By Randy Brown, Bossier Press-Tribune
The Bossier City Charter Review Commission has voted 4-3 to move forward with an amendment to the Bossier City Charter regarding the implementation of term limits for elected positions on the Bossier City Council and for the office of Mayor of Bossier City. The decision was made during a meeting held on Monday, June 10, 2024, reflecting a narrow but decisive majority in favor of pursuing term limits. As written, the amendment would enact a three-term limit (12 years) for the Mayor and City Council, which would apply retroactively. Those who have already served 12 years could not run again.
At the June 10 meeting, commission members Shane Cheatham, Lee Jeter, David Johnson, and Preston Friedley voted in favor of moving forward with the amendment. Commission members Juliana Parks, Vicky Whitman, and Sandra Morehart voted against the term limits amendment. The Bossier City Charter Review Commission was established by the Bossier City Council in December 2023 and tasked with the responsibility of revising the city’s home rule charter. The current charter review commission is the third such commission to ever exist in the history of Bossier City.
In early 2023, the Bossier City Term Limits Coalition emerged as a grassroots movement aimed at introducing term limits for elected officials in Bossier City, Louisiana. The Bossier City Term Limits Coalition is a group of concerned citizens and community leaders advocating for reforms to city governance. The primary goal of the coalition is to promote accountability, transparency, and fresh perspectives in local government by limiting the number of consecutive terms that elected officials can serve. This initiative was driven by a belief that regular turnover in leadership positions fosters innovation, prevents stagnation, and ensures that elected representatives remain responsive to the evolving needs of the community. The Bossier City Term Limits Coalition has organized public meetings, gathered signatures for petitions that were presented to the Bossier City Council, and engaged with city officials and stakeholders to garner support for term limits.
The Bossier City Charter Review Commission is set to meet again on June 18, 2024, in what should be the commission’s final meeting, with several items still needing to be discussed and subjected to a commission vote as they relate to proposed changes in the city charter. Once the charter review commission makes its final changes to the city charter, the revised city charter will go before the Bossier City Council for approval and, if approved, it will potentially be placed on the December 2024 ballot.