STERLINGTON, La. (AP) - A north Louisiana town has a vacancy on its Board of Aldermen.
Alderman Trey Vocker III resigned this week, saying he doesn’t see eye to eye with Mayor Caesar Velazquez and that he has concerns that everything being handled through the mayor’s office isn’t procedurally sound, The News-Star reported.
Vocker was appointed as an interim alderman on May 12, 2020, to fill a vacancy created when former alderman Benjamin Hobson moved to West Monroe. Voters later elected Vocker to the seat in a Nov. 3 special election.
Town attorney Devin Jones said another special election will be scheduled once the town has a notarized copy of Vocker’s resignation to forward to the Louisiana Secretary of State.
Vocker told the newspaper that his concerns come amid questions involving the administration of the previous mayor, Vern Breland.
Malfeasance in office charges are pending against Breland. In November 2019, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor released a report stating Breland and the town’s former financial advisor, Aaron Fletcher, might have violated state laws. Specifically, Breland was accused of spending bond proceeds for inappropriate purposes, and Fletcher might have submitted overstated revenues and understated expenditures to financial institutions in order to secure more funds.
Breland’s next court date is set for Aug. 3.
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