By JIM BUTLER
Football season is just starting but significant punts have already been made.
An England Authority special meeting to review details of the ICE family deportation staging center has been cancelled as a result.
Two of seven commissioners who last week called for a September 8 special meeting have recanted. At least six of the 10 commissioners are required for such a call under Authority rules.
Vice Chairman Jamar Gailes, a City of Alexandra appointment, and Trey Crump, City of Pineville-appointed, changed their minds, according to normally reliable sources, evidently convinced a meeting would serve no point other than exacerbating the matter.
Persons who’ve spoken on the issue at Authority sessions previous have made their position quite clear and in some cases it’s been quite personal.
The increasing intemperance is a concern among commissioners and staff and, sources say, was among topics raised by those urging the two to change their stance.
Absent in the hearings appearance record is any person speaking in favor of the staging center and any comment from often-vocal locals such as public figures, politicians and pastors.
The current count indicates official discussion of the project is done, as it is not likely to again be on an Authority agenda barring unexpected change.
Adding it to the agenda during a meeting would require unanimous vote. That is as unlikely as Lane Kiffin being invited to the SEC Christmas party.
That then leaves officially unanswered some questions, with or without foundation, raised by various parties, both at the Authority meetings, on social media and in published articles. Examples include:
- Who is liable if something goes wrong – the Authority or LaSalle Family Foundation?
- Is the agreement with ICE available for public reading? If not, why not?
- Does federal Freedom of Information process overrule state public records provisions?
- Same for Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with LaSalle?
- How many jobs of various categories are envisioned in this project? Payroll?
- When did discussion of family center begin?
- What are health and medical provisions?
As pitched at last week’s gathering, the special meeting was to explore such.