CROWLEY, La. — A committee meeting of the Crowley City Council ended with a physical confrontation Wednesday night between two council members after an argument broke out concerning the city’s finances.
Crowley Police officers had to separate Aldermen Brad Core and Jeff Cavell following the adjournment of the Revenue and Finance Committee, which was the last of nine committee meetings held back to back on Wednesday.
The altercation began after taking up its final item of the meeting, which called for engaging the accounting firm Kolder, Slaven & Company, LLC for auditing services for the city’s fiscal year ending on Aug. 31.
Alderman Vernon Martin, who was not on the committee, asked if the item was up for an RFP, or request for proposals. However, the committee responded that professional services do not fall under RFP requirements.
Core, who is a member of the committee, said that it would be good to have a “set of fresh eyes” on the city’s financial statements with a firm that has an established working relationship.
Cavell, who chairs the committee, attempted to answer Martin’s question by saying that the city “got help,” but did not get the budget for three months until there was a Certified Public Accountant on staff, which he said was “basically extortion.”
Core then objected to Cavell’s claim. Cavell then responded that the only way for the budget to get passed was if Core got what he wanted.
The meeting then broke down with several committee members speaking without being recognized and the agenda item itself failing by a tie vote before the meeting was adjourned.
Then Core approached Cavell and began waving his finger in Cavell’s face. Cavell then pushed Core’s hand away, which is when Crowley police officers stepped in to separate them.
See the full video of the council meeting, below:
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