Mayor, Councilman at Odds Over $250,000 Insurance Fee Payment

Shreveport City Councilman James Flurry talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about the latest developments in Mayor Adrian Perkins plans to pay a $250,000 insurance fee and the council's attempt to block that payment.

Mayor Perkins has made overtures implying that he plans to ignore the previously passed council resolution and make the six figure payment. City Attorney Mekisha Creal says that the mayor has the authority to move ahead, despite the recent ordinance that says the council must approve all of the city's insurance related payments.

More details of the meeting from ktbs.com:

"Another dustup at the Shreveport City Council over the city's new insurance agent. This time it's over a $250,000 service fee to Frost Insurance of Dallas.'

"Some council members believed that after they voted not to pay that fee because of the problems with that agent, Mayor Adrian Perkins paid it anyway. That prompted a testy exchange with District E Councilman James Flurry.'

"'We have to have rules and regulations followed, if we pass them as a council. If we don't, we're the laughing stock in town,' Flurry said.'

"Mayor Perkins responded, 'These people (Frost) rendered services to the city and we owed them.'"

"To which Flurry said, 'We're going to ask for an attorney general's opinion on that, too, because we have a disagreement with you on that.''

"Mayor Perkins' CAO Sherricka Fields Jones says the fee hasn't been paid yet. But she said the administration is uncomfortable witholding it much longer.'

The issue and others related to the Mayor's changes in the city's insurance coverage are expected to come up at Tuesday's (April 23) regularly scheduled council meeting.