UPDATE: The Council votes 4-1 in favor of putting the question on the November ballot. The final vote had Council President Helena Moreno, Council VP JP Morrell, Councilwoman Lesli Harris, and Councilman Joe Giarrusso in support. Councilman Eugene Green voted against it. Councilmen Oliver Thomas and Freddie King were absent.
After much back and forth the New Orleans City Council is expected today to finally hold a full council vote on allowing voters to decide on amending the City Charter to give the Council approval authority over mayoral appointments.
The Council is expected to amend the proposal today to specify that it would extend to the 14 departments mentioned in the City Charter, and give the council power to expand that reach to new departments through ordinances.
The move is opposed by Mayor Latoya Cantrell. At a committee meeting last week her Deputy Chief of Staff Jabari Walker argued the mayor has had to sign over 15 emergency declarations since taking office, and slowing the appointment process could leave the city without leadership in a time of crisis.
“It’s challenging to be in this position from the administration’s side and not have the critical leadership in place,” said Walker.
Council VP JP Morrell, who co-authored the proposal, argued the final charter change will include language giving the mayor the power to appoint an interim department head for up to 120 days.
“If this Council cannot meet within 120 days to confirm someone it probably means that we are in the middle of a nuclear holocaust or a zombie apocalypse,” said Morrell.
The two sparred on a range of issues, including the claim that giving the Council sign-off powers would politicize the process. Walker quoted former Mayor Marc Morial who argued it would turn appointments into a political “circus”, but Morrell countered that all appointments are inherently political.
“We have a crisis in government right now, a crisis of confidence,” said Morrell.
Walker contended the people of New Orleans trust Mayor Cantrell to appoint competent leaders, noting her substantial margin of victory in her recent reelection effort.
“This mayor was recently reelected with over 60%, if there were any issues with a department head they had the ability to select another candidate,” said Walker.
If approved the issue would end up on the November ballot.
