By 4:30 pm Friday (July 20), all the Shreveport city council wannabes will be known. In the meantime, some are definitely in, others are definitely out, and some on the fence. Currently, four council members can seek re-election. Three council members are finishing a second term and can not run again this year. Willie Bradford […]
Author Archives: John Settle
Shreveport City Council Guarantees A Profit For Private Venture
It’s every entrepreneur’s dream. Plan a business event with a guaranteed profit. And that is exactly what the vote of the Shreveport City Council did on Tuesday. A film festival has been planned for months. The event organizer advised the Council that all the expenses have been covered by private funds, donations, and sponsorships. There […]
Shreveport City Council Votes To Fund A Racially Discriminatory Event
Well, it could have been worse. Maybe. Thankfully the vote was not to sponsor a hog calling contest limited to white bubba males. But the sponsorship of a film festival is just as bad on the basis of public policy. And it probably is illegal. By a 4-2 vote on Tuesday, the Shreveport City Council […]
MPC Board Should Send Sweeney To The House—Like Yesterday
On July 6 Caddo Shreveport Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) Executive Director Mark Sweeney emailed the MPC Board announcing his resignation, effective August 15. He advised that he had accepted a “once in a lifetime” career and financial prospect. He stated that the knowledge and experience he had gained as Executive Director prepared him to take […]
Shreveport Caddo MPC Overfunded, Overstaffed, Underperforming.
It’s time the Shreveport City Council and the Caddo Commission look at the facts when determining the performance of the Shreveport Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC). Let’s leave all the hubbub about lame duck MPC Executive Director Mark Sweeney either being as planning pioneer who has unfairly taken too many arrows in the back or […]
Latest Deveoplement Proposal By Curtis Joseph Another Pie In The Sky Project?
The last time it was a billion dollar Cross Bayou dream. This time it’s a $240 million mirage for the abandoned Shreveport Country Club. Local attorney Curtis Joseph has seemingly embarked on a new career as a real estate developer. It all started when Joseph was appointed by Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler to the Shreveport […]
MPC Board Gets It Right On Sweeney’s Contract, Sorta
A special meeting of the board of the directors of The Shreveport Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) was held on Monday, June 25 in the MPC conference room. The only agenda item was to review the employment contract with MPC Executive Director Mark Sweeney. Sweeney’s current contract expires this year on September 30. The contract […]
Second Shreveport Crime Summit Was A Big Waste Of Time
Yes, Shreveport Police Chief Alan Crump did show up for the commission committee meeting on crime this time. So did a lot of law enforcement heavyweights. Mayor Ollie Tyler, Chief Administrative Officer Brian Crawford and City Attorney Will Bradford also attended. And what was accomplished? Absolutely nothing on the agenda item “city/parish crime agenda.” Give […]
MPC and UDC Cost Fire District Big Bucks And Construction Time
If anyone does not believe that the Shreveport Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) delays construction and runs up costs for developers, than you need look no further than District One Fire Chief Dan Cotten. Cotten appeared before the Caddo Commission last week to give update on the reconstruction of a heavy volume fire station located […]
Should Theron Jackson And Curtis Joseph Recuse Themselves From Vote Today On MPC Executive Director Contract?
Today at 4pm a special MPC Board meeting will be held in the MPC conference room at Government Plaza. The Board will open the meeting and then go into executive session to discuss the contract. The Board will reconvene “to consider any actions to be taken by the MPC Board pertaining to discussions conducted during […]