Welcome everybody to special Metropolitan Council meeting these Federal's Paris Thursday, April 30th, 2026.

We're going to call the meeting order as you may have a form.

We have everybody you're gonna see being passed around with approved voters of the meeting.

Please make sure you sign it.

I don't want to point the fair attorney for the city of Abbot Paris Battery than J 4215.

At step 19 of February 2350 by Councilman Lori Adams, Councilman Airbulton, Councilman Brandon Noble.

Anyone wishing to speak on this item?

So I hear a board district attorney.

Um this is a conflict to uh just testify on behalf of John Clinton, he's been a friend of one covenant's been uh actually an appointed uh in court, please been fierce opponent in the case that we've had uh on the other hand, he's also been very professional, reasonable, always prepared.

Um he's a member of uh fence team that either you do want to go here, you don't want to go there.

For those of you prepared with the fair, honest ethical.

Um works extremely hard, uh works all the time, and uh I think we represent the council.

Well, I don't know who else you guys are considered, I'm sure that you have a lot of good names of City, uh very good names, all would be competent uh attorneys, and I may have the same uh comments to make one for those folks as well.

I know that uh the man that you have very good uh and uh having to sue council the mayor and he may be the lawyer that I'll be coming back and pitch about and I'm sorry about I will be able to draw my comments uh after today, but uh again I would just speak to the character of the man and but really it's the work and it's gotta be a work for everybody, not just one particular segment of the council.

He's got to work for the entire entire parish.

I think he has that certain heart to where he's not gonna care a district or a color or chairman or whatever he's gonna be able to put that aside because he has a defense lawyer and he's also at some districts of civil practice testing.

So uh for what it's worth uh having been a friend and an opponent uh of his also a friend at the same time, so that the quite answer in questions, I guess.

We'll get to the bulk again first.

Anyone else wishing to speak?

Hi, my name is Donald Luther.

I don't know if this is terrible.

Let's try my name's Donald Luther.

I live at 9005 down the road.

I just want to uh congratulate y'all on this excellent choice for parish attorney.

Y'all are on a roll.

We take some great uh people that y'all put in place, and he's gonna be an excellent parish attorney.

He's a great member of this community.

Uh he works hard, he uh enjoys this community, and he's done a lot to improve people's lives in this community, and I think y'all make a great choice.

Thank you.

Thanks, Mr.

Luther.

Anyone else wishing to speak on the house?

We want to make sure.

All right, go to council.

I'd like to make a motion to approve John McClendon and staff attorney.

We have a motion by councilman second by councilman mo.

Uh Councilman Coleman.

Yes, I uh thank you, Yellow.

Thank you, Don.

And so today I sit here and and speak as the councilwoman.

Uh Carolyn R.

Coleman regarding the conflict of interest crisis.

I'm Carolyn Coleman, Councilwoman of District 10.

And I emphasize this because many of my colleagues are stuck on a seven five mindset.

More focused on party splits than the people.

When the parish attorney's position became vacant, we received a clear road map from our Metro Council administrator, Ashley Beck.

She gave us options, and that's life.

Options.

Appoint an interim, set up a formal hiring process, or run a notice of vacancy.

I love options.

They provide transparency, they provide fairness, that big F word.

When I asked the mayor pro Tim about our next step after a meeting we had and after the previous parish attorney retired, and he said to me that Jesus got it.

So apparently Jesus looked like a lot of council members, noble and mocking.

Because suddenly an emergency meeting is called for this afternoon, April 30th, to name John MacLinden as the parish attorney.

I ask what is the rush.

Let me be clear.

Parish Attorney Office doesn't handle criminal cases.

Using criminal subpoenas as a justification for rushed civil appointment is a smoke screen.

Haste makes waste unless you have an ulterior motive.

Let's look at the who and the how.