The Bossier City Council on July 1 carried a slate of ordinances, resolutions, appointments and emergency declarations. Key actions included emergency sewer repairs, conditional-use approvals for retail alcohol sales at new convenience stores, budget and staffing adjustments, several routine appointments, and the establishment of standing committees.

Emergency sewer repairs and related emergency declarations: The council adopted three emergency or extreme-emergency ordinances to address sewer failures and force-main replacement. The items and stated costs were:

- Replace an 8-inch gravity sewer main and set new manhole at 4001 Wayne Avenue and replace an 8-inch gravity sewer main at 1502 Lampkin Street: $211,591.86 from the Sewer Capital and Contingency Fund (adopted, first and final reading).

- Replace a gravity sewer main segment on Shirley Lane that collapsed: $97,800 from the Sewer Capital and Contingency Fund (adopted, first and final reading).

- Restore and replace a 24-inch sewer force main blowout at the intersection of Airline Drive and Meadow Creek Drive: $354,231.75 from the Sewer Capital and Contingency Fund (adopted, first and final reading). Council and engineering staff said the “extreme emergency” designation applied where bypass operations could not be installed and immediate mobilization was required.

Other votes and approvals: The council:

- Approved bidding results and took demolition bids for 1401 Burchett Street under advisement; the two bids announced were $29,470 (1 Priority Environmental LLC) and $27,855 (Eagle Industries LLC). The council later approved the bids. (Motion carried.)

- Adopted ordinances granting conditional-use approval for retail sale of low-content alcohol at convenience stores with fuel sales at 1819 Airline Drive (Murphy Oil USA) and at 1843 Innovation Drive (both first and final readings).

- Adopted an ordinance rezoning 1.09 acres at 4438 Viking Drive from I-1 light industrial to B-3 general business for a proposed hair salon (first and final reading).

- Adopted an ordinance to add one temporary employee in the Public Works Department and amended the general fund and Public Service and Sanitation Fund budgets by $7,500 each (first reading adopted as part of the agenda vote).

- Introduced or adopted budget amendments and personnel resolutions, including a $100,000 amendment to the 2025 Public Services and Sanitation Fund to increase mowing services and multiple personnel hiring authorizations across departments (parks laborer, personnel specialist, utility worker at Red River plant, systems engineer replacement, two full-time and two part-time kennel worker positions).

- Adopted a resolution to add the council president to the approval workflow for payments issued from risk management; Councilman Hammonds successfully amended the resolution to apply to all payments regardless of payee and to lower the approval threshold from $75,000 to $50,000. The amendment passed and the council approved the resolution as amended. Council members said the change aligns the city with state and nearby jurisdictions and will route payments over $50,000 to the council president for approval prior to payment.

- Introduced an ordinance authorizing the mayor to execute a pricing schedule agreement with AT&T for upgraded telephone and internet circuits (adopted).

- Introduced an ordinance declaring certain movable equipment surplus to the city’s needs and providing for disposal in connection with the alternative-fuel station project; staff said disposal would proceed by public bid and could recycle or sell usable components such as signage and pumps.

Appointments and procedural items: The council appointed Phyllis McGraw as city council clerk for the term beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2029; elected Chris Smith as council president for 07/01/2025–06/30/2026 and Joel Girard as vice president for 07/01/2025–06/30/2026; and appointed Creighton Cochran to the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission to fill an unexpired term ending 08/30/2025. The council also established three standing committees (budget and finance; infrastructure; community needs) with appointments to be made annually by the council president.

Investigations and process changes: In addition to the investigative committee to review parking-lot expenditures, the council adopted a resolution establishing an investigative committee (discussed separately) and established standing committees to increase oversight and coordination with the administration.

Votes at a glance: (motions listed with motion text and outcome as recorded in the transcript)

- Adopt resolution establishing investigative committee for public funds (Hammonds / Cliff Smith) — approved.
- Adopt ordinance amending UDC for subdivision signs/residential message boards (Hammonds / Maggio) — approved.
- Approve demolition bids for 1401 Burchett Street (admin) — approved (bids: 1 Priority Environmental LLC $29,470; Eagle Industries LLC $27,855).
- Adopt emergency ordinance: Wayne Avenue and Lampkin Street sewer main replacement $211,591.86 (Hammonds / Maggio) — approved.
- Adopt emergency ordinance: Shirley Lane gravity sewer main replacement $97,800 (Hammonds / Ross) — approved.
- Adopt emergency ordinance: 24-inch force main blowout at Airline Drive & Meadow Creek Drive $354,231.75 (Hammonds / Maggio) — approved.
- Adopt ordinance: conditional use for low-content alcohol sale at 1819 Airline Drive (Murphy Oil USA) — approved.
- Adopt ordinance: conditional use for low-content alcohol sale at 1843 Innovation Drive — approved.
- Adopt ordinance: rezoning of 4438 Viking Drive to B-3 for hair salon — approved.
- Amend Public Works staffing and budgets by $7,500 from general fund and $7,500 from sanitation fund — approved.
- Introduce ordinance: AT&T pricing schedule agreement for telephone/internet circuits — approved.
- Adopt ordinance declaring surplus equipment for alternative-fuel station disposal (to go to public bid) — approved.
- Appoint Phyllis McGraw as city council clerk — approved.
- Elect Chris Smith council president; elect Joel Girard vice president — approved.
- Appoint Creighton Cochran to Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission — approved.
- Amend risk-management payment approval workflow to add council president and lower threshold to $50,000 (Hammonds amendment passed; final motion approved) — approved.
- Introduce ordinance amending 2025 Public Services and Sanitation Fund budget by $100,000 for mowing services — introduced/approved as recorded.
- Adopt multiple hiring resolutions across City departments (parks laborer, personnel specialist, utility worker, systems engineer replacement, kennel workers) — approved.
- Establish standing committees (budget & finance, infrastructure, community needs) — approved.

The transcript records that most motions were carried by voice vote and the record shows "motion carries" after each item; the transcript does not record full roll-call tallies for each vote. Several routine agenda items were approved as first-and-final readings where noted.

What's next: Implementation tasks include engineering work and contracting for sewer repairs, staff follow-up on mowing contract procurement for FY26, scheduling committee appointments by the council president, and public bid processes for surplus equipment disposal related to the alternative-fuel station project. The investigative committee will determine its own schedule and reporting date once appointments are made.