BENTON, La. â A second lawsuit aimed at removing the executive director of a Bossier Parish recreation district from one of his two positions has failed â at least for now.
A ruling Thursday in Bossier District Court means Robert Berry gets to keep his job as executive director of the Cypress Black Bayou Recreation and Water Conservation District while also serving as an appointed member of the board of directors.
But the court fight is not over. State Attorney General Jeff Landry, whose office filed suit against Berry, plans to appeal Thursdayâs ruling.
"The Cypress Black Bayou Board of Commissionerâs voted to employ one of their own members in a position that now pays a six-figure salary and offers other taxpayer-funded benefits. Robert Berry serves in this position while continuing to vote on board matters like his own salary,â press secretary Cory Dennis said in a statement to KTBS. Â âOur Legislature enacted dual officeholding laws to prohibit this exact form of incestuous relationship. If judges can interpret those laws to uphold such clear conflicts then the public trust in government will continue to be degraded. We will continue to oppose the activist judicial rulings that not only repeal legislative action, but also render our dual officeholding laws meaningless.