By Stacey Tinsley, Bossier Press-Tribune
During its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Bossier City Council failed to adopt the first reading, of an ordinance that would have placed term limits before voters in December.
Prior to the vote, District 1 Councilman Brian Hammons stated, “I know we keep saying we’re in uncharted waters, but much of what we deal with in America today is uncharted territory, especially regarding government agencies.”
“The people have spoken. It’s right here in the numbers. Even those who didn’t sign, I wish we could all come together as adults. Term limits are necessary. If they’re good enough for Baton Rouge, they’re good enough for us here. They should be in Washington too,” Hammons concluded.
Only four out of the seven city council members attended Tuesday’s meeting. District 3 Councilman Don Williams and District 4 Councilman Jeff Free voted against the ordinance, while At-Large Councilman Chris Smith and District 1 Councilman Brian Hammons voted in favor of the ordinance.
At the beginning of the meeting, it was noted that the absences of three council members were due to sickness or being out of town.
The city has received a second petition requesting term limits, certified by the Bossier registrar of voters on July 25. This certification starts the 30-day window within which the council must act on the petition.
Additionally, Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler requested at the beginning of the meeting to add an item to the agenda, asking the council to disband the Bossier City Home Rule Charter Commission.
“We have all seen what has happened with the charter review commission over the past several weeks. I believe it is in the best interest of Bossier City to disband this commission,” Chandler said.
“The charter review commission has become a distraction, and it is in the best interest of the citizens of Bossier City to dissolve this commission so we can move forward together,” he concluded.
During the July 30 meeting, the Bossier City Council also:
Adopted an ordinance to appropriate $100,000 from the EMS Capital Fund to increase the line item in the 2024 General Fund Budget by $100,000 for Fire Department Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Expenditures.
Adopted an ordinance to eliminate a Laborer I position in the Street Sweeping and Grass Cutting Division for Public Works and change an existing Laborer I position to a Laborer II position with a pay increase, resulting in a net neutral change to the operating budget, to promote a Laborer II and backfill any vacant position this creates in the Solid Waste Division.
Adopted an ordinance to approve Change Order #2 for the 2023 Citywide Street Improvement Project, with an increase of $7,098.82, for a total contract price of $1,583,886.95.