January 15, 2014 Louisiana Auctioneers
Licensing Board (LALB) Meeting Highlights
CLICK HERE to View LALB Financial Statements @ Time of Meeting
After arriving 15 minutes late to
begin the meeting, LALB Chairman Tessa Steinkamp
makes a complete fool of herself (not an
infrequent occurrence) in taking a VERY, VERY hostile attitude to LAPA
President Rev. Freddie Lee Phillips before he even says a word!
Rev.
Phillips also seeks to address the issue that the
December 9, 2013 Louisiana Inspector General Report
entailing LALB
payroll irregularities is NOT on the agenda,
nor is the hiring of the law firm Shows Cali
despite the
fact that the LALB has now been employing the firm for nearly
three (3) months as of the date of this meeting
(the LALB didn't have
the hiring of the firm on its November 5, 2013 agenda either despite the firm
having gone to work
performing LALB legal work in October of 2013).
Convicted felon
attorney Larry S. Bankston, the second of
three attorneys hired by the LALB,
tells Rev. Phillips to "take your concerns
up with the Legislature."
LAPA
President
Rev. Freddie Lee Phillips has to
REPEATEDLY request that AUCTIONEERS
James Sims (LALB
Vice Chairman)
and
Jeff Henderson (owner of J. A. H. Enterprises,
a firm which was
sued by the LA Department of Revenue for alleged
nonpayment of sales
taxes),
speak
up so audience members can hear what they're
saying. As a result,
Rev. Phillips
is
escorted out
into the hallway by
LALB Security Officer (EBRP
Sheriff Deputy Ronald Landry)
and read the riot
act
for having the audacity to express
his right to hear LALB deliberations!!
In sharp contrast to the November 5, 2013 discussion
of the Louisiana Used Motor Commission (LUMVC),
the preceding discussion is quite
somber. Of the two loudest members from November 5, 2013, Hal McMillin
was
absent and Vice Chairman James Sims sounded like a
beaten-down puppy for the entire meeting!!
Perhaps the LALB's bark
once again proved far louder that its associated bite!
NOTE: As a courtesy, LAPA Vice President Robert Burns made a cameo appearance at the LUMVC meeting of January 27, 2014 to observe any discussion of the agenda item entitled "Discussion of Meeting with LALB Member Jeff Henderson." The discussion lasted less than two minutes with LUMVC Executive Director Derek Parnell merely relaying that Mr. Henderson, Ms. Dow, and others should meet within the next two weeks to go over this Interagency Agreement which Ms. Dow had provided to Mr. Henderson at the above link. Chairman John Poteet (who is a licensed auctioneer) asked to be included in the meeting, and Mr. Parnell indicated that would be fine.
As Vice President of LAPA, I'm going to make a personal statement about my observations of the LUMVC. The difference in the manner in which the LUMVC conducts its meetings and that of the LALB is like night and day. I can't even begin to explain how refreshing it was to see that a Commission can conduct itself in such a PROFESSIONAL manner!! I might also add that, in sharp contrast to the secrecy of LALB meetings and INCREDIBLE resistance to transparency, the LUMVC actually posts VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTS as its Minutes on the Boards and Commissions' website. Furthermore, the Commission's webpage has a Commissioners Page which even includes the PERSONAL email addresses of the Members! THAT is a prime example of transparency and building public trust, and the LALB can certainly take a cue from the LUMVC if it ever wishes to improve its public image which, at present, can't sink much lower than it is!!
Administrative Hearing for G & R
Auction Barn, owned by Gary and Randy Hayes,
who acquired
The Auction
Barn, from Earl Hayes, Gary & Randy's
uncle in 2011. Gary and Randy
were BY FAR the most honest guys EVER to appear before the LALB, and their
brute honesty alone is
well worth watching the
video beginning at the 9:25 mark!!
Upon conclusion of the G & R Auction Barn hearing above, the
reinstatement
of Earl Hayes' The Auction Barn business license is discussed.
CLICK HERE to return to the chronological master listing of LALB videos.