By: Wes Merriott • Contributing Columnist

An imposing structure has emerged on East Texas Street, nestled between the Boardwalk and Benton Road in Bossier City. This monument, a focal point of the Walter O. Bigby Carriageway, has already stirred controversy due to its exorbitant cost and the lack of public input. Now, the public deserves to know who else is being enshrined at the new monument in Downtown Bossier.

The Carriageway, a $60+ million roadway project, was named after Walter O. Bigby, a respected figure in Bossier Parish politics. Mr. Bigby’s 11-year tenure as a Democrat in Louisiana’s House of Representatives earned him the nickname “the Conscience of the House.” While his legacy is fondly remembered, questions have arisen regarding the purpose and approval process for the colossal monument dedicated to him.

Recent revelations suggest that the monument’s design was greenlit by a single City Council member, with no public oversight or little knowledge of the project’s extent. The monument has now come under intense scrutiny as concerns about its purpose and origins mount. The original March 2017 ordinance naming the Parkway North Project as the Walter O. Bigby Carriageway included wording to allow for signage indicating its new name. One councilman, however, had plans for much more than a sign to honor Mr. Bigby.

According to reports, Councilman David Montgomery utilized a December 2020 ordinance intended to beautify the new parkway as a carte blanche to finance, design, and construct this massive tribute. During a recent City Council meeting, Councilmen Chris Smith and Brian Hammons questioned the origins of the monument’s design.

“Beautification in my eyes are shrubbery, trees, plants, stuff like that. Not a $400,000 statue,” Hammons said during the October 3rd meeting. “It’s kind of misleading that this ordinance was beautification.”

Councilman Smith asked directly, “Where did this statue come from?… I’m looking at the original ordinance from December 2020, 'These funds will be used to dramatically enhance the aesthetics of the gateway corridor into the City of Bossier.' Says nothing about a statute… I don’t think anyone voted on it… who approved that?”

City Engineer stand-in Ben Rauschenbach hesitated, eventually responding, “The administration and the Council did back when that was all being designed.”

There was no other debate or discussion before the City Council voted 5-2 to approve $17,000 in cost overruns for the statue. Smith and Hammons voted against the measure.

In response, a public records request was filed to uncover all plans approved by the City Council for the monument, who approved them, and what the initial cost estimates were to be. The City refused to turn over any documents, citing they would need 60 days to respond.

Sources close to David Montgomery suggest that he alone approved the plans, causing frustration among Councilmen Darby and Williams, who were reportedly upset they had been excluded from the decision-making process. It’s noteworthy that Councilmen Williams and Darby both voted against renaming the Carriageway after Bigby.

Remarkably, a review of City Council minutes dating back to 2017 reveals no mention of specific plans for the E. Texas Street monument, nor any indication that anyone besides Walter O. Bigby would be commemorated on it.

What adds further intrigue is the engraving of numerous names on the three-story structure. Among the engraved names are prominent local figures, such as former council members and the previous city attorney. However, it remains unclear what criteria were employed to select these and the other individuals for inclusion.

Here are the names included on the monument:

• Jill Hillebrand – Owner of “Walker Advanced Consulting, LLC”, employee of Best Yet Builders

• Thomas Harvey – Former Bossier City Councilman

• James D. Hall – Former Bossier City Attorney

• Pam Glorioso – Former Bossier City CAO

• Stacie Fernandez – Former Bossier City Finance Director, current Bossier Parish Police Jury Treasurer

• Jeff Free – Current Bossier City Councilman

• Joey Earnest – Owner of Best Yet Builders, contractor awarded the bid for construction of Carriageway

• Jeffery Darby – Current Bossier City Councilman

• Robert Basinger – Engineer

• Lorenz Walker – Former Mayor of Bossier City

• Keith Tindell – Engineer

• Jordan Pearson – Engineer

• David North – LA DoTD District Administrator

• David Montgomery Jr. – Current Bossier City Councilman, lone

approving authority for monument design

• Tim Larkin – Former Bossier City Councilman

• Scott Irwin – Former Bossier City Councilman

• Don Williams – Current Bossier City Councilman

• Mark Hudson – Former Bossier City City Engineer

• Hayden Bigby – Grandson of Walter O. Bigby Jr.

• Walter O. Bigby, III. – Son of Walter O. Bigby Jr.

This issue takes on greater significance considering that over $300,000 in taxpayer funds have been expended on this monumental endeavor, significantly depleting the initial budget allocated for the “beautification” project. The monument is now set to feature four illuminated silhouettes of Bigby, further increasing the overall cost.

During a recent City Council meeting, Councilmen Brian Hammons and Chris Smith opposed the proposed cost overruns, but the majority of the Council voted to allocate additional taxpayer funds.

As questions swirl around this monument’s purpose, design approval process, and funding, Bossier City residents are left seeking answers and transparency from their elected officials.

The citizens of Bossier City await further details on this controversial monument and hope for transparency in understanding its purpose and significance.