Gordon Russell’s story for the Times-Picayune sure makes it sound like Nagin appointed himself The Decider for New Orleans and chose to minimize communication with City Council and other parish presidents:

At the meeting, Entergy New Orleans CEO Rod West laid out a bleak assessment of Gustav’s damage and warned council members that power could be out for a while.

[City councilperson Stacy] Head argued that the news, while discouraging, should not prevent people from returning. People could decide for themselves whether they wanted to endure the lack of power.

“I don’t want us to be Big Brother,” she said. ” If people want to fuss, let them fuss at Entergy.”

But Head and Fielkow lost. Most council members sided with the mayor’s strategy of delay.

But by then, [Jefferson Parish President Aaron] Broussard had made his announcement about reopening Jefferson Parish. Before doing so, Broussard said, he spoke with Kevin Davis, president of St. Tammany Parish; President V.J. St. Pierre in St. Charles and President Craig Taffaro in St. Bernard.

He tried repeatedly to reach Nagin but failed, he said. He passed the message through subordinates as well, Broussard said.