Bossier City — The Bossier City Council Investigative Committee on Aug. 8 reported gaps in records and recommended referring its preliminary findings about public spending on parking lots at Scott’s Audio and Bossier Power Equipment to state authorities.

“Resolution 39 of 2025 established an investigative committee of the Bossier City Council to review the use of public funds for parking lots at Scott's Audio and Bossier Power Equipment and to report any findings to the city council,” the committee chair said when presenting the committee’s preliminary report. The chair said portions of the report may contain sensitive information and that any public release would follow guidance from the Louisiana Attorney General and the Louisiana Legislative Auditor on redactions.

The committee chair said investigators formally requested sworn statements and related documentation — including bids, invoices, emails, text messages, memos, phone logs and contracts — from multiple city officials. The chair said sworn statements and supporting documents were submitted by “Mister Rauschenbach and Mister Thompson,” while “Miss Nottingham and Miss Crawford also complied” and “appear and have had minimal involvement in this matter.” The chair said “mayor Chandler, mister Jacobs, and mister Wray … did not support submit any documents,” and that the lack of documentation “has significantly hindered the committee's ability to fully assess the situation.”

Because the committee said it could not determine whether applicable laws and procedures were followed, the chair recommended four actions: pursue the matter under the cited Louisiana references, submit written notification to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor and the Bossier Parish district attorney as required when there is reasonable cause to believe public funds or assets may have been misappropriated, forward findings to the office of the Louisiana Attorney General for a formal opinion, and submit all documentation to the Louisiana State Police for a full investigation.

During the meeting Councilman Hammonds pressed committee members about missing emails and documentation. Hammonds said the committee had requested information and “we have not received 1 single email from you pertaining to this.” An individual identified in the transcript as the assistant city attorney responded that sealed physical submissions had been provided and that the city attorney’s office does not have the authority to compel a sworn, written statement “under penalty of perjury.” The assistant city attorney also cited the city charter’s provisions on subpoena power, saying the charter allows the council to “subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and require the production of evidence,” but, as he put it, “You do not have the power to require a written statement under penalty of perjury.”

There was a dispute over which records the committee possessed. Hammonds said the committee lacked documentation for bids; another participant said quotes existed and disputed Hammonds’s reading of state bid law. The assistant city attorney said he had supplied copies of text messages and other documents and stressed he had done “my job” and “I do my job well.” Rauschenbach and others also asserted they had provided documents or emails to the clerk or the committee.

After discussion the committee chair said she would forward the preliminary report and the committee’s recommendation to the full city council for the council to decide next steps. The chair asked if there were any objections; a committee member said, “No, ma'am.” The meeting was then adjourned.

The committee did not take public comment during the session, citing meeting-law constraints, and the chair said the panel will comply with any guidance or directives from state agencies once the materials are submitted to them.

The committee’s preliminary report and the precise statutes and emails at issue were not published during the meeting; the chair said she would seek guidance from the Attorney General and the Legislative Auditor before any public release and that the committee had already been contacted by the Louisiana State Police.