Shreveport council fires clerk on 4-3 vote

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — “To those council members who have continuously supported me and believed in my ability to help make Shreveport a better place, thank you. Serving under your leadership has been a true honor,” Clerk of Council Shanerika Flemings said.

Her comment came during a City Council meeting Tuesday afternoon that got heated and brought a dramatic turn, climaxing with her dismissal.

“You know who you are. You know what you said. I’ve been telling you, Chairman, that your council clerk was on fire and nothing’s been done,” Councilwoman Ursula Bowman said during the meeting.

Reading from a prepared statement, Flemings said, “Councilwoman Bowman said I shouldn’t do (expletive deleted) for them. However, I told her I would work as hard for them as I did for everyone else and I kept my word.”

The City Council moved to fire Flemings.

“I move to terminate the employment of current clerk of council,” Councilman Gary Brooks said.

Bowman: “I second it.”

Council Chairman James Green: “Moved by Brooks, seconded by Bowman.”

Flemings was one of five staff members who received raises signed off by Green that later were rescinded. Flemings said her termination has nothing to do with the ill-fated raises.

“I can’t help but think this termination is a result of a series of instances where I either spoke out against something I didn’t agree with or rejected invitations that I believed were inappropriate,” she said, again reading from her statement.

Flemings went on to allege that council members Brooks and Bowman were trying to get her fired.

“It seems Councilman Brooks’ opinion of me may have changed because he doesn’t like to be challenged or rejected. However, I will never apologize for speaking out against something I know is wrong,” Flemings said.

“I also won’t compromise my standards and integrity by engaging in what I believe is inappropriate behavior just to please someone even if that someone is my boss,” she continued.

“In the past month, multiple people have told me that they’ve asked Councilwoman Bowman what her problem is with me and her response has been ‘I just don’t like that (expletive deleted)’ with no other explanation.”

City Council members then went on to vote on the motion to terminate Flemings. It was approved on a 4-3 vote.

After council members adjourned, Councilwoman Bowman had this to say, “I think that today is a good day. We’re going to move forward as a city. It’s easy to tell stories or say anything. But, of course, you got a true actress today.”

KSLA News 12 did try to speak with other members of the council after Tuesday afternoon’s meeting but they declined to comment or were unavailable.