Commissioners will consider, among other things, how many members should serve on separate city and parish councils, and whether the city of Lafayette should have its own mayor and, likewise, whether a separate parish government should be administered by a parish president or a parish manager. The Lafayette Charter Commission on Monday will mull options for what will be its ultimate recommendations for a parishwide referendum. Commissioners will consider how many members should serve on separate city and parish councils, and whether the city of Lafayette should have its own mayor and, likewise, whether a separate parish government should be administered by a parish president or a parish manager.
Commissioners will also discuss whether voters should be presented with a single proposal concerning a separate government structure or a multiple-choice ballot. In addition, the agenda calls for discussion about seeking more time for deliberations from the City-Parish Council. Currently, the commission has until April 21 to make its recommendation, which will go to directly to voters after the council sets an election date.
The CPC is scheduled to vote on an introductory ordinance Tuesday granting the commission more time, although passage of the ordinance is anything but assured; District 2 Councilman Jay Castille, who was council chair when the commission was created, has already indicated he will vote against an extension, and Councilmen Jared Bellard and William Theriot are likely to vote against an extension since the commission's work is headed in a direction - deconsolidation - they've openly opposed.