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Harahan council approves ordinance requiring monthly reports from regulatory departments
Summary
An ordinance requiring monthly written reporting from regulatory departments — with the mayor or a designee able to present results — passed unanimously; council members discussed frequency and potential quarterly in‑person presentations.
The Harahan City Council on July 17 approved an ordinance that requires monthly reporting to the council from regulatory departments, including code enforcement and other departments that handle enforcement and quality‑of‑life matters.
Councilman Asville, the ordinance sponsor, told the council he wanted “a more thorough report from the regulatory department about enforcement actions that have been either started, enforced, where they're at in the process,” and said the new Chief Building Official (CBO) should be able to track and deliver the information.
Council members debated whether reports should be delivered in person every month or take the form of written summaries with periodic in‑person updates. Several council members favored a monthly written report with a quarterly or bi‑monthly in‑person appearance from department heads so the council and public could ask questions. The ordinance as written permits the mayor or the mayor’s designee to present required reports.
The council approved the ordinance on a 5‑0 vote. Several members said the requirement could later be amended to include additional departments — such as the fire and recreation departments — and that they would propose follow‑up ordinances to expand the reporting requirement.
Council members said the new reporting requirement should increase transparency for residents and give councilors the information they need to make budget and enforcement decisions. The ordinance passed with an explicit directive that the mayor’s office and the new code staff organize the report format and scheduling.
The council asked for monthly written summaries to begin after the new CBO has had time to prepare a regular reporting format; some members said they expected initial reporting in one to two months.
