A much anticipated first meeting today between Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and organizers of the city of St. George was contentious and not terribly productive, according to representatives in attendance from both camps.
St. George spokesman and attorney Drew Murrell, attorney Sheri Morris and Sen. Mack “Bodi” White, R-Central, arrived at City Hall shortly before the 11 a.m. meeting in Broome’s office. They were joined by Metro Council member Dwight Hudson, whose district comprises much of the planned city, and St. George organizer Norman Browning, who arrived a few minutes late.
But the meeting ended less than 45 minutes later, when Murrell, Morris and Browning left in haste, declining to comment. Hudson, who followed, later described the meeting as contentious, largely due to the presence of Broome’s attorney Mary Olive Pierson, who is representing the mayor, in her capacity as a private citizen, in a forthcoming lawsuit challenging the St. George incorporation.
“There was definitely a combative tone from Ms. Pierson, which was unfortunate,” Hudson says. “We were hoping to get a broader discussion about the delivery of some of the parish-wide services, to start laying a framework for a transition district bill. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to that part of the conversation.”
Pierson does not disagree she was combative, saying, “what a shock,” when asked about Hudson’s comments.
But Pierson and Broome say St. George organizers did not provide them with a specific list of parish-wide services they want to negotiate about, something they were asked to do. Pierson says the administration still doesn’t know what St. George wants, a sentiment the mayor echoed in a prepared statement.
“After meeting with them today, we are still very unclear about what their specific plans are,” Broome says in a statement. “This is concerning as they have made some significant promises to the citizens of that area, promises I expect them to keep … the time for campaign gimmicks is over. Now is the time to behave like leaders.”
Hudson says St. George organizers were trying to nail down specifics today about a transition district, which has to be legally in place in order for the new city to collect its portion of the parish 2-cent sales tax, if and when a judge formally incorporates it.
“It’s an enormous sticking point,” Hudson says. “They need to get a grasp on it.”
Pierson says all that is premature, as she expects her lawsuit to drag out the process of incorporation for at least a couple of years.
On a positive note, Hudson says the mayor agreed to review a draft bill creating a transition district, which will be submitted to the legislature in the spring.
“That was a positive takeaway,” he says.
