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Commission deadlocks on proposed records‑access policy for commissioners
Summary
An ordinance to create an internal records‑access policy for commissioners—allowing direct requests to port administration rather than filing public‑records requests—failed after an amendment to direct requests to the executive director instead of port staff was voted down in a 4‑4 tie.
The Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District debated an ordinance intended to establish a policy on access to port records by commissioners. Legal counsel explained how Louisiana public‑records law, confidentiality and attorney‑client privilege apply and how an internal policy might exempt commissioners from the public‑records request process in some circumstances.
Commissioner McCarty argued commissioners should have direct access to information needed to make decisions and proposed an amendment to replace references to "port staff" with "port executive director," so commissioners would request records from the executive director directly. "We are the governing authority, and the reason I'm doing this is because we need information in order to make decisions," Commissioner McCarty said.
Other commissioners urged caution and adherence to the public records process. "I don't wanna be one of them," Commissioner Champagne said, arguing elected officials should follow the same public‑records procedures as constituents. Legal counsel noted certain records (medical, privileged attorney‑client materials) remain protected and explained that privilege extends to commissioners as part of the governing authority.
The commission voted on the offered changes (the amendment replacing port staff with executive director); the transcript records the vote failing with four yeas and four nays, and the ordinance did not pass as offered.
Why this matters: the measure would have changed how commissioners obtain records and could alter internal procedures for accessing potentially sensitive or privileged documents; commissioners split over convenience for oversight versus maintaining standard public records procedures.
Next steps: the ordinance failed on the recorded vote; commissioners discussed retrieving prior resolutions and reviewing how responsibilities were previously allocated between the port and civil service. Legal counsel and staff will follow up to provide clarity on privileges and the existing public records framework.
