Mayor’s office asks to remove Stormwater Utility Fee from Metro Council agenda amid NDA miscommunication
BATON ROUGE – The mayor’s office has requested to remove a controversial Stormwater Utility Fee from the Metro Council’s agenda amid miscommunication surrounding NDAs council members were asked to sign.
Read the statement from Mayor Sharon Weston Broome here:
Today, a series of events have unfolded regarding the City-Parish effort to address compliance issues related to stormwater management. This issue at hand is more complex than a tweet or sound bite.
The truth of the matter is, this is a decades old issue that my administration has sought to resolve. However, we can’t do this alone. The compliance and legal components are addressed in consultation with the Parish Attorney’s office.
My administration has been under their advisement on how to negotiate settlements with the federal government, including the recommendation to enter into a non-disclosure agreement.
As the parish’s chief legal counsel, we rely on the information they provide regarding the details of the NDA and its parties.
Unfortunately, an assessment of that information and that which has come to light today, has led me to the conclusion that I was misinformed regarding the federal involvement related to the NDA.
I want the citizens of Baton Rouge to know that my first option is never to place undue financial burden on them or to be less than transparent.
To that end, I am asking that this matter be removed from the council agenda until we obtain the full facts and that the metropolitan council join me in seeking answers from the parish attorney’s office and staff of the Office of the Mayor-President.
I want to ensure you I have always, and will remain committed to be, honest, open and transparent with the public on any matter relating to City-Parish government.
If the Metro Council decides to keep the Stormwater Utility Fee on the agenda, it will be voted on at the Metro Council meeting Oct. 26.
WBRZ has asked each Metro Council member how they plan to vote on the fee:
District 1: Brandon Noel – Undecided, but leaning no
District 2: Chauna Banks –
District 3: Rowdy Gaudet – Waiting to decide until public meeting Thursday
District 4: Aaron Moak – No
District 5: Darryl Hurst –
District 6: Cleve Dunn –
District 7: LaMont Cole – Undecided, but wants to learn more
District 8: Denise Amoroso – No
District 9: Dwight Hudson – No
District 10: Carolyn Coleman –
District 11: Laurie Adams – No
District 12: Jennifer Racca – No