By: David Crockett • Contributing Columnist

On Dec. 5, the Bossier City Council adopted an ordinance to begin a charter commission and consider changes to its 1976 charter wherein Bossier City calls its organization a Strong Mayor-Council form of government. Strong Mayor-Council forms of government normally designate the administrative functions of management under the mayor, and the city council functions as the legislative and policy organization, including appropriating funds for the city's priorities. This is the form of government for about half of the medium-large city governments in the U.S.

In reality, Bossier City does not follow its charter, especially in the hiring and firing of city employees. For example, the city council essentially makes all personnel and salary decisions for the Mayor's Office, though the Charter gives the responsibility to the mayor. This is a result of distrust among council members that the Mayor’s Office will manage salaries and positions within their desires. The only charter-approved exception is for hiring of department heads, which must be nominated by the mayor and approved by the council.

A second concern is that the mayor has not hired a city engineer on his staff as directed in the City Charter. (For background, refer to my last column in Focus SB, “HO, HO, HO, Bossier City Council Is Giving Away Money,” Nov 17, 2023.) It is suspect whether Bossier City councilmen are favoring Manchac due to past financial contributions to individual campaigns or personal relationships with specific councilmen. There are related ethics issues that should be addressed
by this charter commission.

A third area of concern for Bossier City residents is the ballooning debt of Bossier City. My last analysis in 2022 showed that Bossier City has the highest debt per capita (per man, woman and child) in all of Louisiana, approximately 3X that of New Orleans. Three Bossier City councilmen entered office over 20 years ago when Bossier City’s debt was approximately $100 million. This amount peaked in 2022 at about $450 million, putting a debt squeeze on Bossier City’s salaries and budget. As a result, discussions at recent council meetings display a lack of ideas on long-term solutions on how to raise pay to attract and keep Bossier City policemen. Yes, city staff are not receiving significant pay raises in this high inflationary period. This is one of many reasons to support a change in the charter for grandfathered term limits.

Of particular concern to Bossier City residents in District 2 and District 3 is that Councilman Darby (Dist. 2) and Councilman Williams (Dist. 2) appointed people outside rather than selecting from within their districts. Bossier City councilmen and Mayor Chandler appointed Shane Cheatham, Preston Friedley, Lee A. Jeter Sr., David Johnson, Sandra Morehart, Julianna Parks, Panderina Soumas, Vicky Whitman and Lisa Wilhite. It could be determined that Ms. Parks, who serves as police jurywoman in District 5 and the Parish Library Board, is dual office-holding. If you live in District 2 or 3, consider contacting your councilman to press for a new ordinance to replace with nominees from your district.

Beyond the question of why some residents are not being represented on the commission, citizens in Bossier City should contact your councilmen and give your input on concerns for the commission to consider. Issues that will likely be fought in the charter commission
include term limits (grandfathered), changes to the mayor’s responsibilities, appropriateness of at-large councilmen and codification of the council’s burgeoning power base. The real question
that a growing city should consider is whether a city manager/mayor-president form of government or other hybrid forms of government should be considered.

Other issues that local citizens raised during the Term Limits Petition are ethics issues related to certain councilmen who seem to profit from their council duties and a history of an abusive council that resulted in the UL Colemen lawsuit which cost Bossier City millions of lost revenue and settlement costs. Ethics and contracting guidelines should be addressed in the charter commission.