Central’s DAiLy NEws CENtRALspEAks.com source CentralSpeaks.com Print Edition • Daily News At CentralSpeaks.com • 16 Pages • Thursday, November 18, 2010 Central WAS NOT Billed for Redaction of Records Jenkins’ Allegations “Reckless, False, & Defamatory,” According to City Attorney In a letter to Mayor Watts dated No- vember 12th, Central City Attorney Sheri Morris responded to an article written by Woody Jenkins in a local newspaper last week. In the article Jenkins claims Ms. Morris’ legal bills to the City “include substantial fees for the time she spent ‘redacting’ her pre- vious bills and then ‘unredacting’ those same bills.” In her letter Ms. Morris, who only last week was reconfi rmed by the City Council as Central’s City Attorney, addresses the entire process undertaken by the City in response to the records request for legal bills. The letter, presented in its entirety below, explains that by law Central’s attor- ney-client privilege must be protected, even in a public records request, and that only the City Council and Mayor can waive that privilege. The letter specifi cally refutes and calls “false” all claims by Jenkins that the City of Central was charged for the “redact- Photo by Expressions Photography ing” or “unredacting” of legal bills. On Veterans Day, the City of Central had its own Veterans Day service at Grace United Pentecostal Church on Ms. Morris asserts that the July and Hooper Road. The Mayor, several Councilmen, and many veterans were present. During the service, the vet- August invoices “refute Mr. Jenkins’ statements.” erans (pictured above) were recognized and honored. Thank you to all of our veterans for serving our country. Dear Mayor Watts: In response to the November 11, 2010, Central City News article sub- "Economic Development City Attorney Rightfully Protects titled “Blacking Out Billing Records Proves Costly for Taxpayers” by Edi- Foundation Needs Central- Just the Facts tor, Woody Jenkins, enclosed please By Dave Freneaux and the attorney, in this case Central's fi nd information to dispute the reck- Council Support" A great deal of controversy has City Attorney, are exempt from Public less, false and defamatory allegations - Wade Giles arisen recently over Public Records Records Requests. published by Mr. Jenkins. Requests. Indeed Louisiana State Law At recent City Council meetings By Dave Freneaux Attached (see page 9) is a chronolo- does provide a mechanism for any citi- Central's Council voted to waive that Wade Giles, President of the Cen- gy showing the relevant events regard- zen to ask for and receive a copy of See Just the Facts, Page 15 tral Economic Development Founda- ing the response to the public records almost all records maintained by the tion, spoke at the Republican Women's request for invoices for legal services City of Central. The recent disagree- meeting in Central on Wednesday. He and related documents. As you can see, ment in the issue is whether ALL re- explained the progress Central has iNDEX Mr. Jenkins’ statement that repeated cords are subject to this Public Re- Calendar 2 schools 8 made in encouraging economic growth requests were necessary for Mr. Man- cords Law. The Public records law in News 3 puzzles 10 nino to obtain copies of the records is suffi cient to support the increasing de- RS 44:4.1 states "The legislature fur- City 4 fun 11 completely false. Mr. Mannino’s re- mands of a growing School System ther recognizes that there exist excep- Business 5 sports 12 quest to inspect records relating to the and City. In 2009 the City of Cen- tions, exemptions, and limitations to service 6 Classifi eds 15 City of Central and the Central Tran- tral hired a consultant, Steve Vasallo, the laws pertaining to public records". sition District were received at City to spearhead Economic Development PRSRT STD One such exception is "Attorney-Cli- Hall on the afternoon of Wednesday, efforts. Mr. Vasallo encouraged the US POSTAGE PAID ent Privilege". Thus, any information July 28, 2010. These requests were creation of the non-profi t Economic GREENWELL SPRINGS, LA for numerous public records, some of relating to discussions between the client, in this case the City of Central, PERMIT NO. 104 See Attorney Fees, Page 7 See Development, Page 15 2 CALENDAR Thursday, November 18, 2010 • CentralSpeaks.com Print Edition BECAUSE OF THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, CentralSpeaks.com THE CENTRALSPEAKS.COM PRINT EDITION 12023 Sullivan Road P.O. Box 78137 WILL BE DIRTIBUTED NEXT WEDNESDAY, City of Central, LA 70818 City of Central, LA 70837 NOVEMBER 24TH INSTEAD OF THURSDAY. Email: [email protected] Phone: (225) 262-3730 Fax: (888) 220-8396 Published Weekly 52 weeks a year Deadline 9 A.M. Wednesdays THURSDAY. 11/18: Publisher: Beth Fussell [email protected] • CHS Key Club “Give Back to the Community” Drive Editor: Dave Freneaux [email protected] • CHS Book Fair, during School Hours in the CHS Library Sales: Holley Lipscomb [email protected] • Greenwell Springs Library Eclectic Book Club, 10:30 AM • Tight Knit Group, 4 PM at Central Library • Children’s Knitting, 5 PM at Central Library NEwspApER pDf oNLiNE thuRsDAy moRNiNgs • Sid Edwards Show, 5-6 PM at Fox’s, on the radio at 1550 AM, and online at www.SportsGumbo.net At www.CENtRALspEAks.Com • Board of Adjustments Meeting, 5 PM at Kristenwood • Planning & Zoning Meeting, 6 PM at Kristenwood Jambalaya Fundraiser for David FRIDAY 11/19: • Full Day of School for CCSS Students- No Early Dismissal Aguillard This Sunday • CHS Key Club “Give Back to the Community” Drive Submitted by Kathie Wilson • Paint-In, 9:30 AM at Magnolia Methodist David Aguillard, St. Alphonsus’s wonderful music teacher and conductor SATURDAY 11/20: at Masses, has been unable to be with us due to illness. He was diagnosed • David Aguillard Fundraiser, until 2 PM at St. Alphonsus with CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy) and is SUNDAY 11/21: • in Our Lady of the Lake Hospital for treatment. The prognosis is good and MONDAY 11/22: we are patiently awaiting his return. The treatment for CIDP is extremely • Core Lane Road Work Begins expensive. A jambalaya sale to help Mr. Aguillard defray the cost has been • CCSS Thanksgiving Holidays scheduled for November 28, 2010 following the 10:00 and 12:00 masses, • Pickleball, 6-9 PM at Lovett Road Park until 2:00 pm at St. Alphonsus Church. The cost is $6.00 per plate. TUESDAY 11/23: We truly appreciate your prayers during this difficult time for Mr. • CCSS Thanksgiving Holidays Aguillard. • Sewing/Quilting Group, 10 AM at Magnolia Methodist • CPS Boys Basketball vs Presbyterian Christian, 1 PM WEDNESDAY, 11/24: • CentralSpeaks.com Distributed • CCSS Thanksgiving Holidays • Waive It Wednesday at All EBR Library Branches THURSDAY. 11/25: • THANKSGIVING • CCSS Thanksgiving Holidays • Banks, City Offices, School Board, and EBR Library Closed Central High Key Club Doing “Give Back to the Community” Drive From the Centrral High School website Home rooms will be collecting canned food and cash donations this week. A portion of the funds will go to the Baton Rouge Food Bank, but the majority will go to Central Community schools so our homeless students will have a brighter holiday season. Please contact Ms. Phenald (mphen- [email protected]) for more details or to donate to this worthy cause. CentralSpeaks.com Print Edition • Thursday, November 18, 2010 NEws 3 Megan Blount and Andrew Barner Married October 22nd DWI Causes Fatal Crash on Blackwater Submitted by David Barrow the road, flipping the truck and hitting CENTRAL – A Zachary man has been a tree. Thomas and his passenger were arrested after State Police said he was partially ejected from the vehicle; in- driving drunk when he flipped his pick- vestigators said they were not wearing up, killing his passenger. seat belts. 36-year-old Todd Thomas was arrest- The passenger, Joseph Nixon of ed Friday night in suspicion of vehicu- Zachary, was declared dead at the lar homicide and DWI after the wreck scene, while Thomas was taken to Earl on Blackwater Road near Blackwater K. Long Hospital with serious injuries. Methodist Church. He was also seri- The driver was not wearing a seatbelt. ously injured in the crash. He will be booked into the East Baton Investigators said Thomas was driv- Rouge Parish jail after being released ing his pickup at a high rate of speed from the hospital. when he missed a left turn and went off CORRECTION: In the November 11th print issue of CentralSpeaks.com, the updated Chamber of Com- merce Board of Directors was pictured. Lori Johnson (of Whitney Bank) was misnamed under the photo- graph. Our apologies for the error. Submitted by Sheila Trahan Megan Kathleen Blount, formerly of Walker, and Adam Ford Barner, formerly of Central were married in Clackamas County, Oregon by Judge Brisban on Friday, October 22, 2010. Megan is the daughter of Curtis and Debbie Blount of Walker. She is the granddaughter of Boyd and Lois Blount, and the late James and Maryjane Schwartz. Megan is a graduate of Walker High School and Aveda Institute. Adam is the son of Rodney Barner of Slaughter, and Sheila and Marion Trahan of Central. He is the grandson of the late Florence and Dolly Barn- er, and the late Arnold and Patsy Ford of Baton Rouge. Adam is a graduate of Starkey Academy and attended Baton Rouge Community College. The couple is presently residing in Oregon City, Oregon. 4 City Thursday, November 18, 2010 • CentralSpeaks.com Print Edition Central’s Sales Tax Revenue Part of Core Lane Closed Next Week Higher than Projected Submitted by David Barrow Submitted by David Barrow Next week, Core Lane will be closed for road work from Joor Road to Northeast Central, LA – Monthly sales taxes in the city of Central continue to come in high- Drive.