Mayor Tyrin Truong Exercises First Veto, Rejects Ordinance to Assume Private Retention Pond

Bogalusa, LA (September 20, 2023)— Mayor Tyrin Truong flexed his executive power by issuing his first-ever veto on an ordinance that would have allowed the City of Bogalusa to assume maintenance responsibilities for a private retention pond located off Marshall Richardson Road. Citing concerns over an already overwhelmed public works department, Mayor Tyrin Truong expressed his reservations, asserting that taking ownership of the overgrown property was not in the city's best interest. It is unclear at this time if the city council will attempt to override the veto.

"Public works is already overwhelmed," Mayor Tyrin Truong emphasized during the council meeting. "Taking ownership of an overgrown property is not in the best interest of our city at this time. We already have too much infrastructure to keep up—the goal should be to reduce properties we have to manage, not increase. Especially when the public does not benefit from the City taking ownership. This is a prime example of the well-connected trying to benefit from public resources. An ordinary citizen wouldn't be able to donate their unwanted property for the city to maintain."

The veto comes after a contentious evening at the city council meeting, where various votes and discussions took center stage. One notable incident was the council's decision to table an employee handbook presented by the Administration at the request of the Louisiana Legislative Auditors.

Councilwoman Gloria Kates initiated the motion to table the handbook, arguing that department heads should have the opportunity to review it. One key point of contention in the handbook was the reduction in the amount of vacation hours employees could roll over. Currently, city officials and employees can roll over unlimited amounts of sick and vacation time, resulting in substantial payouts that have raised concerns among state auditors.

Members of the administration, including Meagan Walker, Assistant Director of Administration, defended the handbook, asserting that the responsibility for crafting such documents typically falls on the Human Resources Department and the executive, which, in this case, would be the Mayor.

Mayor Tyrin Truong, who joined the meeting remotely from Washington D.C., expressed his view that department heads ultimately report to him. "Their job is not to dictate the handbook's terms. The city council's job is to protect the city, and I think some council members need to rethink their stances when it comes to protecting the city."

Despite the mayor's objections, the council voted in favor of tabling the handbook. Mayor Truong remained resolute in his stance, emphasizing that this decision was about fiscal management and the well-being of Bogalusa's taxpayers. "It is astounding that the city council continues to do what is best for special interests, the good ole boys, and cronies who want to keep the city down," he asserted. "This is about being more fiscally conservative with city resources. As a city of 10,500, we cannot afford to continue to pay out employees $70,000+ upon exit. It is not good for business, and it is not good for the taxpayers of Bogalusa."

In another development, the council deliberated on a $560,000 grant awarded to the administration for repaving sidewalks and installing a bike lane along Avenue B, stretching from Goodyear Park to the Bogalusa Sports Complex. While the funding ultimately passed, Council President Kenny Kellis cast a dissenting vote against receiving the grant.

The night ended with the council pulling an ordinance authorizing Brennan's Vending to operate an ATM at City Hall. This debate has been a months-long snafu between the council and administration. Members of the council, led by Councilman Mark Irvine, District E, alleged that the RFP process was not done correctly and that City Hall does not need an ATM, despite previously being in favor of an ATM.

City Clerk, Shanda Hines, chimed in during the meeting stating that citizens are "caught in the middle" and are suffering due to the unavailability of an ATM when trying to pay water bills, as has been standard for years. Councilman Irvine inferred that the Administration was "bogging down the council's agenda" and should follow state law. According to emails obtained by the Bogalusa Tribune sent to the City by Paul Holmes from LaMATS, a state organization that advises municipalities, "...the ATM agreement should be presented asking for an approved motion for the mayor to proceed to sign and implement the agreement." Based upon the email, it appears the Administration is operating within the parameters of state law. It is worth noting that Mr. Irvine is employed by the Genco family via Genco's Amusement, potentially presenting a conflict of interest and setting the stage for questions about ethics.

"The entire reason we are in this position is because the original ATM owned by Mr. Bryan Genco was not paying the City anything. ATMs use electricity and internet service. Gone are the days of people profiting off of City Hall at the expense of the taxpayers. Certain council members are now stating that we don't need an ATM but were perfectly fine with having one when their boss benefitted. I am not active in Requests for Proposals, members of the RFP committee choose based on who offers the City the most. Mr Brennan agreed to pay us $1 per transaction, while Mr. Genco proposed paying the City nothing for the first 50 transactions. We only have about 30 users per month so I'll let the citizens do the math," Mayor Truong stated.

The city council meeting showcased a range of perspectives and contentious debates as Bogalusa grapples with decisions that will shape its future. Mayor Tyrin Truong's exercise of his veto power underscored his commitment to what he believes is in the best interest of the city and its residents.