LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - The Lafayette Parish School Board wants to bring on a private law firm as its legal counsel. But Superintendent Pat Cooper wants the board to address several concerns he has about how they handled the matter.
Last fall, the board voted to discontinue using the district attorney’s office as its legal counsel. Since then, the board has appointed Hammonds, Sills, Adkins and Guice as its interim general counsel.
Cooper tells The Advertiser (https://bit.ly/1iyTWbg ) he believes the board violated two of its policies during the process that include dismissing the DA’s office and naming Hammonds and Sills as the temporary replacement. Cooper said Robert’s Rules of Order require boards to have at least a two-thirds vote to change its policy, which he said never occurred.
“I’m just asking them to follow the procedures,” Cooper said.
Cooper added that he thinks the board’s actions also may violate a state law that addresses the use of district attorneys as counsel for parish boards, as well as the Act I law, which gives superintendents broad authority over district matters. Act I is still being challenged in the court system, but the state Supreme Court has yet to give a final ruling.
Cooper said he plans to put the item on Wednesday’s agenda.
Beasley said the board did nothing wrong in its selection of Hammonds and Sills.
I feel that we did follow the procedures correctly. The attorney general doesn’t need a resolution. (District Attorney) Mike Harson feels we have gone through the proper channels,” Beasley said. “Our attorney is Hammonds and Sills. The board voted on it.”
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Information from: The Advertiser, https://www.theadvertiser.com
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