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Shreveport City Council elects Tabitha Taylor chair, confirms appointments and approves budget and zoning measures
Summary
At a regular meeting, the Shreveport City Council elected Tabitha Taylor chair and Ursula Bowman vice chair, confirmed four executive appointments, approved amendments to the 2026 general and capital budgets and passed several zoning and code amendments; several items were postponed for staff follow-up.
The Shreveport City Council elected Councilwoman Tabitha Taylor as chair and Ursula Bowman as vice chair and, during the same meeting, confirmed executive appointments and approved budget and zoning measures.
Councilman James Green nominated Taylor for chair and Bowman for vice chair; nominations were closed and the motions were approved unanimously, with members offering brief remarks of thanks and support. The council then confirmed four executive appointments: Frank Daxton III to the Shreveport Implementation and Development Authority; Charles Edward Johnson to the Visit Shreveport Bossier Board; and Josephine B. Wade and Margaret Martin to the Shreveport Memorial Library Board. The clerk recorded the confirmation motion as moved by Councilman Green and seconded by the vice chair; the appointments were reported as passing with six votes.
On legislative business, the council approved Ordinance 153 amending the city of Shreveport’s 2026 general fund budget and Ordinance 154 amending the 2026 capital improvements budget. It also adopted Ordinance 155, which amends portions of the Unified Development Code relating to appeals of zoning variance decisions, and approved rezone requests included in Ordinance 156 (zoning case 25-119c) that split a property into C-4 and C-3 zoning to address compatibility with surrounding uses. Several of these motions were recorded as passing with seven votes.
Council also considered procurement and operational items: it moved to reject bids for payment improvements and rebid IFB 25-080, and introduced additional resolutions regarding a lease-to-own with Stryker Sales Corporation, a lease with the North Louisiana Criminalistic Laboratory Commission, a two-year lease extension with Apex Natural Gas LLC, and authorization to purchase excess workers’ compensation and marine insurance covering the period beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Those resolutions were introduced for later consideration.
Not every item advanced. The council voted to postpone Resolution 160, which would have authorized a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Downtown Development Authority, to a later meeting. It also postponed a resolution to recognize January as human trafficking awareness month until the coalition director could attend.
The clerk reported a mayoral appointment received Jan. 6, 2026: Brandon Snead for Director of Ward and Sewer, which the clerk said is subject to confirmation on Jan. 27, 2026.
Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (special meetings Dec. 4 and 9; combined meeting Dec. 18): motion moved by Councilman Green, seconded by the vice chair; reported as passed (vote stated as passing with six). - Executive appointments (Frank Daxton III; Charles Edward Johnson; Josephine B. Wade; Margaret Martin): motion moved by Councilman Green; reported as passed with six. - Resolution 160 (cooperative endeavor with Downtown Development Authority): motion to postpone — passed (vote stated as passing with seven). - Resolution to reject bids for payment improvements (rebid IFB 25-080): approved (vote stated as passing with seven). - Resolution to recognize January as human trafficking awareness month: motion to postpone — passed (vote stated as passing with seven). - Ordinance 153 (2026 general fund amendment): adopted (vote reported as passing with seven). - Ordinance 154 (2026 capital improvements amendment): adopted (vote reported as passing with seven). - Ordinance 155 (UDC appeals to zoning variance decisions): adopted (vote reported as passing with seven). - Ordinance 156 (zoning case 25-119c — Linwood Ave/Mount Zion Rd): adopted (vote reported as passing with seven). - MPC case 24213C (Take 5 oil change special use/site plan): motion to postpone for engineering/DOTD review — passed (vote stated as passing with seven).
Why it matters: The leadership election sets the council’s internal direction for committee assignments and meeting management, while budget and zoning approvals carry near-term implications for city spending and land-use patterns. Postponed items — notably the downtown cooperative endeavor and the human-trafficking proclamation — will return for further staff or stakeholder input.
Next steps: Several introduced resolutions will return for formal consideration on later agendas; the clerk said the mayor’s appointment for Brandon Snead is scheduled for confirmation on Jan. 27, 2026.
