INDReporter

There's an app for that: CPC seeks charter commish members

by Walter Pierce

The Lafayette City-Parish Council has begun accepting applications for the recently created charter commission.

The Lafayette City-Parish Council has begun accepting applications for the recently created charter commission that will be tasked with reviewing and recommending changes or repeal of the Lafayette Home Rule Charter.

Nine appointments will be made to the commission: seven by the CPC, four of whom must be residents of the city of Lafayette and the other three residents of unincorporated Lafayette Parish; two commission member appointed by the CPC must be members of a minority race - one from the group of city residents and one from the group of non-city residents. City-Parish President Joey Durel will make the other two appointments to the commission - one city resident and one resident from unincorporated Lafayette Parish.

Applicants must submit résumés to council Clerk Norma Dugas, who says she has already fielded inquiries from interested residents. "I've had more so questions than sending in the résumés, but I think now that this notice is going out we'll start getting some," Dugas says. Résumés will be accepted until noon, Tuesday, May 18.

District 7 Councilman Don Bertrand told The Independent recently that he has already had several of his constituents approach him about serving on the commission, which is on a voluntary, unpaid basis.

According to LCG, elected officials, employees of consolidated government or persons with a contractual relationship with LCG are barred from serving on the commission. Members, however, will not be required to submit financial disclosure forms required of elected officials and most people who serve on official boards in Louisiana. "Our city attorney seems to believe that that will not apply to this commission," Dugas adds.

Résumés can me mailed to Dugas at P.O. Box 4017-C, Lafayette, LA, 70502. For further information, call 291-8810.