Settle w hat 5x7 high-res.jpg

John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.

He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.

John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.

John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.

He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.

 

WILL BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL PLAY GAMES ON JULY 6 TO TORPEDO CHANDLER ADMINISTRATION AND ELECT IRWIN AS INTERIM?

Tommy Chandler will take office as Bossier City's new mayor on Thurs. July 1.

Newly elected council members Vince Maggio and Chris Smith will be sworn in to their first terms. Returning council members Don Williams, Jeff Free, Jeff Darby and David Montgomery will also take oaths of office.

The Bossier City Council will meet on July 6. Its first order of business will be to elect an interim appointment for south Bossier. Shane Cheatham won this seat, but has declined the office in hopes of being named Chandler's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).

Cheatham soundly defeated incumbent Scott Irwin in the March election. Irwin has publicly advised many that he would NOT seek the interim appointment to his old seat or run to be re-elected.

Now there are rampant rumors that the Bossier old guard headed up by Montgomery has persuaded Irwin to take the interim seat.

To make matters worse, there are many who say the new council, once Irwin is seated, will NOT approve Cheatham on the CAO.

Hopefully all of this trash talk is just that - bored politicos trying to stir up BS. But this IS Bossier City where nepotism is the order of the day and old time alliances dictate many political actions, often to the detriment of the common good.

Initially, Irwin should be ashamed if he accepts the interim appointment. If a man's word is to be his bond, then Irwin should look himself in the mirror.

And as far as not approving the incoming mayor's selection of a CAO, any council member who opposes this may be committing political suicide. Not so much maybe for the rest of his term, but for his constituents.

Bossier City has made substantial progress due in part to the cooperation between the mayor and the council. Rarely have there been hotly contested votes that polarize the city like some in Shreveport.

Like any mayor, Chandler will have substantial discretionary authority once in office. Council members should not only recognize that but also extend to him the normal political courtesy of approving his CAO nomination.

If Bossier council members think they will get a free ride in the media by defying the mayor and also appointing Irwin on July 6, they will be sadly mistaken.

WHY SHOULDN’T MAYOR-ELECT CHANDLER NAME HIS CAO?

PRESS RELEASE - SHREVEPORT WATER CLASS ACTION CASE