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Baker council accepts finding that city attorney may be paid but must re-register to seek reappointment
Summary
The City Council accepted a finding that the city attorney is licensed and eligible for pay but would not qualify for reappointment unless he changes his voter registration back to the City of Baker; the council voted to accept the recommendation and set an employment status limit through June 30.
The City of Baker Council voted to accept a council finding that the city attorney is a licensed lawyer eligible to be paid for services but would not be qualified for reappointment unless he changed his voter registration back to Baker.
The decision followed a written statement read at the start of the meeting and a report the council said it had received from a contact at the Louisiana Department of Justice. The council then voted to accept the council’s recommendation.
The council’s statement said in part: “the city attorney owed no money to the city. He was licensed and practiced in law and fulfilling duties and, therefore, eligible to receive pay for his services.” The statement also said the attorney’s change of voter registration “limited him from seeking another appointment” and that he would not be eligible for reappointment “unless he… changed his voter registration back to the city of Baker.” The statement added that the opinion the council received described the matter as a charter rule rather than a legal malfeasance issue and advised the mayor and council that the charter—rather than state criminal law—governs the reappointment question.
After the statement the council considered a motion to accept the recommendation. A motion to accept the council’s finding (moved by Gunn; seconded by Benson) passed when the council called the roll: District 5 — yes; District 4 — yes; District 2 — yes; District 1 — yes. The council’s statement also said the city attorney may continue in his current position “until June 30.”
During public comment, a resident (Dr. Tony, 931 Hudson St.) asked the council to open a formal investigation into the eligibility of the city prosecutor, identifying voter registration and homestead-exemption records and citing sections of the charter. Dr. Tony said in part: “Section 2 dash 1 2 2 of the Charter clearly mandates that the city prosecutor must be a licensed attorney and a qualified voter of the city of Baker.” He asked the council to initiate an investigation under charter provisions he cited and to consider removal and recovery of compensation if the charter were found to be violated.
Mayor and council members responded in the meeting record that the prosecutor is a contractor paid by contract and not a civil-service employee, and that, per the council’s reading, the issue raised was a charter matter rather than a criminal law violation. The mayor said contractors are engaged by contract when no qualified city resident attorney is available and reiterated that the council’s earlier statement and the council vote reflect the council’s view of the matter.
No formal removal or further investigatory action was recorded at this meeting; the council’s formal action recorded here was acceptance of the council’s finding and the vote described above.
The council’s discussion and the public comments are on the record; residents asked for formal investigations and possible removal, while the council characterized the matter as a charter eligibility question to be handled administratively.
