KTBS 3 News | Shreveport, LA: ArkLaTex News - Councilman to colleague: Comments about mayor out of line

Posted: Nov 3, 2009 9:40 PM
Updated: Nov 4, 2009 10:09 AM

A Bossier City councilman on Tuesday scolded one of his colleagues for his disparaging comments about Mayor Lorenz Walker's handling of the city budget and his decision to lay off nearly 90 city employees.

Two weeks ago, Councilman Jeff Darby said he felt Walker had deceived the council about the condition of the city's finances, which only recently was told that the city was looking at a $6.5 million deficit and layoffs mostly affecting police and firefighters were planned. Darby called layoffs a form of "crime and punishment."

Councilman Tim Larkin on Tuesday said he felt Darby "crossed the line of dignity and decorum" when he attacked the "reputation and character of the mayor." Larkin apologized to the mayor, saying Darby's comments should have been made in a private meeting.

Darby was in the council meeting but did not respond to Larkin. Walker also did not address the controversy.

The City Council meeting came after a five-day period in which a tornado hit northwest Bossier City and residents in northeast Bossier City had worried that rain-swollen Red Chute Bayou would flood them out.

The council also delayed a decision on a proposed ordinance that would reduce the number of billboards in Bossier City. Its part of an effort to reduce "visual clutter."

The Metropolitan Planning Commission, City Council and outdoor advertisers have been trying to reach a compromise. The biggest point of contention is a proposal that would require advertisers to remove five billboards in order to build one new digital billboard. The council couldn't agree on new rules on Tuesday and sent it back to the MPC for more work.

Neutral + − !

Southern guy at Nov 4th 2009 2:45 AM

billboards aside,I cannot believe no one is questioning the strong arm tactics of Bossiers Mayor about the police and fireman layoffs.Why does the mayor feel he needs a raise at the expense of the citys policemen and firemen???????Yall are nuts!

worried about our city at Nov 4th 2009 9:19 AM

Southern guy, many citizens are questioning the mayor and the council about the layoffs. The problem is that at every city council meeting, so far, the public has not been allowed to speak of the layoffs and have been dismissed if they tried to speak. The city council is trying to strong arm the citizens at their meetings. It is an outrage that these people "elected" by the citizens of Bossier City are acting in the arrogant manner that they are. I am appalled that Larkin made the speech that he made at today's meeting. Darby was the first councilman to give any of these policemen and firemen a glimmer of hope. These men and women have been working around the clock since the storms last week for a mayor that plans to lay them off at the end of the year. I'm so glad the mayor has felt the need to ride around town in his little baseball cap since the storms and "look" at everything going on. This mayor is a joke and I will be so disappointed in the council if they allow this to happen. I wonder if they would be willing to personally speak to the children of these men and women that are being layed off, and explain to them why they want be able to have Christmas this year. I want my son at the front of the line to hear their explanation.