On Nov. 5, East Baton Rouge residents will decide on hundreds of changes to the parish's Plan of Government that was originally enacted in 1949.
In 2017, the Metro City Council appointed a bipartisan committee to study and recommend the changes. The committee included representatives from the Southern University Law Center, the LSU Law School, the NAACP, the Federation of Greater Baton Rouge Civic Associations, and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. Public discussions, delayed by Covid-19, began in 2021 but were initially rejected. Councilman Rowdy Gaudet reintroduced the proposals in March and voted on November's ballot.
Here's what it will say on the ballot:
“Shall the Plan of Government of the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge (the “Plan of Government”) be amended pursuant to Article VI, Section 5 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana and Section 11.09 of the Plan of Government, and be renumbered as necessary, as further described in the Summary of Proposed Amendments to the Plan of Government, which may be reviewed on the official website (http://www.brla.gov/planofgovernment) of the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge or may be obtained from the Council Administrator for the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, and which proposed amendments are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Proposition?”
During a public outreach meeting at the East Baton Rouge Main Public Library, residents expressed confusion and frustration with the wording on the ballot, and the amount of change tucked into a single measure.
“It's very challenging,” said resident Alison Nikitopoulos. “It's hard to say yes to all of it, but to say no to all of it is insane.” Other residents said they “felt tricked.”
Most proposed changes are minor administrative adjustments and updated language, however, a few have had far-reaching implications.
“The amendments are just as important as the mayoral elections,” said resident Edwin Smith, “This library should’ve been filled.”
Mayor’s top staff would be restructured
The amendment would change the title of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), currently held by Dante Bidwell, to City-Parish Manager. Under the existing Plan of Government, the CAO is appointed directly by the Mayor-President. They are considered the mayor’s chief aid and are endowed with a variety of responsibilities, ranging from managing day-to-day city services and community engagement, to policy advising and fostering communication between the Mayor-President and the Metro council.
“The duties have been defined by who is in that seat…there have been some quality people,” said Councilmember Gaudet, who has spearheaded the ballot proposal. “The role changes based on the skill set of the person who is chosen.”
The new title entails narrowing responsibilities into administrating daily services, essentially turning the role into a liaison between city department heads and the Mayor-President.
“They would set metrics, they would set improvements for how the services are delivered,” said Gaudet. “That would be their sole focus and responsibility and they would be reporting to the Mayor-President as they're doing it.”
The change would also require the City-Parish Manager to have at least five years of experience in government and have a relevant bachelor's or master’s degree before approval by the Metro City Council. Though the Mayor-President would no longer have the power to directly appoint someone to the position, they would still have the power to fire them without legislative approval.
Leading mayoral candidates Sharon Weston Broome and Ted James have criticized the proposal, saying it shifts the power of the Mayor-President to the city council. However, Gaudet has said that over 73% of cities with a population of over 2,500 have a similar role and that it adds proper checks and balances to the mayoral office.
“This would take the CAO role and split it into a dedicated manager for the departments, (then) take the policy side and the community engagement, and legislative side and shift those duties to a chief of staff," he said.
Council would set its own salary
If passed, the changes would allow the Metro Council to set its salary through a majority vote by its members. The language in the amendment does not set a ceiling for compensation but rather is restrained within the confines of the city budget, mirroring practices for the U.S Congress outlined in the Constitution.
Councilman Aaron Moak argues the current salary, restricted at $1,000 a month for the part-time job, prevents otherwise qualified individuals from running for office.
Councilwoman Jennifer Racca also said with social media and email, residents have been able to reach the council more frequently than when the Plan of Government was originally enacted.
“All 12 council members put in at least 30 to 50 hours a week,” she said. “I don't need the money, but I know there are council members that do.”
“The people who wrote the original Plan of Government probably knew it wasn’t very wise to have people giving themselves raises,” said a concerned resident.
More time to review city budget
The proposal would also give the Metro Council an additional 47 days to review the city budget proposed by the Mayor-President. The date required for the finance department to submit plans would also be moved up from Nov. 15 to Oct. 15, shrinking the amount of historical data used for forecasts.
“We’re making budget amendments throughout the year,” said Gaudet. “The finance department has agreed this is workable and very doable.”
Other changes
Other notable changes include residency requirements for office holders, and allowing Metro Council to set reporting and qualification requirements for Boards and Commissions that receive taxpayer dollars, including BREC, CATS, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Adjustments.
Gaudet has admitted the language on the ballot is confusing, and it's unclear whether the majority of voters will know about the overhaul to the city’s Plan of Government.
“This very policy-heavy item has not garnered a lot of media attention and public attention,” he said. “It is my intent that it gets out there.”
Gaudet plans to hold additional public meetings from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the following dates.
- Tuesday, Oct. 15: Fairwood Branch Library, 12910 Old Hammond Highway
- Tuesday, Oct. 22: Zachary Branch Library, 1900 Church Street
- Thursday, Oct. 24: Baker Branch Library, 3501 Groom Road
- Monday, Oct. 28: Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Boulevard