Special Monroe City Council Meeting Called, I-20 Board Explodes in Controversy

The heretofore secret machinations of the Interstate 20 Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors – and who gets to serve on that board – has exploded into public view.

A special meeting of the Monroe City Council has been called for Noon, Monday, 6/3/13, to appoint three members to the I-20 board, and to change the bylaws to prevent controversial Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo from removing members after their appointment.

See here the agenda.

To be reappointed are City Council Chair Eddie Clark (District 5), and Charles Theus. A new appointment by District 1’s Ray Armstrong is Monroe attorney Mike Rhymes. Rhymes was the former Personnel Manager for Monroe.

After last Tuesday’s meeting of the council that saw appointment of Clark and Ernest Johnson to the I-20 board, Mayo summarily removed Clark and Charles Theus from the board. Theus had been recently appointed by District Three’s Betty Blakes.

See here news reports of Mayo’s action:

I-20 board shake up
I-20 board membership in flux

The controversy comes amid reports of an FBI investigation of the non-profit corporation, and after this reporter was blocked from attending a meeting of the group last week.

Lincoln Parish News Online (LPNO) today filed a complaint with Fourth Judicial (Morehouse, Ouachita Parishes) District Attorney Jerry Jones asking that he investigate whether the board’s meetings are subject to the state’s Open Meetings Law. Per LA RS 42:25, district attorneys are responsible for enforcing the provisions of that law.