Bossier City council defers investigative-committee recommendations, schedules executive session amid records dispute

The Bossier City Council on Friday, Aug. 8 voted to defer recommendations from its investigative committee until after an executive session scheduled for Aug. 12, following public comments and council discussion about alleged mishandling of public records and disputes over the council—s investigative powers.

Council President (name not specified) opened the special counsel meeting and said he had appointed Councilman Brian Hammonds (District 1), Councilwoman Deborah Ross (District 2) and Councilman Cliff Smith (District 3) to an investigative committee after a July 1 resolution and named Hammonds the committee chair. Hammonds supplied a written report to council members but the council president said the mayor—s office and the city attorney—s office requested an executive session on Aug. 12 to discuss the matter, and he recommended the council defer making final recommendations until after that session.

Nut graf: The vote to defer formal committee recommendations came as public commenters accused city officials of failing to preserve public records and questioned legal advice from the city attorney—s office. Council members and residents expressed conflicting views about whether…