In a dramatic three‑minute meeting on Tuesday, the Monroe City Council voted 3‑1 to bypass its entire agenda, leaving several key projects and budget items unresolved. Vice Chairwoman Juanita Woods moved the motion, Rodney McFarland seconded, and Council Chairman Verbon Muhammad joined the vote. Councilmember Gretchen Ezernack opposed the motion after questioning Woods about the decision, while Douglas Harvey was absent.
Items Deferred
The council’s inaction affected a proposed $1,013,750 contract with Grindstone Construction LLC for the rehabilitation of the historic G.B. Cooley House. The city’s engineering department had estimated the project at $825,000 in March 2025. Funding for the restoration would have come from a combination of a federal Save America’s Treasures grant ($483,500), historic tax credits ($253,437) and the city’s Capital Infrastructure Tax ($276,813).
Another item on the table was a request to increase the Monroe Transit System’s insurance appropriation by $170,708, raising the budgeted amount from $668,980 to $839,688 after insurance costs exceeded the fiscal 2026‑27 budget.
The council also considered a mowing and litter agreement with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, which would allow the city to claim reimbursement of up to $71,790 for work on roughly 42 miles of state and interstate roadways.
Additional agenda items included three alcoholic‑beverage permits, a conditional‑use request for a residential home serving youth, three sales of tax‑adjudicated property, an amendment to an Ingersoll Rand lease, telecommunications regulations, and a proposed donation of 20 surplus ballistic vests and 10 vest carriers to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Mayor’s Reaction
Mayor Friday Ellis responded on Facebook, stating that the council’s decision put federal and local money at risk and left businesses waiting for approval. “They passed over the entire agenda,” Ellis wrote. “They didn’t debate. They didn’t vote. They didn’t consider a single item.” He linked the action to the council’s opposition to the process used to appoint Timothy Williams as fire chief, accusing council members of trying to teach him a lesson.
Council’s Rationale
Council members who supported the motion said the dispute extends beyond the fire‑chief appointment. Chairman Muhammad posted that the council was withholding action because the mayor’s administration “refuses to respect the City Council,” and that the council would demand respect by not taking any action on the agenda.
McFarland and Woods elaborated in a Facebook Live discussion, emphasizing that the council’s move was a statement of principle about transparency and communication with the mayor’s office. Woods stressed that the issue was not solely about the fire chief, but about a series of concerns that have built up over time.
Background on the Fire‑Chief Conflict
The disagreement over permanent leadership of the Monroe Fire Department dates back to 2024. In November 2024, Woods, McFarland and Muhammad voted against Ellis’s nomination of Fire Capt. Daniel Overturf. The council later rejected the mayor’s subsequent nomination of Timothy Williams on June 10, 2025. Governor Jeff Landry invoked Louisiana’s Act 452, which allows the governor to appoint a police or fire chief when a municipal governing body fails to confirm a mayor’s nominee after a 12‑month vacancy. Landry appointed Williams on September 15, 2025, and after a brief legal challenge, Williams was reappointed on September 16 and is scheduled to begin work on October 1.
Next Steps
The items delayed on Tuesday have not been rejected; they remain pending and must appear on a future agenda before the council can act. Monroe’s council rules require that members can only act on items posted on the agenda unless all members unanimously agree to add an item.
Councilmember McFarland indicated that the council will revisit the postponed items at a later date. The city’s published schedule lists the next regular council meeting for October 13, giving council members an opportunity to address the outstanding agenda items and to seek a more collaborative relationship with the mayor’s administration.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
