City council: Yard parking ban moves forward. Charter changes, term limits still being debated
Plus — Study says 63% of City employees are underpaid. I-20 update: ramp closures, progress.
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Bossier City Council: Yard parking ban, Charter changes, term limits
There was much confusion and plenty of discussion at Tuesday's Bossier City Council meeting. Items debated included term limits, City Charter revisions, and residents parking vehicles in their front and side yards.
First, the Bossier City Charter Commission submitted a list of changes that it suggested should be adopted into the City's ruling document. After much discussion, the council approved the introduction of the changes, which allows for a final vote at the council's next meeting.
However, to confuse the situation, a resolution to bring the Charter Commission's version of term limits before voters failed to pass. It was blocked by District 1 councilmember Brian Hammons, who cast the lone 'no' vote on adding the item to the agenda, which required unanimous passage.
Hammons opposed moving the Charter Commission's version of term limits to a public vote without putting a version proposed by a petition circulated by the Bossier Term Limits Coalition on the ballot.
The Charter's version calls for a three-term limit without retroactivity and allows a formerly elected official to run again after "a break in service."
The Coalition’s term limits proposal, initiated by a petition, limits the reelection of currently sitting council members who have served more than three terms. It is still being legally challenged and has not been scheduled for a public vote.
Yard parking ban
Meanwhile, the introduction of an ordinance prohibiting the parking of vehicles in front and side yards — which failed at the last council meeting — gained two 'yes' votes and passed. A second vote at the council's next meeting will make the law official.
Brian Hammons explained his reasoning for the ordinance.
"There is already an ordinance on the books allowing the MPC to try to handle the vehicles being parked in front yards. If people call and complain about it, they do. They can come out. They can write a little posting ticket," Hammons said. "Basically, this is giving our police officers the power and the authority, if called on a complaint, to write a ticket where the people would have to show up in our city court.
"It's not that the police department is going to be riding around looking for cars parked in front yards. They're understaffed as it is. But this does give the homeowner a little bit more power to call the police," he added.
The council vote:
For: Chris Smith, Vince Maggio, Jeff Free, Brian Hammons
Against: Don Williams, Jeffery Darby
It's official: Bossier City employees are underpaid
In a budget workshop following the regular council meeting, Chief Administrative Officer Amanda Nottingham noted that the third-party salary study commissioned by the City revealed that 63% of City of Bossier City employees are underpaid.
I-20 reconstruction update: Upcoming ramp closures
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says the I-20 major rehabilitation project in Bossier City will soon enter the early stages of Phase 3.
As part of that work, on the night of Sunday, October 13, 2024, I-20 westbound will be closed near the Old Minden Road westbound on-ramp. Traffic will be diverted onto I-220 at Exit 26.
This closure for the westbound direction is scheduled for one night from approximately 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This is necessary to allow the contractor to install drainage across the ramp and travel lane.
On Monday, October 14, 2024, three of the four currently closed ramps at the Old Minden Road interchange are scheduled to reopen following their full reconstruction. This includes the opening of the eastbound on-ramp, eastbound off-ramp, and westbound off-ramp. The westbound on-ramp is anticipated to reopen during the week of October 21st following final drainage work.
Additionally, beginning on Sunday, October 27, 2024, the project will transition into the initial stages of Phase 3 with a traffic shift for I-20 eastbound onto the newly paved travel lanes on the interstate. This transition will begin at 8:00 p.m. on October 27th at Industrial Drive, working back toward Airline Drive with nightly lane closures from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. for approximately five nights.
DOTD will issue additional information for the westbound shift to the new travel lanes once those dates are finalized. After both directions have fully shifted in Phase 3 (driving on new pavement of inside lanes), the contractor will proceed with removing and replacing the existing outside lanes.
As a reminder, three of the four ramps at the Industrial Drive interchange remain closed for reconstruction. The eastbound on-ramp will remain open.
Swan Lake Road partial closure
The Bossier Parish Police Jury will close a portion of Swan Lake Road between Duckwater Landing and Hammack Way from Thursday, October 10, to Friday, October 11. The roadway will reopen on Saturday morning.
Work crews will construct the road connecting Swan Lake Road to the new North/South Corridor.
Jimmie Davis Bridge: Lane closures Sunday and Wednesday
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says that on Sunday, October 13, 2024, the eastbound lane of the Jimmie Davis Bridge will be closed for a routine bridge inspection.
The westbound lane of the JDB will be closed Wednesday, October 16th, from approximately 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
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