Bossier City Council votes to terminate cooperative agreement with Bossier Arts Council after audit noncompliance

The Bossier City Council voted on March 3 to terminate its joint cooperative endeavor agreement with the Bossier Arts Council (BAC), after council members cited prolonged noncompliance with legally mandated audit filings.

Councilman Cliff Smith introduced the termination ordinance and Councilman Hammonds seconded it; after more than two hours of public comment and council discussion, the motion passed on a roll-call vote: Chris Smith, Cochran, Hammonds, Cliff Smith, Gerard and Majio voted yes; Council member Deborah Ross voted no.

The vote followed a sustained public-comment period in which current and former BAC supporters urged the council to allow time for the nonprofit to regain compliance. Arts council representative Mr. Hicks told the council he had “diligently reached out to the legislative auditor” and that extension requests were denied because the auditor had not received a letter of engagement. “We are deficient in what I hope that I can give you,” he said, and asked the council to consider the programming and transitions that would be needed if the council removed the organization from the city premises.

Multiple residents and arts leaders described the BAC’s local role. One speaker said the BAC provides “affordable rehearsal and performance space for local theater companies” and hosts school art exhibitions and community events. Rachel Taylor, a preschool teacher and parent, told the council the cost to vacate and relocate would be substantial and could threaten programs: “This is going to be thousands or tens of thousands of dollars that could be invested into artists … but will instead go to moving, storage, cleaning, remarketing, and rent expenses for the art council.”

Council members defended the termination as a response to a multi-year compliance issue. Council members said the council had provided $80,000 annually plus rent and utilities to the BAC and that the organization’s failure to file audit reports for three years put the city at fiscal and legal risk. City staff confirmed the full year’s funding had already been disbursed in January.

Councilman Hammonds and others said the problem predates recent boards and involves governance failures. City staff described steps to prevent similar problems in the future, including a new administrative procedure to check compliance before funds are disbursed and ordinance language requiring nonprofit applicants to certify they are up to date on filings.

Supporters urged the council to weigh community impact against fiscal stewardship. Winston Hall, a local performer, said the BAC had incubated productions and that the city had helped artists stage shows at minimal cost. “The Bojer Arts Council was the incubator for my idea,” he said, and urged the council not to terminate the agreement.

The council concluded the matter with the formal roll-call; the ordinance to terminate the cooperative agreement and to repeal certain ordinances allowing city premises use by the arts council was approved by a 6–1 vote. Council members said they intend for the city to continue supporting arts programming broadly in the East Bank District, but the future of the BAC’s use of the specific city premises and its current funding relationship will change pending implementation of the termination.

The ordinance was introduced and carried the council’s motion; the council did not put an alternative funding plan on the record during the meeting. The city indicated it will follow established procurement and compliance procedures when managing future funding to nonprofit recipients.