the gannett/town talk's tom bonnette files an interesting story today. (see link) apparently, city of alexandria, la. mayor jacques roy was at a meeting this past monday (14 april 2008) of the lower third neighborhood watch/concerned citizens organization where he gave a power point presentation on something called a "strategic proposal for alexandria pineville redevelopment corporation" or sparc.
according to mr. bonnette sparc concerns "the creation of a cooperative endeavor agreement between the two cities (alexandria, la. and pineville, la.) for developing the shores of the red river."
so sometime after mondays meeting another meeting to discuss the sparc was scheduled for wednesday between mayor roy, mayor fields and a town talk reporter whom we must assume was mr. bonnette. sometime on wednesday the town talk filed a public records request to the city of alexandria for "a copy of all PowerPoint presentations prepared for Monday's meeting and any itinerary of meetings between Roy and Fields concerning a partnership between Alexandria and Pineville for development along the Red. All written communication between Roy and Fields, including e-mails, about such a partnership also was requested."
so then, according to mr. bonnette, mayor roy canceled the wednesday meeting. mr. bonnette writes "Roy said he did not cancel the meeting with Fields, only with the reporter. However, no meeting between Roy and Fields took place at the time originally scheduled, with Roy citing a scheduling conflict."
a little further down mr. bonnette writes that "Slides from PowerPoint presentations Roy has given at previous public meetings attended by the media were shown Tuesday to Fields, Roy said."
so on monday mayor roy gave his sparc presentation, then a meeting between pineville, la. mayor fields a town talk reporter and mayor roy was scheduled for wednesday. on tuesday the mayor gave his presentation to mayor fields - presumably so that they would have their story straight for wednesday's meeting with a reporter. then after the town talk filed a public records request on wednesday in anticipation of the meeting set for later that day, the mayor cancels his meeting with the reporter but not the other mayor but the meeting with the other mayor doesnt come about because mayor roy said it was because of a "scheduling conflict."
all this maneuvering isnt all that important its just more of the same ol same ol with the ultra secretive jacques roy administration and we're sure that the mayor will have another couple of thousand words explanation.
what needs to be investigated and what looks like the alexandria mayor wasnt up to answering questions on, is just what is this sparc designed to do and who benefits? notice that its a "corporation."
quoting from mr. bonnette's story: "Both mayors said that no decision had been made on who would be asked to be a part of SPARC if the plan is adopted, but Roy said he likes the idea of both private citizens and government officials making up the commission." emphasis added.
this sounds like another fat-cat get richer-quicker scam, repleat with all the same old gang that already sits on all the other boards and commissions around here. all interlocking and working together to benefit their and their friends businesses and interests.
its beginning to become a little bit clearer why the mayor and his crew are so adamantly opposed to rep. herbert dixon's tif bill.
