Complaint: Brown lives outside district

Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 27, 2009

FERRIDAY — Alderman Johnnie Brown represents district D on the Ferriday town council, but a complaint filed against him with the district attorney’s office alleges Brown actually lives in district E.

The complaint, filed by Greater Concordia-Catahoula NAACP President Justin Conner, alleges that Brown lives at 27745 Louisiana 15, “less than a city block from Alderman Gloria Lloyd, the incumbent alderman in district E.”

The address Brown used to qualify, 502 Sixth St., is — according to the complaint — the address of his mother and late father, and he “has not lived at that address since his childhood.”

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This means “the citizens of district D are without representation and disenfranchised,” the complaint stated.

Conner said he has known about the situation for some time but waited because he hoped Brown would correct the problem on his own.

“People need to be represented from whatever part of the community they come from,” Conner said.

Part of the impetus in his filing the complaint was because aldermen recently increased their salary, Conner said.

“If you are going to do this and put it on the taxpayer, they need proper representation,” he said.

The complaint requests an investigation into the allegations, the removal of Brown from his seat, the declaration of the seat as vacant, the appointment of an interim alderman and the calling of a special election.

Brown declined comment about the allegations.

“Justin Conner is my friend, and if he wanted to file (the complaint), that is on him,” Brown said.

District Attorney Brad Burget said his office has received the complaint and a staff member is doing some initial investigation.

However, Burget said his office is contacting the secretary of state’s office — which handles election related matters — to determine the proper jurisdiction for the matter should it prove true.

Conner said he has also forwarded the complaint to the attorney general’s office.

Brown also serves as the mayor pro-temp.