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Bossier City Council moves into executive session to discuss two pending lawsuits
Summary
At a Sept. 10 special meeting, the Bossier City Council voted to enter an executive session under La. R.S. 42:17(A)(2) to discuss litigation strategy in Westin Marriott v. City of Bossier City (No. 5:23‑cv‑01694) and litigation involving Red Rover Group; the meeting included brief public comment about alleged open‑meeting violations.
The Bossier City Council on Wednesday voted to enter an executive session under Louisiana Revised Statute 42:17(A)(2) to discuss litigation strategy in two matters identified during the meeting: Westin Marriott v. City of Bossier City (U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division, No. 5:23‑cv‑01694) and litigation involving Red Rover Group.
The session began at 11 a.m. with a motion to approve the agenda, moved by Councilman Brian Hammonds and seconded by Councilman Joel Girard; the council approved the agenda by voice vote. During a public comment period, David Crockett of 653 Dumaine Drive said he had been harmed by prior ‘‘backdoor meetings’’ and urged the council to be open with the public and the press. Crockett said, “I was a victim of some of the, issues that came up in backdoor meetings by the council where open meeting violations occurred. And I think that, Bossier City has been harmed by that.”
A council member stated that ‘‘the only thing that we will be discussing in this executive session is the litigation West and Marriott and litigation of Red Rover Group,’’ and the council then voted to enter executive session. The motion to convene the executive session was moved by Councilman Cliff Smith, seconded by Councilman Brian Hammonds, and carried by voice vote. The council announced that the following would attend the closed session: Councilmen Creighton Cochran, Joel Girard, Cliff Smith, Chris Smith, Brian Hammonds and Councilwoman Deborah Ross; Mayor Tommy Chandler; Chief Administrative Officer Amanda Nottingham; City Attorney Charles Jacobs; Assistant City Attorney Richard Ray; outside counsel Bobby Gillum of Wilkins, Carmody & Gillum and Lane Clark of Weiner Weiss; Risk Manager Stacy Crawford; City Clerk Phyllis McGraw; and Administrative Assistant Emily Pitts. The meeting noted that Carlotta of the MPC would not attend.
The council reconvened at 1:23 p.m.; no public statement about the content of the executive session or any formal actions on the litigation were announced before adjournment.
What happened next: the council adjourned immediately after returning to open session. No votes on the underlying lawsuits or settlement terms were taken in public during the meeting.
