KENNER, La. — The Kenner City Council formally asked Mayor Ben Zahn to step down.
The council approved a resolution expressing no confidence in his administration.
Council members accused Zahn of financial mismanagement and a lack of transparency.
“I feel like this administration has dropped the ball on many things,” Councilman George Branigan said. “That’s why I’m supporting this.”
“We are not going in the right direction,” Councilman Greg Carroll said. “We are not showing what the city of Kenner is.”
Zahn has been on the hot seat over disaster pay in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
Last week, the FBI served a subpoena on the city, seeking employment records for one of Zahn’s top aids Chad Pitfield.
He’s the city’s former deputy chief administrative officer who received more than $86,000 dollars in disaster pay on top of his regular salary in the months after the storm.
“I really think you guys can do a better job just overall because as citizens of Kenner there is a lot of discontent and questions,” Councilmember Kristi McKinney said.
“When our constituents, who are our bosses, which has been said say they have questions about the emergency pay and everything else, if we don’t do something, we’re not doing our jobs,” Councilman Brian Brennan said.
Zahn called the resolution “political theater.”
“This is basically politics,” he said. “You have a choice to make, and the city of Kenner has a choice a month from now to elect a new mayor. If that’s what they want to do or re-elect me back to office.”
The no-confidence resolution was brought by 4 council members.
They voted for the measure; the three others abstained.
“I didn’t do the job I should have done,” Councilman Glenn Hayes said. “I’m going to abstain. Why? Because we’re just as guilty as the administration.”
Stacey Allesandro from the Citizens for a Better Kenner testified in favor of the resolution.
“The people of Kenner deserve better than what we have been getting and it’s up to you guys to make sure what is happening stops,” Allesandro said.
The resolution does not have the force of law.
But it calls for Zahn’s resignation and that of his top advisor, City CAO Deborah Foshee.
“This legislation, this stupid resolution is over with,” Zahn said. “Let’s move forward. Let’s not be stupid again. Let’s do what’s best for the people of Kenner.”
Kenner voters go to the polls are March 26, to select the next mayor and city council members.