The Bossier City Council approved a resolution requesting the city attorney to obtain special legal counsel to advise the council in connection with an internal investigation where the city attorney and assistant city attorney may have a conflict of interest.

The resolution, as read into the record, cites Bossier City Charter chapter 8 and specifically requests that the legal department retain Jennifer A. Foyer of Dunlap Foyer LLC to advise the council. Councilman Cliff Smith moved the resolution and Councilman Gerard seconded it. During debate, several council members and members of the public questioned whether the council or the city attorney’s office would control the engagement and whether the retained attorney would communicate directly with council members or with the legal department.

Councilman Brian Hammonds repeatedly sought assurance that the outside counsel would only represent the council and would not communicate with the city attorneys except by formal request; he also expressed concern about potential conflicts and about the process used to engage counsel. City Attorney Charles Jacobs explained that the charter gives the legal department authority to engage outside counsel and that the legal department would formally engage the firm and pay for the services from its budget; Jacobs said he would supply information if outside counsel requested documents or background.

Members of the public, including David Crockett and others, urged clarity in an engagement letter that the lawyer’s client is the council and that the engagement clarify limitations on communications and scope. The council president said an engagement letter will be drafted and that the retained attorney will be asked to review the investigative committee’s report, identify legal issues and advise the full council on next steps. The council later voted to proceed; later in the meeting council held an executive session on unrelated pending litigation (Bossier Parish docket 163260) and reported no action taken after the executive session.

The resolution does not itself create an investigation; it directs the legal department to retain outside counsel to advise the council. The engagement letter and scope of work will define communications and privilege matters and will be drafted after the firm is engaged.