Boucher: City Needs to 'Move Swiftly' on Lawsuit Payment Solution

Councilman Grayson Boucher talks about the upcoming council session to address how Shreveport will cover the cost of two lawsuits, which resulted in decisions against the city totaling about $9 million.

Boucher begins by saying that, since the suits may be appealed or a settlement negotiated, his responses to some questions may, for legal reasons, be limited.

"We had some emergency work done on some water and sewer projects," he says, referring to the hiring of two firms, Yor-Wic Construction and Pulley Construction, "And there were some procedures that were not necessarily followed. Today we're going to (those) in a public meeting where the public can have a little more information."

Both Pulley and Yor-Wic had sued the city of earlier this year after the companies claimed they hadn't been paid. The city and the companies reached an agreement in late September and the judgements against the city, including court costs and legal fees, was in excess of $9 million.

And Boucher says the council seems ready to put together a plan. "I believe we have to," he says, "I don't think there's really much of a choice. I can't say how the other council members will vote, but if we have judgements out there, we need to move swiftly."