MOTION

This Commission was legally created to be an independent and non-political public body. We,
as Commissioners, are legally and duty bound to follow the Louisiana Open Meetings Law and
all rules associated with the civil service system, including the selection process for
Commissioners, which is found in Civil Service Rule II, §§ 1.3-1.4 and article X, § 4 of the
Louisiana Constitution.
In reviewing the events leading up to the City Council’s October 1, 2020 appointment of the
Dillard nominee to this Commission in light of applicable Louisiana law and our own Rules, this
Commission is not confident we can legally seat the person chosen by the City Council.
Therefore, we must take action to ensure that what we do now in regard to the Dillard nominee
and what we do in the future as to other Commission nominees is legally proper.
Accordingly, I move to authorize the Commission’s counsel to evaluate and pursue legal avenues
to ensure that the constitutionally mandated process in article X, § 4 of the Louisiana
Constitution and Civil Service Rule II for the selection of a new commissioner was followed.
These avenues include, but are not limited to
1) Communicate with the Executive Counsel for the City Council to propose a joint
agreement to pursue an Attorney General opinion on the legality of the process followed
by the City Council
OR
2) Seek an Attorney General opinion on behalf of the Commission alone regarding the
legality of the process followed by the City Council
AND/OR
3) Research and pursue other legal avenues available to the Commission to ensure that we
are confident we are not violating the law by seating the October 1, 2020 appointed
Dillard nominee, given the process that was followed leading to that appointment.