(The Center Square) – Caddo Parish commissioners could revisit the time of their regular meetings after residents complained Monday that the current 3:30 p.m. schedule makes it difficult for working people to attend.
Two residents raised the issue during public comment, saying afternoon meeting times limit public participation.
Matt Alexander told commissioners the current schedule prevents many residents from attending and urged the board to amend its meeting schedule.
“The people need to require more of their elected officials and elected officials need to do right by the people,” Alexander said. “Just let the people that run the city come to the meetings and you’ll hear more from them than you’re able to hear from me.”
Mark Black also criticized the 3:30 p.m. meeting time, saying it is inaccessible to people who work traditional hours.
“Public access to government meetings is a prerequisite for good government,” Black said. “The meeting times need to be set to allow for this public input and for public accessibility.”
Later in the meeting, Commissioner John-Paul Young pointed to three upcoming public meetings on the parish’s proposed sports complex, all scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Young asked Administrator Erica Bryant why that time had been selected.
“We picked a time that we felt was convenient to citizens to attend,” Bryant said.
Young responded that 5:30 p.m. appeared to be a convenient time for public attendance, then asked Parish Attorney Donna Frazier whether the Parish Commission could change its regular meeting schedule from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the current year.
Frazier said she would need to research whether commissioners could make the change immediately.
She said the commission had previously adopted a resolution establishing its meeting schedule and that a bylaws amendment might only apply to the following year.
Young asked her to look into the issue.
“We’ve just had several members of the community, two members of the community, say that people can’t come to these meetings because they’re during work hours,” Young said.
He said a former commissioner had repeatedly proposed moving meetings to 5:30 p.m., but those efforts failed.
“It would be good for us to know whether we can meet at a time that’s convenient for public attendance,” Young said.
