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Louisiana Supreme Court rules Livingston Parish violated open meeting law in tourism board case
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LIVINGSTON - The Livingston Parish Government is on the hook for thousands of dollars in legal fees after a decision by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
A lawsuit was filed against the Livingston Parish government and council member Joseph Erdey back in May of 2024.
A former board member of the Livingston Parish Convention and Tourism Board, Harold Marcell Parker Jr., filed the suit with claims that the council violated the state's open meeting law during two council meetings in March of 2024, in an effort to remove him from the tourism board.
He cites the wording of the agenda item and the executive session that took place before the vote as the violations.
The courts ruled in favor of Parker, stating the council violated open meeting laws when it addressed his removal in executive session. Court documents also state that the agenda item Parker referred to did not provide "reasonable specificity" as required by state law.
That ruling also ordered councilman Erdey and the parish government to pay Parker's fees. Erdey filed an appeal.
The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that the Livingston Parish government is now solely responsible for Parker's attorney fees totaling $37,042.
Some residents question why the payout has to come from the parish government.
"It's the parish footing the bill, but it's all of us that's footing the bill, sitting in this beautiful park right now, we can use that money for something here. $38,000 or whatever the settlement may be, it could be $500 or whatever, that could go towards the community, that's what it's for," Livingston Parish resident Tyler Simmons said.
On Friday, Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte released a statement that read, "The case centered on alleged violations of open meetings law, specifically related to agenda language and the use of executive session. Under our Home Rule Charter, those matters fall within the responsibilities of the Parish Council."
Delatte went on to write that "as the executive branch, our role is to ensure the parish meets its legal obligations, and we will comply with the Court’s decision. We understand that situations like this raise valid concerns, especially when taxpayer dollars are involved. "
He also shared that his administration will work with the Council to ensure that processes are fully compliant with state law moving forward.
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