Stacey Tinsley/Press-Tribune
On Tuesday February 6, 2024, the Bossier City Charter Commission met to discuss scheduling future meetings and town hall meetings. The commission also discussed the process for receiving input from the public and possible rules for meetings, town hall meetings and the charter review process.
The Bossier City Charter commission approved the following dates and times for working meetings and town hall meetings:
Working Meetings are scheduled for: February 12 at 11:00 AM, February 26 at 6:00 PM, March 4 at 6:00 PM, March 20 at 09:00 AM, and March 28 at 6:00 PM. All working meetings are held at the Bossier City Council chambers.
Town Hall Meeting are scheduled for: February 20 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Hooter Park MLK Community Center, February 22 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Shady Grove Community Center and February 27 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Bossier Instruction Center (BIC).
Following the scheduling of the working meetings and town hall meetings, the charter commissioners discussed the city charter review process and received input from the public.
During the Tuesday January 30, 2024 regular meeting, the Bossier City Council and Bossier City Charter Commission Chair, Preston Friedley, asked city council members to suggest the changes they would like to see made in the city charter to their charter commission representative.
During the February 6 charter commission meeting, commission member Shane Cheatham read aloud two letters that he received. One letter from Bossier City Councilman At-Large Chris Smith and the other letter was from Bossier City Council District 1 Councilman Brian Hammons.
Chris Smith wrote: “The motivation behind the newly formed charter review commission was in response to a petition signed by 3,000 residents of Bossier City to support the idea of term limits.”
“It is my firm belief that this charter review commission should only look at the singular issue that is the motivation behind its creation and propose the amendment as written in the petition to the citizens of Bossier City,” said Smith in his letter..
After reading the letters, Cheatham asked if any of the appointed city charter commission members had contacted the other charter commissioners regarding suggested changes they would like to see in the charter.
Out of the remaining commissioners, excluding Shane Cheatham, commissioner David Johnson had heard from his appointed council member.
“I’ll say this again (I said it last week), this charter commission was put together because of one item – because of the 3,000 people in our city that want term limits. Nothing spoke louder than what, in my opinion, the questions that were asked a few minutes ago pointed out. None of those council members have given us additional items. I truly believe, with all my heart, that we need to think about moving forward with the one item that is put in front of us,” said Cheatham.
Following a few remarks from other charter commission members, Johnson said “I was asked to be on this charter commission by Brian Hammons. I’m here for the citizens of Bossier City. Not just South Bossier, but every citizen here in Bossier City. I want to hear your comments, I want to encourage you to vote. The importance of that is just so crucial. If I can bring anything out of this committee, I want your input.”
Following Johnson’s remarks, commission member Vicky Whitman said: “When Vince first asked me to be on the charter commission, I asked him what it entailed. Because it was still being formed and he didn’t have all of the answers, he told me to call Chris and he would tell me what it would all entail. I called Chris and asked him if he could explain to me exactly what the charter commission would entail and if there would be any conflict. And, what I was told was it wasn’t about getting term limits on a ballot for November. I was told we were going to have 18 months and that we would have to have it up by then and that we were to study the charter. And, we were to look at it and then see if there’s any changes that we thought were going to be made. I’ve spent days on this. I’ve got notes that I have made all through this charter review process because I‘m doing what Chris Smith told me I was going to do and that is review this charter. Not ‘Hey, I just need you to get term limits on the ballot.’ That’s not what he told me.”
At the end of the meeting, Assistant Bossier City Attorney Richard Ray advised the charter commission that an email address has been created for the charter commission so that the public can have contact with charter commissioners.
If you would like to contact the Bossier City Charter Commission with your comments regarding the city charter, please email: [email protected].