Council gets update, welcomes chief

At last week's city council meeting, the councilmen voted all in favor of the appointment of Zachary's new fire chief, Boyce Smith Jr.

"After an extensive interview process which included many tests and figuring of scores, seven applicants were forwarded to me and were then all interviewed by the same set of questions," said Martinez.

Additionally, secret ballots were cast and in an overwhelming response, firefighters chose Smith to be their new chief, Martinez added.

Chief Smith approached the microphone after a standing ovation, saying, "I want the men and women of the department to educate themselves and I also want to continue my working relationship with city employees. Thank you for this opportunity."

Additionally, John Hopewell, Vice Chairman of the Home Rule Charter Commission, gave an update on the status of the HRC and the ways that it could improve.

Recently, a questionnaire was mailed out with city utility bills which presented the four issues that the commission is currently deadlocked. They are: council composition, term limits for councilmen, police chief appointed or elected, and whether the city attorney should be a resident of Zachary.

Hopewell told the council that the commission meets on Dec. 4 to review the final document containing the suggested technical and procedural changes. In early

January, several town meetings will be held to solicit citizens' recommendations, added Hopewell.

In other action, the council voted unanimoously to authorize City Attorney John Brown to hire outside council for a lawsuit brought forth by the Segrave family.

Martinez said that himself, the City of Zachary, council members, and members of the Zachary Police Department were all named in the lawsuit involving an incident at a Zachary park last year.