucier argued that single-member districts are the best type of representation but that they tend to evolve into a very parochial ward boss system that fails to take account of the interests of the entire city.  He said having two at-large members of the City Council, elected citywide, would help the Council stay focused on the needs and interests of the entire community and not just their district.

Reapportionment committee chairman Wayne Messina said he asked the opinion of mayors and city councilmen from other cities the size of Central, and they advised him a mixed council with district and at-large seats was the best.

Messina moved to override Watts’ veto during Tuesday’s Council meeting.  During his explanation, Messina said the Lawrason Act gives the Council the power to reapportion itself and said the Council has no legal authority to call a referendum on the subject.

Messina took issue with the idea that adding two Council members is “bigger government.”  He said Mayor Watts is pushing adding three more seats to BREC’s board with one member from Central, Baker, and Zachary.  “Is that bigger government or better government?” Messina asked.

In the public hearing, as in the committee hearings, Starns’ group  was adamant that a reapportionment plan should not exceed five Council members.  One said, “Whether we have districts, divisions, or at-large, we want five Council members, not seven.”

Since cost is not a significant factor, it is unclear why Starns’ group is so adamant in favor of five seats.  However, in a five-member Council, the vote of two members is sufficient to uphold a Mayor’s veto, but on a seven-member Council, it takes three votes to uphold a Mayor’s veto.

When the vote was taken on Messina’s motion to override the veto, three Councilmen — Ralph Washington, Tony LoBue, and Wayne Messina — voted to override, and two members — Louis DeJohn and Aaron Moak — voted against the motion.  As a result, the motion received a 3-2 majority but failed, because it takes a 2/3rds’ vote of the Council, or 4 of the 5 votes, in order to override a Mayor’s veto.

Since Watts’ veto stands, the Council will remain with five at-large Councilmen through the election in 2014.

However, the Council can consider another reapportionment plan whenever it desires.

A survey of Louisiana cities similar in size to Central by the Central City News showed that most have a mixed Council composed of both at-large and single-member districts.  Central is the 12th largest city in Louisiana.

The sixth through 13rd largest cities have City Council membership as follows:

6th – Kenner – At-large and single-member districts

7th – Bossier City – At-large and single-member districts

8th – Monroe – Single-member districts only

9th – Alexandria – At-large and single-member districts

10th – New Iberia – At-large and single-member districts

11th – Slidell – At-large and single member districts

12th – Central – At-large only

13th – Ruston – Single-member districts only

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News