Thanks, Shreveport City Council, for the notice

Just wanted to give props to your City Council for doing the right thing last week.

Office worker Eric Whitt (who sits at the council office front desk and often answers phone calls) is quitting to move on to another job in the Dallas area, I'm told. So the council and staff decided to take him to lunch on Friday.

And since there was a chance that could mean a quorum at the noon gathering, clerk Arthur Thompson sent public notice. I didn't crash the party, but I could have since council staff fulfilled the law. I don't hear too often of local government boards meeting without giving notice, but I do hear when they gather two-by-two, which technically means they don't have to inform us. (And that us means you and me, not just journalists.)

Now, the next question is how much did lunch cost us taxpayers?

Good luck in The Metroplex, Eric.

Read more here about Louisiana open meetings law.

Lagniappe from LSU-S student's City Council announcement

Folks were probably expecting some follow up from Mayor Cedric Glover' re-election party last night. Unfortunately I couldn't attend because of a death in my family.

But I did want to offer a little from Tuesday's City Council announcement gathering for LSU-S student Deanna Candler. It was at Catina Laredo on Youree Drive. She works there.

A possible alliance worth noting: fellow Republican Ron Webb attended.

Candler is the second announced candidate for Bryan Wooley's District D seat. Michael Corbin is the other.

Mayoral re-election invite I almost missed

 Glover and wife, Veronica Glover, at the April re-election event.

Just when I thought Mayor Cedric Glover forgot to invite me to his official re-election party, which is Thursday, I got an e-mailed press release this afternoon. Granted, that's about a week after at least one other reporter received this (nicely designed, I might add) mailed invitation.

The "Jazz & Jambalaya" event is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Barnwell Garden & Arts Center downtown. Shreveporters are invited, according to the news release, for free food and drinks. And that'll be paid for by the Cedric B. Glover Campaign Committee. Parking, also at no charge, is available at the city garage across Clyde Fant Parkway from Barnwell and next to Sci-Port: Louisiana's Discovery Center. The campaign also will pay for shuttle service.

Burnadine Anderson, who put in quite a few years talking to the media for Caddo schools, is Glover's campaign coordinator. (She's retired.) Anderson's also sitting as a "citizen" on the mayor's airport task force.

Michael Corbin, director at Barnwell, is running for City Council District D. He also sells life insurance. Barnwell has had a Thursday night jazz concert series this summer.

If you'll remember, Glover already announced his campaign back in April. That meeting was billed as a big announcement for Mardi Gras, but what was offered was a vague promise to keep Carnival celebrations in Shreveport. No other local politicians are really pushing to send the parades back to Bossier City. That was one of many highlights he listed among accomplishments since winning an office on Government Plaza's second floor.

So we'll see what tomorrow and the rest of election season brings. Candidates qualify (i.e. officially register) to run next week. That's when we see who's serious.

Outtakes on last trash truck meeting, and looking forward

Worker Kevin Colins, works in the 6100 block of Ambleside Drive on June 21st.
Jim Hudelson/The Times

I got a little tied up last week, so please forgive the time away from blogging. (See my oil spill story for part of the distraction.)

So the Shreveport City Council's new committee on solid waste meets again tomorrow. On the agenda: financing the $2.4 million purchase of 15 garbage packers, plus the timeline in which Shreveport can get that done. (That's at 2 p.m. in the first-floor conference room at Government Plaza.)

Council chair Joyce Bowman has pledged to get workers in newer vehicles (with air conditioning) by next month.

Beyond trash collection logistics and employee issues, the most intriguing parts of last week's dialogue

According to Councilman Monty Walford, though, the city can't continue that way much longer. With a minimal monthly fee of $2.50 to the 60,000 or customers, Shreveport could replace about 12 trucks a year. The vehicles in use now are at least five years old. And they're worn out, officials and workers say.

Walford knows, though, that adding a fee is a tough political fight. Councilman Joe Shyne put that in perspective in asking Walford thinks the fee should start.

"Bryan is running for mayor," Shyne said. "I'm running for re-election. I'm just trying to be practical." (Bryan is Councilman Wooley, of course.)

Interestingly, Bossier City uses Shreveport's trash services and charges a lot more, comparatively. That city receives $16 a month, via water bills.

So what are your thoughts?

Announced mayoral candidate promotes Libertarian meeting

In case you missed it, here is announced Shreveport mayoral candidate Parker Ward's most recent letter to the editor.

Essentially, Ward says, the Caddo Parish Libertarian party is organizing. It will meet at 6 p.m. June 28 at El Chico on Greenwood Road.

Previously, Ward has written about the U.S. being a republic vs. a democracy and given some observations on local politics, for instance: "Our leaders are elected to serve everyone and not just those who voted for them. I am one who believes they should listen to the majority public opinion of the people in their district."

Ward also expressed his support in 2008 for Chester T. "Catfish" Kelley in the Congressional race against now-Rep. John Fleming. Kelley, owner of Catfish Landing restaurant, provided Ward with free food and a venue for his candidacy announcement. That's something Kelley said he offers once to any local political candidate.

Staffer quits Mayor Cedric Glover's office

I'm back on the job in Shreveport after spending most of last week reporting on the  Gulf oil spill.  Honestly, it feels in many ways like I never left. This blog entry details one of the dozen or so City Hall-related phone calls or texts I fielded while in south Louisiana.

As posted on my Twitter feed, Chloe Haygood, assistant to Mayor Cedric Glover, has quit. Her last day was June 18. She is getting married in August and plans to move to New Orleans, where her fiance lives, after her wedding.

Haygood said in a phone call that she still believes in Glover's mission and abilities. She campaigned for him in 2006, so she's put in a good four years. She said she needs the next few months to focus on getting her new life in order.

Much of Haygood's official work focused on community groups and events. She oversaw Glover's summer internship programs, for instance. I use "official" because duties often overlap in the mayor's office.

More background on Haygood:

• Ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 electiStaffer quits Mayor Cedric Glover's officeon against incumbent Willie Burton for the seat in Caddo School Board District 3.
• Daughter of Carolyn Jones, among the first black students to integrate Shreveport's white public schools. Granddaughter of the Rev. E.E. Jones, a civil rights leader and pastor of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church.
• In 2008 – the most recent year I’ve got information at my fingertips – her salary was about $78,000.

And follow this link to watch a video about the role of Haygood's family in the Civil Rights Movement.

Former Shreveport Fire Chief Cochran to leave federal post

Caught this Atlanta Journal Constitution article on Shreveport native and former Fire Chief recently. Kelvin Cochran left that city's top fire post for the nations pinnacle in firefighting.

But he'll be returning to Atlanta soon. We don't have many more details besides that. It'll be interesting to see those.