LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Parish Council Chairman Josh Carlson informed the parish council on Tuesday that since LCG is a home-rule chartered government, they do not have to follow the state statute on structuring boards and commissions. Carlson says that’s the legal advice he received. 

Therefore, Carlson held off on a proposed ordinance giving him the Mayor-President’s one-member appointment power in accordance with a state statute. He says the indefinite deferment is because he learned LCG as a home-rule chartered government can change that as well. “We can create; we don’t have to follow the state statute when we form boards and commissions. We can kind of create our own rules and decide our own structure,” Carlson said.

Carlson now plans to propose that the entire parish council, as one body, be given the Mayor-President’s appointment power along with their current right to appoint the remaining seven board members. If approved, the parish council will decide who serves on the library board of control. “It’s the parish council as a whole; that way you have a wider range of representation being appointed by the parish council. It’s not just one person unilaterally making an appointment to the board,” Carlson added

He stated that “there was a lot of thought that the only reason I was bringing this up was that I personally wanted to have more control over the library board of control and nothing can be further from the truth.”

Carlson is also proposing that the people who are on the board remain, except for the Mayor-President’s appointment. He says next month he will ask the board to drop from eight members to seven to help prevent a 4-4 tie vote.

Carlson also explains that having an odd number board is the best practice. 

LCG released a statement to News 10.

“For several years, over the course of multiple councils and multiple administrations, it has been interpreted that the state law outlining the Library Board of Control composition provided for one of the appointments to be made by the Parish President. However, upon closer examination recently, it appears that the state law intended the appointment to be made by the Parish Chair, meaning the Chair of the Parish Council. The proposed ordinance would merely clarify the appointment of the position to be consistent with state law.”

LCG’s CAO Cydra Wingerter