The South Bossier Lunch group met at the Bellaire South Complex on Wednesday, July 14, where special guest speaker Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler came to discuss and answer questions about the new administration and their vision for Bossier.
After being introduced by the mayor, members of the administration were each given the opportunity to provide an overview of their respective roles and responsibilities.
The Substitute Bossier City Police Chief, Chris Estess, had much to say regarding changes and improvements he believes would substantially raise the effectiveness of the Bossier City Police Department (BCPD) if implemented.
“Just in this week. . . I cut $11,000 out of our budget of unnecessary spending when we could use it in other areas.” explained Estess.
After reallocating the BCPD budget into more efficacious purposes, the number of officers able to be deployed for patrol increased by 10%, with an estimated consecutive increase of another 10% by mid-August. With an accumulated total of 45,244 calls for service to the BCPD as of July 14, the commitment to increasing the patrol area and capable staff size is invaluable to ensuring the security and safety of Bossier citizens.
Chandler assured that the process of renovating the Jimmie Davis Bridge was proceeding well, stating that a recent visit to the state government in Baton Rouge has resulted in an investment of $108 million and an estimated window of 4 years for its completion.
Feeling optimistic about the amount of progress achieved by the administration so far, Chandler said, “We’ve only been here two weeks, and you see what we’ve done? We’ve only just begun.”
After the updates had concluded, the speakers opened the floor up to the audience for any questions or concerns they had regarding the future of Bossier City.
The South Bossier Lunch group’s goal is to bring together men and women in our South Bossier community that want to stay informed and want to make a difference in our community.
Their vision is that the luncheon will help South Bossier business owners, stakeholders, community leaders, and community partners network with each other and discuss the growth, development, and business future of South Bossier and Bossier City.
