There were nearly no empty seats inside the Bogalusa Special Council meeting. Residents voiced their concerns to the mayor, who was the only elected official inside. He spoke to WDSU for the first time since his arrest.”We find ourselves in a very peculiar situation right now,” said Mayor Tyrin Truong.Tensions were high inside City Hall during a special called meeting, as the mayor responded to the state’s attempt to hire a fiscal administrator to oversee the city’s spending. The previous fiscal administrator, the city says Bob Neilsen was fired by the current administration. The state now wants a new fiscal administrator, claiming the city has failed to meet its financial responsibilities.However, Mayor Tyrin Truong, the city’s first Black male mayor, claims the city is in good financial standing. He says he believes this is a coordinated political take-over. “This isn’t new. It’s just reached a new boiling point. The state is trying to appoint a fiscal administrator the city is of the belief that we do not need a fiscal administrator,” said Mayor Tyrin Truong.Debbie McCloud has spent her entire life in Bogalusa, she along with other residents believe these efforts may have been racially-motivated. “This doesn’t surprise me. This has been the way it’s always been. People took a chance and voted for the mayor because they wanted change; they wanted unity and growth, and what we have is going back to 1965,” McCloud said.No city council members attended the special called meeting. Mayor Truong says they were invited, but they declined the invitation. “I’m sick and tired as a community of taking what this council is dishing out, and it’s plain and simple it’s race driven,” said resident Eyvette Preston.Discussions about the City’s spending come after Mayor Truong was arrested last month in connection with a drug and prostitution investigation by state police. He refutes those charges.”All this stuff, these charges on the mayor, is a setup,” said one resident.”Now, has he made mistakes? Sure, if he young and probably has some stuff to learn, yeah, probably, but does he have his city in his heart and want to make things better…absolutely,” McCloud said.Residents are remaining optimistic the City will be able to move forward to a brighter future.”If we all work together, we could have a great city, and what’s holding us back is racism,” McCloud said.
There were nearly no empty seats inside the Bogalusa Special Council meeting. Residents voiced their concerns to the mayor, who was the only elected official inside. He spoke to WDSU for the first time since his arrest.
“We find ourselves in a very peculiar situation right now,” said Mayor Tyrin Truong.
Tensions were high inside City Hall during a special called meeting, as the mayor responded to the state’s attempt to hire a fiscal administrator to oversee the city’s spending. The previous fiscal administrator, the city says Bob Neilsen was fired by the current administration.
The state now wants a new fiscal administrator, claiming the city has failed to meet its financial responsibilities.
However, Mayor Tyrin Truong, the city’s first Black male mayor, claims the city is in good financial standing. He says he believes this is a coordinated political take-over.
“This isn’t new. It’s just reached a new boiling point. The state is trying to appoint a fiscal administrator the city is of the belief that we do not need a fiscal administrator,” said Mayor Tyrin Truong.
Debbie McCloud has spent her entire life in Bogalusa, she along with other residents believe these efforts may have been racially-motivated.
“This doesn’t surprise me. This has been the way it’s always been. People took a chance and voted for the mayor because they wanted change; they wanted unity and growth, and what we have is going back to 1965,” McCloud said.
No city council members attended the special called meeting. Mayor Truong says they were invited, but they declined the invitation.
“I’m sick and tired as a community of taking what this council is dishing out, and it’s plain and simple it’s race driven,” said resident Eyvette Preston.
Discussions about the City’s spending come after Mayor Truong was arrested last month in connection with a drug and prostitution investigation by state police. He refutes those charges.
“All this stuff, these charges on the mayor, is a setup,” said one resident.
“Now, has he made mistakes? Sure, if he young and probably has some stuff to learn, yeah, probably, but does he have his city in his heart and want to make things better…absolutely,” McCloud said.
Residents are remaining optimistic the City will be able to move forward to a brighter future.
“If we all work together, we could have a great city, and what’s holding us back is racism,” McCloud said.
#City #Bogalusa #Mayor #speaks #time #arrest
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