P&Z applicant résumés available for inspection

Nominating committee meets again Dec. 5th

Full council to hold public hearing and vote Dec. 19th

MANDEVILLE — The City of Mandeville today released the résumés of the applicants vying to fill an empty seat on the Planning & Zoning Commission.

The city doesn’t voluntarily publish résumés of applicants for such positions without a public records request.

Mandeville Daily filed its request this week and is publishing the information here because we believe such disclosures serve the public interest (Louisiana R.S. §44:12.1A).

Prior to 2020, the city would publish this information on its website once the application period was closed.

A nominating committee made up of Councilman at Large Scott Discon and District I Councilwoman Cynthia Strong-Thompson will meet December 5th at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. That meeting is open to the public, but only a nomination will be made, not the actual appointment.

The appointment, as well as a public hearing for the nominee, must be voted on and held by the full council (CLURO §2.1.2), which will happen at the regularly scheduled meeting December 19th at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Shawn Potter had been nominated by the committee at the October 24th council meeting, but at the November 21st meeting, the council opted to nullify that nomination at the urging of the city attorney due to an Open Meetings Law violation. The re-nominating meeting was then scheduled for December 5th.

Last week, current Planning & Zoning Commissioner Nicholas Cressy circulated a petition to the City Council, urging them to select Potter without mentioning him by name, drawing public criticism from Councilman at Large Jason Zuckerman who was responsible for nominating Cressy to the commission in 2023.

The pool of applicants are: Potter from District I, Judge Pat Rosenow from District II, and Ernest Burguières from District III.

Summaries of each application can be found below, or you may click here to download a PDF containing copies of the redacted résumés from the city.

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Shawn Potter

Director of Institutional Research

District I, Age 45

Qualifications

• Mandeville Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee member (2024-Present)
• Mandeville Parks and Parkways Commission member (2023-Present)
• Tulane University staff senator (2023-Present)
• Leadership St. Tammany Class of 2024 graduate (2023-2024)
• Woodstone Subdivision HOA President (2022-2024)

Employment History

• Director of Institutional Research, Tulane University (2013-Present)
• Associate Director of Institutional Research, Tulane University (2007-2013)
• Senior Research Analyst for Institutional Research & Data Management, University of New Orleans (2006-2007)
• Research Analyst for Institutional Research & Data Management, University of New Orleans (2004-2006)

Education

• Master of Business Administration, Health Care Management, Southeastern Louisiana University (2013)
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management Information Systems, The University of Southern Mississippi (2000)

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Pat Rosenow

District Chief/Administrative Law Judge

United States Air Force (Colonel, Retired)

District II, Age 70

Qualifications/Employment History

• Chief Circuit Trial Judge (2004-Present)
• Staff Judge Advocate, Langley AFB, VA (1999-2004)
• Deputy Chief Trial Judge, Bolling AFB, DC (1997-1999)
• Staff Judge Advocate, March AFB, CA (1993-1997)
• Instructor and Chief, Civil Law Division, USAF JAG School, AL (1987-1990)
• Judge Advocate, Anderson AFB, Guam (1984-1987)
• KC-135 Combat Crew Navigator, Fairchild AFB, WA (1977-1984)

Education

• Torrejon High School, Madrid, Spain
• B.S. (Economics, Operations Management) USAF Academy, 1976 (Top 10% of class)
• J.D. Duke University, 1984 (High Honors)

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Ernest Burguières

Attorney-at-Law

District III, Age 72

Qualifications

• District III City Councilman (2012-2016)
• Member of the Old Mandeville Historic Association / Participant in home tour, having owned an historic home since the mid-1990s (~1995-Present)
• Mandeville Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee member (2024-Present)
• General counsel to the Regional Planning Commission for Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. Bernard, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes (1980-Present)
• Experience with commercial and real estate issues, often involving zoning and land-use issues in the greater New Orleans area, including the French Quarter.
• Commissioner of conservation, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, State of Louisiana (1994-1996)
• Administrative law judge, Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission (1992-1996) (1997-2004)

Employment History

• Practiced general civil law, including commercial and real estate cases often involving zoning and land-use issues in Greater New Orleans Area and French Quarter, through his private practice (1986-Present)
• Practiced general civil law (1980-1985)

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Loyola University in New Orleans (1975)
• Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees, Loyola Law School in New Orleans (1980)

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