Mandeville city leaders on Monday seemed to agree that the board that governs city police personnel matters is “archaic,” too politically charged and needs a serious “revamp,” the first since its inception more than two decades ago.

“This thing has been stagnant too long,” said Daniel Edmond Sullivan, executive vice president of the Louisiana Civil Service League, a watchdog group for the state’s civil service agencies.

Sullivan, offering recommendations and expertise, was the unofficial focal point of the roughly two hour meeting Monday to discuss options for changing the board that at times became contentious. The meeting, attended by Mayor Eddie Price, council members, policemen and other city officials, largely centered around whether the city police, mayor’s administration and city council should have a seat on the board that smoothes over police employee disputes.

To keep political appointees on the board, proponents argued, would give anyone filing a grievance over a job suspension or a pass-over for a promotion the opportunity to have their case judged by someone in their shoes.

For instance, several months ago then Mandeville Police Chief Tom Buell resigned amidst allegations he took money from a child toy fund and bought gifts for city employees, including Price.

Although he resigned, Buell could have requested a hearing in front of the board, with fellow police officers judging their chief.

“If you were never a police officer you could never bring to the board what it means to be a police officer,” one Mandeville police officer said, advocating a place on the board for a police officer from the Mandeville Police Department.

But Mayor Pro Tem Trilby Lenfant said in order to stomp out corruption the board should be apolitical with unbiased members as judges.

“If you want adequate representation, you have to go to the hearing to speak,” she said.

She and Councilman Jerry Coogan offered to give up the council’s current seat on the board in favor of an appointment from Louisiana State University. Others followed suit. Price also offered to give up city administration representation on the board.

“There should be nothing to do with politics on this board. Nothing at all,” Price said.

The board, established in 1984 when the city was a sliver of its current size, called for the appointments to the board by the City Council, Mandeville Ministerial Alliance, Louisiana Civil Service League, the Mandeville Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor’s Office.

The board’s appointment rules, which haven’t been changed yet, represented “Caesar serving Caesar,” Sullivan said.

Now, besides protest from many police officers who seemed to later relent, it appears as if the entire board will be made up of new members appointed from the West St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, LSU, Southeastern Louisiana University, Tulane University and the Civil Service League.

To do so, state Rep. Tim Burns plans to file legislation during the upcoming legislative session April 27 to call for the changes.

“This definitely is a step forward. I don’t think officers have considered it yet,” said officer Paul Bourque. “I think it’s an option, and I personally like the option, of depoliticizing.”