The Shreveport City Council met yesterday, Tuesday Jan.14.
Two major items of business were the election of council officers for the upcoming year, and resolutions on the proposed North Market Shreveport Police Department (SPD) substation.
Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor was elected as the council chair. Her duties as chair include, but are not limited to:
- Conduct council meetings
- Assign council committee members and committee chairs
- Serve as mayor pro tem when Mayor Arceneaux is out of state or incapacitated like during his recent hip replacement.
Councilwoman Ursula Bowman was elected as the council vice-chair. She will execute the duties of the council chair in the absence of council chair Taylor. She will also have additional duties that may be assigned to her by Taylor.
Both ladies will serve in these positions until the first regular council meeting in 2025.
The Council also passed two resolutions affecting the donation of the North Market street property to the City of Shreveport by the North Shreveport Business Association (NSBA) for an SPD substation and a Family Justice Center outreach center.
The donation amendments addressed concerns about the continued use of the North Marker property for substation and/or future Shreveport development/departments. They also modified the approval requirement for a change in use of the property from a police substation to a two/thirds vote of the council.
The donation amendments reflect the negotiations between the city administration, the NSBA and the city council. The effectiveness of this process and the donation compromises speak very highly of all involved. Good government principles were certainly followed in this process which will redound to the benefit of all Shreveport citizens, not just those that will be served by the North Market SPD substation.