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John came to Shreveport in January of 1977 when he was transferred to Barksdale AFB.

He’s been active in Shreveport politics since deciding to make Shreveport his home.

John practiced law for 40 years and he now monitors local politics. He regularly attends Shreveport City Council and Caddo Parish Commission meetings.

John is published weekly in The Inquisitor, bi-monthly in The Forum News, and frequently in the Shreveport Times.

He enjoys addressing civic groups on local government issues and elections.

 

25 GOALS FOR SHREVEPORT MAYOR AND COUNCIL IN 2025

It’s always a challenge to compile a list of tasks/goals that one hopes will be accomplished by elected officials. This list is certainly incomplete—hopefully, it may be a starting point for the mayor and the city council.

1. Get all Shreveport Police Department (SPD) personnel out of 1234 Texas St. into temporary locations

2. Nail down a location for the temporary SPD substation in SW Shreveport

3. Find and secure a location for the third permanent SFD substation in SE Shreveport

4. Resolve the controversy on the North Market permanent police substation

5. Enforce the lease provisions of Millennium Studio to Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson

6. Lease or sell Expo Hall, and if leased aggressively enforce lease provisions

7. Get Fire Station 20 in SE Shreveport open

8. Automate an online process for application, payment and printing of ABO liquor licenses

9. Automate/simplify the process to obtain building permits

10. Adopt a downtown property standards/vacant building ordinance

11. Fully implement the new program for homeless people, especially in the downtown area

12. Establish/refine criteria for persons living in the parish to tie into city water via annexation

13. Lease or sell the 6 acre parcel which is current site of Fairgrounds Field, and if leased aggressively enforce lease provisions

14. Lease or sell the soon to be empty Pioneer Bank building at 401 Texas Street, and if leased aggressively enforce lease provisions

15. Resolve the SPD information backlog needed by Caddo DA for prompt prosecution of cases

16. Break ground on 2024 Bond projects funded in recent $88 million bond sale

17. Make progress in resolution of pending EPA Consent Decree water/sewer requirements

18. Lease or sell the Red River District, and if leased aggressively enforce lease provisions

19. Take steps to synchronize city traffic lights

20. Develop and implement aggressive policies to collect deliquent water bills and other moneys due to city.

21. Resolve the need for demolition/renovation of abandoned apartment complexes

22. Ensure funds to continue SPD incentive package for recruitment/retention of officers

23. Complete renovation/remodeling of 70st street building for DOWUS, Streets & Drainage and Public Works and move departments into the facility

24. Find funding for purchase of three sanitation/garbage trucks deleted from budget

25. Find funding for additional SPD cars for officers to take home.

I believe this list is achievable and that substantial progress can be made on each of the recommendations. Some of these are for the Arceneaux administration alone, others for the Shreveport City Council alone, and many will take combined action of both.

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