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Council Proceedings of the City of Shreveport, Louisiana

August 28, 2007

The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Shreveport, State of Louisiana was called to order by Chairman Walford at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 28, 2007, in the Government Chambers in Government Plaza (505 Travis Street).

Invocation was given by Pastor Eddie Giles.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Lester.

On Roll Call, the following members were Present: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne, and Bowman. 7. Absent: None.

Motion by Councilman Webb, seconded by Councilman Long to approve the minutes of the Administrative Conference, Monday August 13, 2007 , Council Meeting, Tuesday, August 14, 2007, Amendment No. 1 to July 24, 2007 Council Proceedings, and Amendment No. 1 to August 14, 2007 Council Proceedings. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Shyne, Webb and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Awards, Recognition of Distinguished Guests, and Communications of the Mayor which are required by law.

Councilman Walford: Mayor Glover.

Mayor Glover: Thank you Mr. Chairman. We have several things I’m going to ask you all to consider. At this particular point in time, we’re going to start and I’m going to go down front and start with our first (inaudible). Several of you may have witnessed on television yesterday evening, we have two more outstanding members of the Shreveport Police Department - - - we’re going to start with Officer No. 1, who is Shreveport Police Officer Matt Reed. According to my notes here, and as I have observed, he’s a guy that you do not want to tangle with. Officer Matt Reed recently won the Bronze Medal at the Pan American Games in Brazilian Jujitsu Submission Fighting. Just last week, Matt was one of three in Louisiana to qualify to fight in the 2007 World Championship Fights in Los Angeles, California. Matt is a highly skilled, disciplined, competitor respected and, Council Members, feared. He holds professional ranking as a Purple Belt in this unique form of martial arts. He tells me he’s got some bumps and bruises from the weekend, but he’s here today. I observed a couple of them outside as we were coming in. So, he’s here today so that we can recognize Officer Reed for his show of excellence both from the streets of Shreveport and in the ring. Members of the Council, I present to you, Officer Matt Reed. Matt Reed is here today along with Chief Henry Whitehorn and his wife is an SPD Officer as well. I did not realize that. So absolutely, congratulations. My privilege Officer Reed to present to you with this Mayoral Award of Excellence, and give you a Mayoral Pin in recognition of your outstanding accomplishment. Would you address the Council please?

Officer Reed: (Inaudible) my wife. I want to thank you very much for this. This was a surprise and I wanted to take note to mention that my co-worker and I, we do train quite a bit. The people who are not recognized are the many officers who do, who continually train outside of duty to enhance their level of professionalism on the street and off the street. It matures one, it allows for you to establish more discipline when dealing with people, because you do deal with so many negatives and very positives out there, it’s a way to kinda release the stress in a sense, but also gives you more - - - a more, I guess a greater sense of people in all, when you start dealing with people from different areas and different cultures and what not. And I’ve traveled all across the country and all across the world to compete and I’ve had the privilege of meeting various people. It’s actually made a difference in my line of work in law enforcement. And again, I do want to thank you very much for this honor, and I do say I accept this on behalf of myself and the many officers in both Shreveport and Bossier who continue to train outside of work to better assists the cities they work for. Thank you.

Mayor Glover: Alright. In addition - - -

Councilman Shyne: Mr. Mayor?

Mayor Glover: Yes sir Mr. Shyne.

Councilman Shyne: Just tell him to take it easy on the Chief, hear?

Mayor Glover: In addition to Officer Reed, we also have with us today, Shreveport Police Corporal, Brent Mason. Cpl. Mason, will you join me up front? Yet another guy you don’t want to tangle with. Cpl Mason is a skilled fighter in mixed martial arts, a Louisiana State Kick Boxing Champion, has many trophies, titles and honors, and he says he takes the hits while Officer Reed breaks the bones. Brent is another highly skilled disciplined martial arts professional and respected member of the Shreveport Police Department. You saw him and Officer Reed in action on Channel 3, and you can see them both next month as they take part in the Battle of the Badges, where Shreveport’s Finest takes on Bossier and the regional police officers and firefighters slugging it out to see whose No. 1. Today, these two guys are No. 1 for us here in Shreveport. Members of the Council, I present Cpl Brent Mason.

Cpl Mason: Thank y’all very much for having me today. This is definitely a surprise. I found out about this a couple of days ago. I want to thank the Mayor and the Council and the City of Shreveport for providing these awards for us. Like Matt also said, there’s plenty of officers who also do train in mixed martial arts and do train very hard to protect the City of Shreveport from it’s criminal. And I hope that one day all of us can be safe in this city. I want to thank the Mayor again, I’m not going to be long winded. Thank y’all for letting us come out today.

Mayor Glover: As was mentioned, these two individuals will be two of the officers representing the City of Shreveport on the 22^nd of September in what I believe will be the 3^rd Annual Battle of the Badges. They will be taking on members of other law enforcement agencies from across the Shreveport/Bossier area. There have been many across this city and across this region who have suggested that as Mayor of this City, I needed a Security Detail. While I have told them, I don’t believe that’s necessary. If and when that day does come, we’re going to start with these two individuals here, and work our way through the rest of the department, but I believe this would be a good place for us to start. Gentlemen, thank you so much, and I believe on September 22^nd, the Battle of the Badges will take place Sam’s Town starting at 7:00 p.m., and would encourage all who are interested and willing to please come out. Funds raised there go to support these officers in the efforts that they are taking across this region. I look to be there, and encourage you all to join us also. In addition to recognizing these two individuals, and Rick would you get me that proclamation. Also want you members of the Council and all the folks of Shreveport/Bossier and Northwest Louisiana to join me today in recognizing an individual (and we’re doing this a little earlier, but this is the last Council Meeting we’re going to have before Labor Day, but I wanted to do it here in this particular setting before this Council and before all the people of Shreveport, because this individual is one who has served Shreveport, Louisiana and this region of the country extremely well for decades. And I’m speaking of an individual that we all know, we all love, we all respect, and we all honor Mr. Roosevelt Smalley. Mr. Smalley, will you join me up front?

Councilman Shyne: Got him dressed up too.

Mayor Glover: Now Joe, he’s always well dressed. Always. We’re doing this today the 28^th of August, the actual day that we are proclaiming an honor of Mr. Smalley, appropriately is going to be this coming Monday, Labor Day. Because of the work that Mr. Smalley has done in service to the working men and women all over this region of our country. And I’m gong to read to you what this proclamation says. It says:

In recognition of his caring and dedicated service to the Central Trades and Labor Council of Shreveport by negotiating contracts, solving member grievances, and helping to increase membership to more than 10,000, I, CEDRIC B. GLOVER, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Shreveport, do hereby proclaim MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2007, as:

“ROOSEVELT SMALLEY DAY”

in the City of Shreveport, and urge all citizens to support efforts to continually build equity and respect in the workplace.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Shreveport to be affixed. CEDRIC B. GLOVER, M A Y O R

Mayor Glover: Thank you so much.

Mr. Smalley: (Inaudible)

Mayor Glover: That’s the surprise. And we’re going to have both of you share some words here at the podium, and please express to the Council what you will.

Mr. Smalley: Let me say, Joe my mom used to say to my sisters when they became young adults Joyce, she would say “you can’t fool me”. My dad used to say to me when I became a teenager, (inaudible), “son, you can’t fool me”. So, I said to my wife this morning, I smell a rat. “Well, just go on down, you always going to something.” So, I got ready to leave home, she says something about what I was putting on. I can’t remember what she said, about my dress clothes, cause I ain’t no fool. I put on today what I had on yesterday, Councilman Long and they would run me out this Council Meeting. I want to say to the Mayor, and I know he doesn’t want me to tell it all, but the Mayor and I go back when he was a young kid. Way back when he was I want to say, 10 or 12 years old. My wife was their musician. That’s how long we’ve been knowing each other. And I remember when he first decided to run for City Council. His mother called me, I was involved in Labor then. “What you think”? I said, well Ms. Glover, unless he gets his act together, he’s not going to (inaudible). But see for those of you that don’t know, Cedric back in those younger days, and I said Ced, but we called him Ced, they Mayor, he was tough then. Even when he was 10-12 years old, my wife used to say, “go sit down kid so we can rehearse.” And Cedric would be all over the place. So I say that to say, I respect him not only as a Mayor, as a past Councilman, and a past Representative, but also as a friend. And I appreciate it. To all the Councilmen, I think all of you up there I’ve met. Mike, I think you’re the only one, we hadn’t had a conversation. Everyone up there, I know you, we’ve met and talked. My Councilman he and I met and every time we see each other now, we talk, and I understand he’s always raising my name somewhere. I don’t know whether it’s for good or bad. But I think it’s for good, because he and I got an understanding on some things, so I say to you, thank you so much. Thanks to you Joyce, all of you. And the long one I’ve been knowing for many years who’s been supportive of us is the Chairman, Monty Walford. Monty, good to see you again, and appreciate everything.

Councilman Walford: Well you look like Sgt. Smalley to me, cause that’s how far back we go.

Mr. Smalley: Sgt Smalley, we go back that far. So, I wanted to say to they guys in the labor movement, Charlie (inaudible) whose back there along with (inaudible) Evans, those are my I guess you could say, they watch my back. And we are trying to do things, not for what we can get out of it, because I’m retired. And I can go home, but I’m not going home. I’m going to stay out here, because I’m on a mission. I think God’s got us here, and He wants us to accomplish somethings before we decide to go home and take our rest. I want to say to all those individuals that support us down through the years. And let me say something. I think people getting Labor confused. I think they believe that we are the bad guys, or the - - - but that is not true. We are about the same thing everyone wants. We’re about taking care of the needy, we’re about taking care of the senior citizens, those individuals that’s fortunate, and don’t have what we have to help them move forward in life. That’s what we’re all about. If I resolve one grievance, I’ve resolved 20 problems. For individuals not even a part of - - - or even carrying a union card. That’s how we as a union operates. So, I say to the Council and to the audience, continue to give us support. Because we’re going to be here working just as long. We’re not going anywhere, Joyce, we’re going to be here just as long as we can be around. And when we get time, Frederick and I go home, we’ve got some young ones Cedric coming along. They’re going to pick that ball up and run. But thank you so much, I appreciate this. Again, it was a surprise up until yesterday. And Joe gave it away. And guess what? I told my wife this morning. I said, ‘something ain’t right.’

Councilman Shyne: Charlie, don’t believe that.

Mr. Smalley: Charlie was part of it too. Charlie gave it away too. Thank you so much.

Councilman Shyne: Okay then, lets lay it on Charlie.

Mayor Glover: Mr. Chairman and Members of the Council, I have been long told that Councilman Shyne can’t keep a secret.

Councilman Shyne: Wait a minute Mr. Mayor!

Mayor Glover: We just got confirmation of that.

Councilman Shyne: Don’t lay that on me. Ron was glad to hear you say something like that.

Mayor Glover: But I do want to thank Mr. Smalley and Charlie Fredo and Led Evans and all the other members of the local labor community for recognizing the accomplishments of Mr. Smalley and helping to create the energy necessary to recognize an individual who has served this community for decades. Also, before I take my seat Mr. Chairman, I would ask that you all would indulge me by suspending the rules moving up at this point, the resolution dealing with the LSU situation that we introduced yesterday, if you will.

Motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Bowman to suspend the rules to move up the resolution involving LSUS. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Mayor Glover: Thank you Mr. Chairman and members of the council. And at this point, I would ask Dr. Vincent Marsalis and Vice-Chancellor Glenda - - - no you’re Dr. But I think you’ve given a new title to good friend Glenda, now Vice Chancellor. Would you both join me here at the podium please.

Councilman Shyne: And Mr. Mayor, that used to be my academic counselor when I was out at LSU.

Mr. Marsalis: I’m not in trouble am I?

Mayor Glover: No. We believe those credentials are bon a fide . You signed off on them right Dr?

Councilman Shyne: Right.

Mayor Glover: That’ll work. At this point and time, Arthur if I could lean on your prodigious reading skills for us, would you read the resolution?

The Clerk read the following:

RESOLUTION NO. 145 OF 2007

A RESOLUTION URGING AND ENCOURAGING THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE LOUISIANA STATE BOARD OF REGENTS AND THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE TO ELEVATE THE SCOPE AND MISSION OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY IN SHREVEPORT TO A COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY AND OTHERWISE PROVIDING WITH RESPECT THERETO

BY:

WHEREAS, we live today in a knowledge-based economy which requires our citizens to possess the skills needed to compete in the new economy of the Intelligence Age of the 21st Century; and

WHEREAS, the recent Strategic Analysis of Northwest Louisiana, known as the Belden Daniels Report, found that the Shreveport/Bossier Metro area is the most underserved population in our state in terms of public higher education opportunities for its citizens, namely the lack of undergraduate and graduate degrees including the doctorate; and

WHEREAS, LSU in Shreveport, the regional university serving the Shreveport/Bossier Metro Area and the Ark-La-Tex, offers only 38 bachelor degrees and 10 graduate degrees with no doctoral programs; and

WHEREAS, LSU in Shreveport is an essential partner to the success of the proposed Cyberspace Command at Barksdale Air Force Base and has committed to support the Cyberspace Command with additional undergraduate, graduate and research programs; and

WHEREAS, the lack of higher education opportunities for all of our citizens has a negative impact on the economic development of our Metro area and our quality of life and severely limits our ability to compete in a regional, national and global economy; and

WHEREAS, over 13,000 students are enrolled in six institutions, including two 2-year institutions in Shreveport/Bossier and more and more of these students are leaving the region and state to secure undergraduate and graduate programs, never to return; and

WHEREAS, it is well known that a metropolitan area such as Shreveport/Bossier cannot compete in the new knowledge-based economy without a well -defined and supported comprehensive research university.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport, in legal session convened, that it encourages the LSU Board of Supervisors, the Louisiana State Board of Regents and the Louisiana Legislature to elevate the role, scope and mission of Louisiana State University in Shreveport to a comprehensive research university and to provide the funding necessary to achieve that mission.

Read by title and as read, motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Bowman to add and adopt Resolution No. 145 of 2007. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Mayor Glover: Thank you Mr. Chairman and members of the Council, thank you all for expressing your support for this resolution. As many of you have heard me talk over the years, especially during the course of last years mayoral campaign, also in smaller groups throughout these nine (plus) months now that we’ve been blessed to serve as Mayor of this city, one of the things that you’ve heard me talk about is the need for us to recognize that we have some great institutions of higher education here in the Shreveport/Bossier Northwest Louisiana. We just a couple of weeks ago, broke ground at Southern University for the first set of dormitories that will go to that campus. An institution that now has over 2500 students. I can remember when they were well under 1,000. A decade ago, they were at only 1200. They are now at over 2500 students. Excellence being achieved there without question. BPCC across the river, new campus, innovative programs, fully addressing the workforce development needs along with Southern, great institutions to have. Many of you also observed just two weeks ago, while we were here in this very Chamber, I got an email indicating that Centenary College was being recognized by US News and World Reports as one of the top 25 colleges and universities in the country. A little hidden gem, that lots of folks throughout this country don’t know about. And so, we’ve got some very good news with regard to higher education in Shreveport/Bossier and Northwest Louisiana. But however, during the course of last years Mayoral campaign, I spent some time campaigning on the various campuses across this city, and spent time talking with faculty groups and administrators and chancellors across these campuses. And I was struck, I mean profoundly by the sentiments expressed by one particular professor at LSU Shreveport, who said to me, “Mr. Glover, I’ve been in Shreveport for over 30 years, working at this university. The thing that I have observed most profoundly is that this university has not grown very much, and neither has this city, and I believe that there is a connection between the two.” And that struck me like a bolt of lightening, and was without question was one of the most profound thing that anybody said and we’ve talked about the fact over the years that for a city this size, a region this size to not have a comprehensive research university is one of the greatest hindrances that you could ever place on any community that is attempting to grow and achieve greatness. And so, I’m asking you and you all have obviously joined today, to join me in laying down the gauntlet in saying to folks across this state that now is the time for us to begin to move toward this reality. And that is that we develop a full complete comprehensive research university here in Shreveport, and that we fund it at the appropriate and necessary levels. And that we look at the other connections that may be necessary in order to be able to achieve that. Now what do I mean by that. Some of you heard me talk during the course - - - over the course of the last year about Shreveport in many ways being similar to Birmingham. Similar size cities, similar populations, both situated in the South. Well 30 years ago, Birmingham had a commuter institution very similar to LSU Shreveport. They also had a health science center, very similar to LSU Health Science Center, but the two of them were not very connected. Didn’t work together. Did not achieve much synergy. Their health science center focused on clinical activities and teaching activities. Didn’t get much into research. But they had visionary leaders there, who said now is the time for us to take advantage of all the resources that we have available to us, and create a comprehensive vision that allows us to be able to grow Birmingham. And now UAB Birmingham, University of Alabama Birmingham is one of the finest comprehensive research universities in the south if not the country. We have a similar opportunities here in Shreveport. But it’s going to take a considerable amount of political will in order to make that happen. And as Mayor, I have met with Chancellor Marsalis, members of the LSU Foundation, and we have been discussing how to move in that direction. I’m now asking you all as Council Members as you’ve already shown by your support for this resolution to join this effort. I’m going to ask us all collectively to reach out across this city, and across this region and to develop this vision, articulate this plan, take it to Baton Rouge, take it to our legislators, take it to all that we have to take it to, and help them understand the need to get this done. Why is it important? We obviously see right now with the Cyber Space initiative already at Barksdale AFB trying to grow that into a full command, one of the things that’s paramount in order for that to be successful is that it needs a comprehensive research university to be connected to. Tremendous opportunity there, tremendous potential there. We need to be in a position to take advantage of. But then there’s so much other additional opportunity we need to reach out for as well. We have one of the best Bio-med infrastructures anywhere in the country. We’ve not seen it realize it’s full potential because we do not have it connected and married to a comprehensive research university. And so I’m asking that we move forward with this effort, with this vision, and we’re starting it today here with this resolution, and I thank you for it. So at this point, I want to ask Chancellor Marsalis to come and address you and share his sentiments as well.

Chancellor Marsalis: Thank you so much Mayor Glover. Before I give you my remarks, I want to commend all of you for offering yourselves to public service, all of you Councilmen and women. Thank you so much. And the staff of the Mayor is exemplary in this city, and of course I can’t compliment Art Thompson enough for what he does. But I want to compliment you for all of your long service to the citizens of Shreveport. Now, I can’t embellish anymore what the Mayor has said about the need for a comprehensive research university. As he well articulated, if you look at the other sun belt cities in the south, the one thing that they have in common is they don’t have just one, but some have two comprehensive research universities to provided those needed educational opportunities for their citizens and more importantly for business and industry, and to bring about economic development within their city and region. So, I sincerely thank you for your support of this resolution, and hopefully we can move forward to provide the kind of higher educational opportunities that are needed for all of our citizens in this area. I thank all of you for your service, but more importantly also for you support. Thank you.

Mayor Glover: Thank you Chancellor Marsalis. Council Members, I want to leave you with this. One of the reasons as to why I think this is very timely, is that we’re obviously right now in the midst of electoral season for state level politics. We have the governors race, we have a race for the legislature. Representatives and Senators all across this state. And I know just looking at this Council, there are those of you who are here who are supportive of a vast array of those individuals out there, who are seeking to be the next governor of this state. And one of the reasons as to why I wanted you all to do this on today, is that two weeks from today, on the 11^th of September, not only will we be joined by Gen. Elder, who will give us a briefing, Gen Elder being the commander of the 8^th Air Force at this point and time, but he will join us at the next Council Meeting to give us a briefing on the status of the Cyber Command initiative, but also, at 7:00 next Tuesday, out at LSU Shreveport, we hope that we will have every candidate who is running for governor, here in Shreveport for a debate at LSU Shreveport. And I want those individuals who are vying to be the next governor of this state to understand that this is an issue of paramount importance to not just Northwest Louisiana, but all of Louisiana. If we expect Louisiana to be able to achieve the kind of greatness that it has the potential to do so, then we have to have a comprehensive research university in this particular cornier of the state interacting with all of the industry and the other opportunity that exist within the Ark-La-Tex region. So, I ask of those of you who are Rs and Ds and Is, (for those who are uninitiated, Republicans, Democrats and Independents), I ask that you say to your various candidate, what is it that you’re going to do specifically. Because some have tap danced around it. None have spoken specifically to it. What are you going to do to help us achieve a comprehensive research university in Shreveport. So that our young people can get the kind of graduate and doctoral degrees that allow them to be able to stay in this region, have the kind of research or interact with industry to allow us to be able to grow and ultimately become the next great city of the south. Ask them what they’re going to do, and make sure they’re committed to it, and make sure they live up to it. Thank you members of the Council. Appreciate you.

Councilman Walford: Does any Council Member have any distinguished guest?

Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, should the record reflect that the motion was to add the resolution to the agenda and to adopt it?

Councilman Walford: Yes sir.

Mr. Thompson: Thank you.

Councilwoman Bowman: Yes, I’d like to recognize State Representative Patrick Williams. Good to see ya.

Councilman Long: Former Sheriff Don Hathaway is in the audience as well. Welcome.

Councilman Shyne: Well Mr. Chairman, we have Willie Bradford in the audience from Willis Knighton.

Councilman Walford: If it please the Council, at this time, I would like to ask for a suspension of the rules to add and consider a resolution honoring my distinguished guest.

Motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Bowman to suspend the rules and consider Resolution No. 146 of 2007. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Shyne and Bowman. 6. Nays: None. Out of the Chamber: Councilman Webb: 1.

The Clerk read the following:

RESOLUTION NO. 146 OF 2007

A RESOLUTION TO THANK FRANK WILLIAMS, JR. FOR HIS SUCCESSFUL TENURE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SHREVEPORT’S DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO.

BY: COUNCILMAN WALFORD

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., is an entrepreneur, and throughout his life he has distinguished himself in a number of progressively challenging business ventures including; grocery store owner, Manager and District Supervisor for Kentucky Fired Chicken; Loan Officer, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President and President and Chief Executive Officer of several banking institutions, and Vice President of Governmental Affairs for Horseshoe Entertainment; and

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., is a distinguished educator, public administrator and social entrepreneur, having served as teacher in the public school system and in the Teacher Corps Program; Business Executive in residence and Adjunct Professor at Louisiana State University- Shreveport, Deputy Director for the Center for Business and Economic Development at Southern University in Baton Rouge, and Executive Director of Shreveport Tomorrow; and

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., is a distinguished Public Administrator having served in the U. S. Department of Commerce and as Assistant to the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Shreveport; and

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., accepted the challenge of Mayor Keith Hightower and became the Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) in February 2004; and

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., during his tenure as Executive Director of the DDA, advanced a number of important initiatives designed to improve Shreveport’s Downtown Business District, specifically he:

• Established a downtown advisory committee to make recommendations on a wide variety of issues to the DDA Board of Directors

• Proposed trolley routes for downtown Shreveport based on the advisory committee’s recommendations after a trip to tour Little Rock’s downtown area and trolley system

• Commissioned a Historical, Geographical & Cultural Resource Analysis of Cross Bayou – Completed by Dr. Gary Joiner

• Championed implementation of the DDA 2010 Redevelopment Plan

• Began installation of security cameras in the Riverfront & Commerce Street area

• Began construction of downtown security kiosk in the Red River District

• Revitalized Municipal Park Plaza with plantings, sculptures, and art, creating a new gateway into downtown Shreveport

• Commissioned a mural in the Red River District

• Worked to improve cleaning efforts throughout downtown Shreveport

• Established new electronic parking meters in the core of downtown Shreveport

• Held weekly security meetings with SPAR officials, City representatives, club owners and other stakeholders in downtown Shreveport

• Installed Trailblazer (directional) signage throughout downtown Shreveport

• Implemented TNT Trolley Express to showcase art venues in downtown Shreveport, in partnership with Shreveport Regional Arts Council

• Was instrumental in securing the location of a new parking structure on the Shreveport Riverfront; and

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., was the first African American to serve as the Executive Director of the DDA; and

WHEREAS, Frank Williams, Jr., resigned his position as Executive Director of the DDA in August 2007, to pursue private business interests full time.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Shreveport in due, regular and legal session convened, that the Shreveport City Council thanks Frank Williams, Jr., for accepting the challenge to become the Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority and for his successful tenure as Executive Director.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Shreveport City Council thanks Frank Williams, Jr., for his many years of service as businessman, educator, public administrator and social entrepreneur and for the many positive contributions he has made to the economic and social fabric of this city and this state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Shreveport City Council wishes Frank Williams, Jr., well and continued success in his future endeavors.

Read by title and as read, motion by Councilman Walford, seconded by Councilman Shyne to add and adopt Resolution No. 146 of 2007. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Councilman Shyne: It’s passed by a 7-0 vote. Frank, you’re a hero.

Mr. Frank Williams: Mr. Chairman, and members of the City Council, Honorable Mayor Cedric Glover, I’d like to say thank you very much from the dept of my heart. I really appreciate this gesture, and I will live forever thinking about the memorable occasion as it relates to this. But I would be amiss if I didn’t recognize the staff persons that I stood on their shoulders in order to help me accomplish some of the things that you’ve mentioned, that I don’t really believe that they were true. But basically, I’d like for my staff to stand and recognize the people that were responsible. They’re in the back, if you would just stand for a moment. I would also like to thank the Chairman and the Members of the Board, Mr. John Hubbard and the members of the Board of the DDA for all of their support and help that I received, and I don’t know whether Chief Mike VanSant is still here, but I had an opportunity to meet with Chief Whitehorn and work with the police as you well know, Chairman Walford and I look forward to seeing this great city move forward. Because I do believe that you’re poised to reach the next great city of the south. Keep hope alive from the standpoint of Mayor’s Glover, the aquarium is still the way to go, and I know how you think about that. But once again, thank you so very much and I appreciate it.

Councilman Walford: With that, we move to reports. Yesterday, we had our Property Standards Report.

Reports: Property Standards Report

Councilman Walford: Does anyone have anything for Mr. Holt?

Councilwoman Bowman: Yes I do. Earlier today, I had the opportunity to ride a portion of District G, and I’m really concerned about the condition - - - if you go across the Interstate 20 to the - - - it’s Nevada, Idaho, 5^th Street, those streets over there, that is one of the most neglected areas that I have found in my district. I knew the condition that it was in when I was out campaigning. But just in those short months, it appears to have deteriorated even worse. Got your pen? 6937 Arizona, the house is falling in. 6925 is in really bad shape and the grass is up extremely high over there. Also on Nevada, there are trees, the branches are in the wires. It’s across from 6933, and on 5^th Avenue, it’s a dumping ground. They have just dumped mattresses, anything you want to name, basically over in that area. And then I’ll get with Shelly later in reference to the playground or the park area, but these were some of the major concerns and the majority of the citizens said that they really felt left out, that they were really not a part of the City because it’s rare that they see anyone over there. So, can we at least try to address these issues first?

Mr. Holt: Not a problem.

Councilman Shyne: Jim, I just want to compliment you all for, I guess for the last day or two, the trash that we had pointed out has been picked up and had some people call me and tell me it had been picked up, and I appreciate that, and I look forward to tomorrow morning.

Mr. Holt: We better make that Thursday, instead of tomorrow.

Councilman Shyne: Okay, Thursday morning. And I thought maybe we would do it tomorrow morning, kinda on the heels of the Mayor and the Chief of Police that was out in Mooretown on last night and they were treated extremely hospitable. And Mr. Mayor, we’re going to be looking for you and the Chief to come back very often, and I’m told that next time, we’ll have some hot dogs.

Public Hearing: ANNEXATION – TAG NO. 07-04: Enlarging the limits and boundaries of the City of Shreveport – A 26.7 acre tract of land located adjacent to the north side of Southern Loop Roadway West of Norris-Ferry Road in Section 20 (T16N-R13W), Caddo Parish, Louisiana, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (D/Wooley)

Councilman Walford: The public hearing is now open. Is there a presentation from the Administration?

Mr. Dark: The only thing I would say Mr. Chairman is that this is a piece of property along Southern Loop. The property that actually fronts Southern Loop is going to be used for Fire Station No. 22, and there are a couple of parcels behind it behind it to be used to expand the Provenance Development. It does meet all the requirements for annexation.

Councilman Walford: Okay. Do we have anyone here to speak in favor of the Annexation ordinance?

Ms. Stephanie Edmiston: (Provenance Development, 1023 Provenance Place Blvd, Suite 150) As Tom said, this annexation does encompass the new Fire Station site as well as contiguous Provenance Plans. We are a 377 acre traditional neighborhood development which was Master Planned in 2004. We are a T and D as traditional neighborhoods are often called, they (inaudible) integrate shops and services, restaurants, residences, parks and lakes, and civic uses such as postal services and the new Fire Station. And so we’re very pleased to have the City of Shreveport and Chief Cochran and his team as new neighbors. Thank you.

Councilman Walford: Anyone else to speak in favor? Is there anyone wish to speak in opposition to the Annexation ordinance? If not then this public hearing is now closed. And we move to Confirmations and/or Appointments, Adding Legislation to the Agenda, and Public comments.

Confirmations and/or Appointments, Adding Legislation to the Agenda, and Public Comments.

Confirmations and/or Appointments:

The Clerk read the following:

ALARM APPEAL BOARD

Ms. Mayme Walker Mr. Wesley Robert Usie

Motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Long to confirm the executive appointments of Ms. Mayme Walker and Mr. Wesley Robert Usie to the Alarm Appeal Board. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, we’ve just received from the Mayor, two appointments to the Downtown Development Authority Board. Do you want those added to the agenda or to consider them at this time?

Mayor Glover: Mr. Chairman, those are to be added for consideration, but not to be voted on until the next meeting.

Councilman Walford: Alright. So, those will be added Mr. Thompson.

Adding Legislation to the Agenda

The Clerk read the following:

1. Ordinance No. 142 of 2007: An Ordinance amending the 2007 Budget for the Fleet Services Internal Service Fund and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

2. Ordinance No. 143 of 2007: An ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute a lease of City-owned property to Triumph The Church and Kingdom of God in Christ, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (Not to be adopted prior to September 25, 2007)

3. Executive Appointments: Downtown Development Authority: Ms. Shonda Stone and Mr. Mike McSwain.

Motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Bowman to add Ordinance No(s) 142 and 143 of 2007, and the Executive Appointments of Ms. Shonda Stone and Mr. Mike McSwain to the DDA . Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None

Public Comments (Agenda Items to be Adopted)

Mr. Steve Estess: (40 Duck Haven Point, Bossier City, LA) What I’m here to ask the Council at this time to look at a couple of things on the - - - we were trying to put some town houses on this Lot 2. This is an official document showing that Lot 2 is a true lot. That is Lot 2 looking up Edgemont. Now what you have is the 11 townhouses that are on that street. My project is to be about $1.5 to 1.8 (million) on that street. Through all of this, it’s come to my attention that the people on this street don’t want that project, so at this time, I am withdrawing my position to be developing on those townhouses on that street.

Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, is that withdrawing on Zoning Appeal C-60-07, Ordinance No. 134?

Ms. Estess: Yes.

Councilman Walford: Alright Mr. Long, I would consider a motion at this time to suspend the rules to consider that. A number of other speakers if we’re not going to - - -.

Councilman Long: Right. I think I’d like to make a move on that.

Motion by Councilman Long, seconded by Councilman Shyne to consider the withdrawal of Ordinance No. 134 of 2007 (C-60-07). Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

6. Ordinance No. 134 of 2007: ZONING APPEAL – C-60-07: An ordinance amending Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances, the City of Shreveport Zoning Ordinance by rezoning property located on the north side of Edgemont, 690 feet east of Line Avenue, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from R-1D (Urban, One-Family Residence District, to R-2(TH), Urban, One-Family

Having passed first reading on July 24, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Long, seconded by Councilman Shyne to withdraw.

Councilman Lester: I guess this question would be to you Mr. Estess. You are withdrawing your appeal, are you withdrawing your intention to do this further, or are you saying that you are just going to abide by the decision?

Mr. Estess: Of the MPC?

Councilman Lester: Yes.

Mr. Estess: On this Lot 2?

Councilman Lester: Uh hmm.

Mr. Estess: I’m going to abide by the MPC’s ruling.

Councilman Lester: Okay.

Mr. Estess: Now at some other time I may at a later date, decide to do something. At this time, I’m not.

Councilman Lester: So, it’s your position, you’re telling Council that at this time, you’re not moving forward with the development of those townhouses?

Mr. Estess: That is correct.

Councilman Lester: Okay. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Councilman Walford: So Mr. Estess, thank you very much. And your appeal has been withdrawn.

Mr. Estess: Thank you very much.

Councilman Walford: For the benefit of those who signed up to speak on this issue, you certainly are still welcome to speak if you so desire. I see heads shaking. Okay. Very good.

Mr. Gus Marcotte: (7351 Camelback Dr) Members of the Council, Mr. Mayor I’m here on behalf and to tell you all to appreciate and recommend the amendment to the Code of Ordinances that Mr. Lester has introduced here with the parking on private property which seems to be a nuisance not only in our subdivision but throughout the city here. We believe that this City Ordinance will add another tool to maintain our property, its values, and provide positive visibility for prospective residents to our subdivision and this city. High property standards will lead to move our city in a desirable direction and we thank you all, and we certainly would recommend that. Thank you.

Mr. Ken Kreft: (157 Archer) Thank you Mr. Chairman. I also want to recommend you approve Ordinance No. 130 on Second Reading for the reason just gave that something that I guess I first recommend in ’82 to Mayor Billy Hannah, and things take a while in 25 years. I just really don’t understand why people want to park on lawns. Sometimes people drive RVs across sidewalks to park in between houses, cracking the sidewalk. Saw that on the 31^st when I rode around with Mr. Long and Mr. Holt. We saw one of those on Lovers Lane where we can’t prove it, but there was the RV and the tire tracks across the side walk. Had a cracked sidewalk. Sidewalks are made for walking, and baby strollers, not for RVs. Again, we’re not preventing anybody from parking in the back or on the side. If they want to throw gravel on the lawn and make it a parking lot, fine. All we need like Gus said, is another tool. Couple of quick reminders, if I can just say or do I have to wait until the end on a non-related item? 15 seconds.

Councilman Walford: It’ll be one minute of your three.

Mr. Kreft: Okay. Broadmoor Neighborhood just wants to invite people tonight to hear our own local Dr. Phil. Not the guy from 3-4 on TV right now on ABC. But Dr. Phillip Roseman with Blue Print Louisiana, and looking back two years ago, we all know we had a storm offshore, and 44 years ago, I think Dr. King gave a mighty fine speech. Thank you.

Mr. Timothy Richardson: (457 Iroquois Trail) This morning I heard a radio announcement about the vote for the sagging law and the fines that are being asked to be imposed against it. And I just wanted to first say that we realize that fines lead to time, and for these non-existing crimes I don’t think that that’s really all that necessary. If we start imposing fines upon our young people for the way that they are dressed, it eventually - - - I mean how many fines would it take for it to become a crime, and how many times would you have to commit this crime before you have to start doing time? I mean, I’ve lived in District A, and I’ve seen young people 12 and 13 years old being taken to prison from the school bus. You know, they’re not getting a chance. They’re being incarcerated before they lose their virginities. And I’m saying today that it’s not fair, the system that keeps them down. The system that keeps them (inaudible) involved in it. I mean, it has a revolving door. Once you get in this system, you know you’re either going to come out an ex-con, or you’re going to come out a homosexual, or you’re going to come out lesbian. There is nothing good that ever comes out the system. And I think it’s time for us to take a jack hammer to this concrete jungle that we keep locking our young people up in, and give them a chance to express themselves freely throughout this country without this threat of genocide that they have to live with each and everyday. Each and every time we leave the house, we have to worry, do our children come home from school, or will they be incarcerated. It seems that there is more finances in incarceration than there is salvation. It seems that the door to the penitentiaries are opened wider than the doors to the church for our young people today. And I think this thing should not be tolerated. I think this thing should not exist in a culture and a society that we live in today. A few days ago a young lady, a student at Fair Park High School asked me what was my oldest memory. I doing a questionnaire that existed of 20 questions. And when I got to this question, the answer bother me, for as a 4 year old child, I remembered a cross burning on Singletary Street in the Mooretown section of our community. And I remember as not what was going on, but I remember standing there in the window of my parents house, as dad stood out there with the shotgun and the guys were in the truck, and the cross was burning in the front yard, and the 3-4 kids and my mom, we were standing in the window. And I remember that night, my mom began to use the phrase and she’d say, “Don’t look out that window, cause somebody might shoot you”. My mom has always feared us and what punishment would befall upon us if we were found outside or within that system, so she raised us in her house. She kept us in that same house for 50 years. She didn’t leave that house, she kept her six children in there, and she taught us one thing. Not to look out of that window. For if there is punishment, if there is injustice, if there is corruption, if there is something that is going to keep you from growing up and being all you can be, my mamma suggested for us to not look out that window. But there are too many young people today, and they are caught up in the system, because they were not instructed to not look out the window, and they’re being incarcerated needlessly. And I just want to say to this Council, to this City that it’s time for us to raise up off our young people. It’s time for us to give them an opportunity to grow up and excel in America and not be in jail for being Black males and Black girls. Thank you.

Mr. Willie Bradford: (3026 Independence Ave) Thank you very much Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman again and to the Council, Mr. Mayor thank you for this opportunity to speak. I’m here to, like the gentleman before me Mr. Chairman, express my opposition to the proposed ordinance that will be coming before you today regarding Sagging Pants. This ordinance may be politically expedient, Mr. Chairman, but I think it’s the wrong approach at this time. I want to ask the Council, have you given up on society? Have you given up on this generation? Without question sagging looks ridiculous. It’s offensive to the public, and it speaks volumes about one’s values. But Mr. Chairman, it’s not a crime. What you are failing to realize and understand is that there is a great subculture out the that fosters and promotes this type of attire and this type of behavior, and this type of conduct, but it’s not criminal. We live in America Mr. Chairman. The framework of the constitution knew human nature as well as we do. They had to live in dangerous times, but they too knew that suffocating influences of negative images and the scandalized thoughts. They weighed the dangerousness of free speech and thoughts against civil liberties. And yet Mr. Chairman, they chose liberty. The number of laws in this city and other cities are constantly growing. And if you look at them closer, you will discover that what is called crime is very often not a crime at all. For this ordinance contains no element of violence or harm. On its face, sagging contains no violence or harm. We enact many laws, and may of these laws Mr. Chairman, turns out to manufacture criminals, and not help society. To punish a man because we don’t like how and what he wears, in my opinion Mr. Chairman, is wrong. It’s no more the function of this City Government to impose a moral dress code on this city than it is for you to impose a religious code on Shreveporters on what churches they cannot attend. I ask you again Mr. Chairman, please do not give up on this generation. If you believe that this is an issue that rises to the level in which you are about to enact today, I want you to hear the words of my grandmother. And as my grandmother used to say, “Son, trouble don’t last always”. It’s a fashion. And we know fashions change. Just like mini skirts and Daisy Dukes of the past. They’re only here for a season. When the Mayor told you several weeks ago, that if you confirm his choice for Chief, Chief Whitehorn, and (inaudible) and with the resources, that crime in this city would decline. The Mayor spoke those words, I believe reflecting back to 1988 when we saw young men and boys congregating and hovering on the street corners and lights, but we didn’t come to the Council to ask you to propose congregating laws. We organized and we went out, and we go - - - but I just wanted to go back and say that we did not come before the Council to ask that more laws would be imposed to eliminate and stop congregating on street corners. We organized and we went out amongst these young men and we asked them to change their ways, and we helped them to - - - and provided positive images and positive things for them to be involved in Mr. Chairman. And because of that it made a difference. When in 1992, Ms. Bowman, when Queensborough was under attack from gangs and graffiti, Mr. Chairman we didn’t come before the City Council and ask for more laws to be imposed. We organized and we went out and we started eliminating graffiti and we got with the gangs and we got with the community, and we started to make a difference in our community, and we turned that situation around. Every situation is not to the level of imposing new laws Mr. Chairman. Most of these guys don’t even know why they are sagging. They are dressing like this because of what they see on TV, and what they see their peers do. They don’t even know where it comes from or the meaning of it. They’re just doing it. Some won’t be sagging I submit to you. If they had a job. Now, I think this issue is an educational issue. I think once we continue to train and the schools have eliminated sagging. I think if we can now gather the community, I think the issue is before us, I think the fact that we’re talking about it is a positive thing, but I don’t think you should impose a law. But I think we should help these persons get a job. I have never seen anybody going to work with sagging pants. If you’re going to work Mr. Chairman, your pants are up. So, if you really wanted - - - if this Council really wants to help young men, if you really wanted to help eliminate sagging, I ask you this evening Mr. Chairman to help them find a job. I would like for you this Council, this Mayor to petition the companies and the businesses of this city to help find these young me a job. They won’t be sagging on the street corners if they had a job. I believe, I believe that there are other solutions out there versus establishing a new law. Creating a new law Mr. Chairman should be your last option. Thank you very much.

Ms. (Sybil) Fox Rich: (1522 Easy).

Councilman Shyne: Mr. Chairman, is that a real name? Fox Rich?

Ms. Rich: That is actually my real name including my first name which is Sybil. I’m Sybil Fox Rich, and I live at 1522 Easy Street in Shreveport, and I am here to oppose Ordinance No. 132. I think it kinda speaks for itself. Certainly won’t be as lengthy as the other gentlemen before me. Council, Mayor I think of so much other things that we could focus our attentions on right now. Sagging is a fad, it’ll pass. Just like Abraham Lincoln said, “This too shall pass”. When I read an article in the newspaper, it said when Councilman Lester submitted the proposal, the ordinance that it was time for us to speak on behavior. And when you talk about speaking on behavior, the Bible says, “He who is without sin, let them cast the first stone”. You know. We look at - - - you say that you are only interested in fining the people if they are caught for wearing their pants down, but Mr. Lester, you yourself know first hand how difficult it can be to pay fines. It can be quite hard sometimes. Especially when you’re unemployed, and you’re employed and had difficulty in paying fines. I would ask that you all vote this ordinance down. Ms. Bowman, Jerry is a fine young man, working at Horseshoe, but Jerry you know, he hadn’t always been the exact gentleman.

Councilwoman Bowman: I don’t need you to come here to tell me anything about my son. Thank you.

Ms. Rich: Yes ma’am. Just throwing the first stone Ms. Bowman. Let us all be mindful.

Councilwoman Bowman: He who is without sin, cast the first one.

Ms. Rich: Exactly, that’s my point. Thank you all so much. Let us spend our time on something more productive for our citizens.

Mr. Michael Williams: (2101 Carver Place) Honorable Mayor Glover, Mr. Chairman, to all the City Council Persons. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Mayor, I rise because I’m concerned in the direction our city is going in regards to fighting crime in our community. I believe that this particular ordinance (inaudible) for one is discriminating, number one. And it incarcerates. A generation already been stereotyped because of the way they look and the way that they dress. Some of these proposals that we are making I feel is too knee jerky. There is not statistical data that says that pulling a mans pants will reduce crime. If you have the statistics, show me. Have the FBI done a statistical study on if young men and young women pull their pants up, what crime will be reduced? Do y’all have any statistics on it? I had the opportunity to talk to two constitutional lawyers. I talked to judges, I will call their name out. I’ve talked to civil rights lawyers, and they tell me this is unconstitutional to do something like this. Our City Hall Chamber is already crowded with all types of criminal cases. Are you going to have this sagging law court? Or are you going to have the fashionable police force for America? I feel this city and this police department has enough time on their hands to chase young boys and girls to say pull your pants. Some of these same young boys and girls may be your boys and girls that will be going to jail with the fine. I’d be careful how we craft legislation up here because you may be locking up your own child, your own nephew, your own brother, your own cousin. So, I’d like to - - - lets be wise in our thinking. We have some smart intelligent people on this council. Our tax dollars would be well spent provided putting up an urban league to teach our young people. Start a national campaign, pull your pants up. If our little girls would not date young men that have their pants down, maybe that would solve some of the problems. So our young women need to challenge our young men to pull our pants up or else we can’t date. So it’s a partnership working with the people that cause the problem, bring them in and lets be part of the solution. Quit forcing ordinances and laws down people and they’re not part of the solution, but they’re a part of the problem. We got to learn to work together. You can’t continue to impose laws on people that have been affected. Also these young people buy clothes, and they pay sales taxes. Sale taxes help generate the economy. Put back in the community, build roads, do these things. So, we have some things we need to be doing. We need to be partnering up with the Urban League, we need to partner up with a Boys and Girls Club with out churches and with our schools and develop a national comprehensive campaign on pulling your pants up. Not crime and detention, lets do crime prevention. Prevention works. By the time the police and the jail get them, (inaudible) and it’s too late. Because 25 and 45,000 other house people we are bankrupting America. We are bankrupting our community. And it affects all races. The little bitty people don’t have a voice. We done forgot from whence we come. We get elected, we get big, we get these big seats, and forget about the poor little people that are in the trenches. Don’t have the voice, don’t have the money, have to rob Peter to pay Paul, to pay the bills, to pay the rent, to get on the bus, and now you want to charge them another fine for having their pants down low. Now let me say this to you. I’m opposed to young men and women - - - I’m a fashionable kind of guy. I understand fashion and fad. This is a fad, and it’ll be gone away. We had the Hippy generation, we had the bell bottoms, we had the afros, we had all kinds of stuff, and it was a fad and it went away. This too shall pass. Just give it time. Do you think with the Shreveport Police, not all of them, some police officers, you give them proper cause to stop a young man, most of them are going to be African-American young males. Okay? Now it’s not a Black on White thing, but it’s a picked thing. It’s a stereotyped thing. Okay? And what’s going to happen, not only will they get this fine, they’re going to go ahead and do research, pull up data on them, find out they got this going, they got that going and they got that going. Our mothers and fathers can’t take off work. They don’t have no money to pay no fine. Where you going to get it from? They don’t even work. People (inaudible) on welfare and got no money. Rich kids wear their pants down too, but their mammas can pay for it. What do you think they’re going to buy their drugs from? They ain’t going to Ellerbe Road buying drugs. They’re buying drugs in our neighborhoods with their sagging pants down. They got the money to support their habits. Lets get our heads out the sand and focus on more important things. We need to find contracts so people can go to work, (inaudible) jobs for our young people. We need to get serious on crime, the drug dealers fighting in our community. Robbers and rapists our old people are prisoner in their own neighborhood. They got a dog, a gun and an alarm and still not safe. We need to find better ways to spend our tax dollars. There are no facts, it’s just a (inaudible). There is nothing that constitutes that we should be doing the sagging law. Everybody is just catching on the band wagon because it’s feel good legislation. Don’t’ make sense to me. Lets find better ways to conduct this City Council. Lets get focused on things that are going to help our community grow. Lets focus on entertainment, lets focus on jobs, lets focus on economic development. Crime is a serious issue. We’ve got one of the best department’s Chief in America. Lets give him time to do his job, to clean up the image of the Police Department, and he will do that in due time. But to put more on this small budget that they have to do sagging, we ain’t got time to fight the real crime. Lets get focused. God bless you, I know you guys are going to do good work. I passed you out all magazines from my son and they young man who came up the other day from How You Ridin. There will be a show with a lot of sagging with Lil Wayne on the 30^th. That same young man that helped produced this show. So I appreciate all your support, they’re going to be spending money in our city and tax dollars. Thank you very much.

Mr. Alvin Kirk: (3328 Lillian) Ms. Joyce Bowman is my representative. To the Honorable Cedric Glover, Mayor of our City. Mr. Chairman and members of our City Council, I thank you for giving me an opportunity to address this ordinance on Sagging Pants. I’m truly shocked that I am in a minority as it appears. But I urge and encourage you to pass this ordinance on making it illegal to wear a person’s pants with the skin and/or underwear are showing. If for no other reason that out of respect for your wives, your mothers, your sisters and other females of your families. Your mother and/or wife should not have to be exposed to a young persons underwear or behind. Yes I do agree with those who say that this is a parent’s responsibility. But in this day and age, when we have children having children, we need all the help to guide our younger generation. Yes, there are some parents that do try and tell their children what is right and wrong. But as soon as that child turns the corner, as I did and most of you, when you leave the house, you try and impress and get along with your peers, and do what is called being cool. There are a few grandparents that will talk until they are blue in the face, but it does no good. You know there is a story that everyone or most of you have probably heard where an elderly gentleman was observing a youngster beating a mule trying to get the mule to do what he wanted the mule to do. And the gentleman came over there and said, “Look you shouldn’t be beating on that mule like that. You just gotta use a little kindness, and he’ll do whatever you want”. And the gentleman tried to no avail. He went around the corner and came back with a 2 X 4, hit the mule beside the eyes, right in the middle. The guy said, “Wait a minute fellow, you told me not to use all that hard language and be abusive to the mule.” He said, “Well first you’ve got to get his attention.” You have to get our young people’s attention. When a child or a parent or a grandparent has to pay a fine, you will get their attention. I believe we will start seeing more respect in our communities. Now it may go to the extreme like Erkel, but that’s alright. It won’t last long either. I would rather see some ankles than to see the behind. I urge you not to be persuaded by the fear of the old members from the Country Club generation that would encourage some of us to do what is degrading to our families, then they point that some of the members of our society do not have the common sense to do what is right and responsible. At the same time they are laughing at how easy we are led down the wrong path, and use that same thing against us. If some of you insist on passing this ordinance, then take a look at some of the other ordinances that are on the books. Do we really need laws on our books that require our children to go to school? That should be a parent’s responsibility? Do we really need laws on the books telling teenagers when they should be off the street? That should be a parent’s responsibility. Do we really need laws on the books restricting cigarettes sales to our teenagers? That should be a parent’s responsibility. Do we really need laws on the books governing speed limits in school zones? That should be a common sense item. And speaking of common sense, please use your common sense and give the parents an additional tool to bring respect back to our streets. Please pass this ordinance so that my wife, your wives, your mothers, your sisters do not have to be exposed to the unnecessary sites. Thank you.

Ms. Earlene Coleman: First of all I want to apologize on behalf of all of the audience to Ms. Bowman. And I addressed the young lady outside because we all have children, and they’re all different. But I’m a little offended that you’re making this a color issue, because it’s not. We’re all void of color. I insure a lot of young people and let me tell you, just across the board, they’re all coming in like that. I ask that you approve this law where they can respect themselves. Now let me tell you why I’m doing this. I love my kids. The first thing they taught me was how to do the Cedric Glover Mayor Handshake when Cedric was - - - you know. And that’s true. And I showed him, and he said I still didn’t have it right. But (inaudible) I don’t know how to POP or something, and I said I want to talk with you just a moment. So we sat down on the sofa, and we each had a cup of coffee in a China cup with a saucer and a linen napkin. We all do that. We don’t care if we have baggy pants or what we’ve got. And I said why have you got these pants on? And this was a mixed group. And one of them said, we dress like this because we are not accepted, and we stand out. And I said well, who is not accepting you? And then they talk about what they see. They don’t have family to help them feel better about themselves. I reached over to hug one of them. He had a gun in his pocket. These kids are hurting. We need to help them pull up their pants. They don’t have the courage to pull up their pants, because they’re afraid somebody else is going to look down on them, and they’re not going to be a part of it. We don’t want them to be a part of it. We want them to be a Cedric Glover, a Joe Shyne, a Calvin Lester, a Joyce Bowman, a Wooley, a Long. We want them to respect themselves. And I guarantee you if they don’t have money for pants, you let me know, and I’ll take ‘em and buy ‘em.

Councilman Walford: Ms. Coleman, you left my name out of that. Was that because I wore big bell bottoms in the ‘60s?

Ms. Coleman: No, I didn’t want to bring out that when you stand up, your pants are way up here.

Councilman Walford: You win. Moving right on. Moving to Consent Agenda Mr. Thompson. Save me please!

Mr. Thompson: Is that all we have Mr. Chairman of the persons to speak?

Councilman Walford: No, we’re moving to Consent Agenda Legislation. Ms. Coleman is not going to speak anymore.

Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, we don’t have any items for Consent Agenda today. I believe we’re ready for No. 9. Regular Agenda Legislation.

CONSENT AGENDA LEGISLATION

TO INTRODUCE RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES

RESOLUTIONS: None.

ORDINANCES: None.

TO ADOPT RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES:

RESOLUTIONS: None.

ORDINANCES: None.

REGULAR AGENDA LEGISLATION

RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE OR WHICH REQUIRE ONLY ONE READING

The Clerk read the following:

RESOLUTION NO. 139 OF 2007

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR’S SIGNATURE ON A COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT AND/OR ASSIGNMENT OF OPTION TO PURCHASE A HYBRID BUS BETWEEN THE SAN JOAQUIN REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO.

BY:

WHEREAS, in July of 2005, the San Joaquin Regional Transit District awarded a public bid for hybrid and non-hybrid fuel buses to the Gillig Corporation under San Joaquin Regional Transit District’s RFP No. MSE-2005-021; and

WHEREAS, Gillig agreed to furnish said buses; and

WHEREAS, the public bid contains an assignability clause that permits San Joaquin Regional Transit District to assign options during the life of the contract; and

WHEREAS, the City of Shreveport desires to purchase one (1) thirty-five foot (35’) low floor hybrid bus under said RFP No. MSE-2005-021; and

WHEREAS, La. R.S. 38:2212.1(f) and La. R.S. 39:1701 et. seq. authorize the City of Shreveport to enter into a cooperative purchasing agreement with the San Joaquin Regional Transit District to purchase said bus; and

WHEREAS, San Joaquin Regional Transit District has no objection to assigning its rights to the City of Shreveport to exercise an option to purchase one (1) thirty-five foot (35’) lowfloor hybrid bus from the Gillig Corporation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Shreveport, in due, regular and legal session convened, that Cedric B. Glover, Mayor, be and is hereby authorized and empowered to execute a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement and/or Assignment of Option to Purchase a Hybrid Bus Between the San Joaquin Regional Transit District and the City of Shreveport substantially in accordance with the document filed along with the original copy of this resolution in the Office of the Clerk of Council on August 7, 2007, attached hereto as Exhibit A.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if any provision or item of this resolution or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this resolution which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items or applications, and to this end, the provisions of this resolution are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all resolutions or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Read by title and as read, motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Long to adopt. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

RESOLUTION NO. 140 OF 2007

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A RIGHT OF WAY AND EASEMENT WITH SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ELECTRIC LINES AND RELATED FACILITIES ON CITY PROPERTY, AND OTHERWISE PROVIDING WITH RESPECT THERETO.

BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport in due, regular and legal session convened, that the Mayor be and is hereby authorized to execute on behalf of the City of Shreveport a Right of Way and Easement with Southwestern Electric Power Company in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in the draft of said agreement which was filed for public inspection with the original draft of the resolution in the Office of Council on August 13, 2007.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if any provisions or items of this resolution or the application thereof are held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this resolution which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items or applications, and to this end, the provisions of this resolution are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that resolutions or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Read by title and as read, motion by Councilman Lester, seconded by Councilman Shyne to adopt. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTIONS: (Not to be adopted prior to September 11, 2007)

1. Resolution No. 141 of 2007: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept a donation inter vivos and otherwise providing with respect thereto. (Broadmoor United Methodist Church of Shreveport) (D/Wooley)

2. Resolution No. 142 of 2007: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept a donation inter vivos and otherwise providing with respect thereto. (University Terrace Neighborhood Association) (D/Wooley)

3. Resolution No. 143 of 2007: A resolution authorizing the employment of special legal counsel to represent the City of Shreveport, and otherwise providing with respect thereto (Stamps)

4. Resolution No. 144 of 2007: A resolution authorizing the special legal counsel to represent the City of Shreveport, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (Washington)

Read by title and as read, motion by Councilman Wooley, seconded by Councilman Shyne to introduce Resolution No(s). 141, 142, 143, 144, and 145 of 2007 to lay over until September 11, 2007 meeting. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES: (Not to be adopted prior to September 11, 2007)

1. Ordinance No. 137 of 2007: A second supplemental bond ordinance authorizing and providing for the issuance and sale of $8,000,000 Airport System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2007A, and $15,000,000 Airport System PFC Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2007B, of the City of Shreveport, State of Louisiana, payable solely from a pledge and dedication of the revenues of the Shreveport Regional Airport, including passenger facility charges; prescribing the form, fixing the details and providing for the payment of principal of and interest on such bonds, and for the rights of the registered owners thereof; and providing for other matters related thereto.

2. Ordinance No. 138 of 2007: An ordinance amending the 2007 Capital Improvements Budget, and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

3. Ordinance No. 139 of 2007: An ordinance amending the 2007 Riverfront Special Revenue Fund Budget, and otherwise providing with respect thereto.

4. Ordinance No. 140 of 2007: An ordinance amending and reenacting Section 53-2 of the City of Shreveport Code of Ordinances relative to offensive odors, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto.

5. Ordinance No. 141 of 2007: ZONING – C-74-07: An ordinance amending Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances, the City of Shreveport Zoning Ordinance, by rezoning a tract of land generally bound by Fannin on the north, Douglas on the east, Travis on the south, and Christian on the west, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from R-3, Urban, Multiple Family Residence District to B-4, Central Business District with MPC approval for outdoor film production, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (B/Walford)

6. Ordinance No. 142 of 2007: An Ordinance amending the 2007 Budget for the Fleet Services Internal Service Fund and otherwise providing with respect thereto

7. Ordinance No. 143 of 2007: An ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute a lease of City-owned property to Triumph The Church and Kingdom of God in Christ, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (Not to be adopted prior to September 25, 2007)

Read by title and as read, motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Webb to introduce Ordinance No(s). 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, and 142 of 2007 to lay over until September 11, 2007 meeting. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

ORDINANCES ON SECOND READING AND FINAL PASSAGE (Numbers are assigned Ordinance Number)

1. Ordinance No. 122 of 2006: An ordinance amending portions of Chapter 90 of the Code of Ordinances relative to traffic and vehicles and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (A/Lester) (Postponed Aug 14, 2007)

Having passed first reading on August 22, 2006 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Lester, seconded by Councilman Webb to postpone. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

2. Ordinance No. 130 of 2007: An ordinance amending and reenacting Section 90-287 of the Code of Ordinances relative to stopping, standing and parking and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (A/Lester)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Lester, seconded by Councilman Bowman to postpone.

Councilman Lester: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I had an opportunity in drafting this, we had some conversation with the City Attorney’s office. Our property standards guru, Mr. Holt brought up a very interesting scenario that raised a lot of questions, both in my mind and in the mind of City Attorney relative to actually how we could enforce this. And we haven’t come up with an answer. So, I’m asking that that be postponed so that we could some up with something.

Councilman Walford: One thing Mr. Lester that I had occasion to be in the Code of Ordinances in the Parking Ordinances, we currently have on our Code of Ordinances, a prohibition against parking on the median which we see everywhere. And I would encourage our SPD Officers to begin watching for that, and I think that could make a significant difference.

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

3. Ordinance No. 131 of 2007: An ordinance amending and replacing Section 90-198, Maximum Limits on specific streets, and otherwise providing with respect thereto. (D/Wooley)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Long, seconded by Councilman Shyne.

Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 131 of 2007

In Section 90-198, delete the phrase “Creswell Road from 70^th Street (La. 511) to Deborah Drive 35” and replace it with “Creswell Road from 70^th Street (La. 511) to Deborah Drive 30.”

Motion by Councilman Wooley, seconded by Councilman Bowman to adopt Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 131 of 2007.

Councilman Wooley: This section of the (inaudible) the amendment to specifies from Creswell Road, a portion of Creswell is a four-lane and it goes to a two-lane, so we thought it would be in the best interest of the area to have the speed limit on the four-lane five miles faster than the rest of Creswell Road. Because it goes into a more dense area of the neighborhood, obviously because its two lanes. So, they just had to specify the block of Creswell that needs to be the higher speed limit.

Councilman Walford: So you’re not reducing part of it, and then reducing at the two-lane?

Councilman Wooley: Well we’re just defining which portions of Creswell Road. One section will be 25mph, the other section will be 30 mph because of the increase of lanes.

Mr. Thompson: The four-lane portion will be 30 mph, and the two lane will be 25.

Councilman Wooley: Correct.

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 6. Nays: Councilman Walford. 1.

Motion by Councilman Wooley, seconded by Councilman Bowman to adopt Ordinance No. 131 of 2007 as amended. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 6. Nays: Councilman Walford. 1.

4. Ordinance No. 132 of 2007: An ordinance amending and reenacting Chapter 50 of the Code of Ordinances by adding Section 50-167 relative to wearing of pants below the waist in public and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (A/Lester)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Long, seconded by Councilman Shyne.

Amendment No. 1 Ordinance No. 132 of 2007

Amend Section 50-167(b), (c) and (d) to read as follows:

Sec. 50-167. Wearing of pants below the waist in public.

* * *

b) Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $100.00 and up to one eight-hour day picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

c) Any person convicted of a second offense of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $150.00 and up to two eight-hour days picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

d) Any person convicted of a third offense of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $250.00 and up to four eight-hour days picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

Motion by Councilman Lester, seconded by Councilman Shyne to adopt Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 132 of 2007.

Councilman Walford: Mr. Lester, just for the benefit of the public, would you?

Councilman Lester: Amendment No. 1 increases the fine, a maximum fine for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd violation. This is not to say what the judge will give because obviously all the judges have the discretion to deal with the fine situation. Someone made the reference as it relates to jail, and the ordinance is very specific that if a person is in violation of this particular ordinance, and they are sentenced, their sentence will either be pay the money or do community service. You cannot go to jail for this. It’s very, very specific. I heard a lot of commentary about the criminal injustice, or the criminal justice complex. But that’s not part and parcel of this particular ordinance. So.

Councilman Walford: Ms. Bowman, you have questions?

Councilwoman Bowman: Yes, but he just answered it.

Councilman Walford: Thank you Mr. Lester, that was for the benefit - - - because of all the media coverage and this (inaudible), so - - -

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 6. Nays: Councilman Long. 1.

Amendment No. 2 Ordinance No. 132 of 2007

Amend Section 50-167 by inserting the following as paragraph (b) and re-numbering paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) as paragraphs (c), (d) and (e).

Sec. 50-167. Wearing of pants below the waist in public.

* * *

b) Any violation of subsection (a) hereof shall be cited by the law enforcement officer by the issuance of a citation and summons to appear before a court of proper jurisdiction, and shall itself not be grounds for an arrest or for a full search of the person cited.

Motion by Councilman Lester, seconded by Councilman Webb to adopt Amendment No. 2 to Ordinance No. 132 of 2007.

Councilman Walford: Once again for the benefit of the audience.

Councilman Lester: Sure. Thank you Mr. Chairman. One of the things that I was concerned about and listening to a number of my constituents relative to the enforcement issue was whether or not we were going to create a scenario where any group of people would be targeted for arrests and things of that nature. Amendment No. 2 makes it very plain that a person that violates this ordinance will be served with a summons only. They will not be arrested. And I heard someone talk about constitutional law. I happened to take the class, got my best grades for what that’s worth. It does not create a search incident to an arrest, which for those of us that practice criminal defense work everyday does not trigger full blown search and things of that nature. In fact if a person violates this ordinance there to be given a summons, and that’s the end of the inquiry. Now it does not, for those of you who are worried about the - - - are we doing something that’s going to put our fine men and women of the Police Department at risk in terms of someone having a gun, well the cases of Terry vs. Ohio, another constitutional law class for those that went to law school (everybody didn’t), but Terry vs. Ohio clearly states that if an officer believes that he or she is in fear of safety, they then can do what they call a Terry search. Pat down someone’s outer clothing for an officer’s protection. They can do that in any situation. This ordinance notwithstanding. That’s the law of the land, not just the City of Shreveport - - - that’s where we are. So, I believe that this will ameliorate that problem that a lot of people said in terms of are we going to be selectively enforcing the scenario? Or are we going to be giving the Police the tool to wholesale run certain members of the community into jail. And both with Amendment No. 2 and Amendment No. 1, I think we’ve taken care of that situation. I’m very confident in that. I’ve done the research. But don’t believe me, I’ve talked to our City Attorney, our staff. I think we’ve done an adequate job of (inaudible) the cases and the things of that nature, and I believe that that will take care of that problem. I have some other comments I want to make on the general most ordinance, but - - -

Councilman Walford: No, I really ask you to do this for the benefit of the public.

Councilman Lester: Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

Motion by Councilman Lester, seconded by Councilman Webb to adopt Ordinance No. 132 of 2007 as amended.

Councilman Lester: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I’ll try to be as brief as I possibly can, and let other people speak. Because I know there are a lot of questions on this. We’ve heard a lot of conversation about this, and I think one of the speakers earlier spoke to - - - we need to ‘raise up’, and I think that’s perfect. I think someone also mentioned an advertising campaign. And if the folks at my office are watching, we need to send something to the Secretary to State with Raise Up with an exclamation point down there before anybody else gets this idea. I think what we need to do Mr. Mayor and Council Members, we need to raise up expectations. I think we need to raise up our horizons as we raise up our pants. People talk a lot about the plight of our children. But as a person who worked in juvenile court in Caddo Parish for quite a while before obviously and fortunate enough to represent the folks in District A, I got to see the effects of our young people in this behavior on a daily basis. This is not a scenario where you know it’s a drive by scenario, I put on my nice clothes, Ms. Bowman run down here insult some council members and run out of the room, it’s not one of those scenarios. This is something that I dealt with on a daily basis. And at the end of the day, the question becomes whether or not this council can exercise it’s authority to set what we believe are standards for this community. I think not only do we have the power, I think we have the obligation, and we’ve done it in many instances over a period of time. The fact of the matter is when we just let it pass, or let it slide, that’s how our communities become in decline. When you look at many of our neighborhoods and many of our families and things of that nature, this passive attitude that we have about our communities and our families, just let it play out, it’s happening. And if you drive around Allendale, and you drive around some of those other you can look and see what happens when you just let it play out. I wasn’t the Councilman that was elected to let things play out. I decide to see a problem and deal with it. You know again, there is this idea about fining and not being able to pay the fines. Well, if the young person or whoever is in violation of this particular ordinance, they can do community service. Someone spoke about the money issue. Well you know the young people are spending money and they’re sagging their pants. They’re also spending a lot of money or making a lot of money calling our women Bs and Hs, and I don’t appreciate that either. I’ve heard a lot of people saying that what we should do and what our priorities are. As I sit here as a parent of a son and a daughter, if I the City Councilman can’t legislate something that deals with our youth and our young people to deal with what I believe to be a negative behavior, I don’t think any of us should be down here. I think we not only have a right, but we have an obligation to do so. I think this statute is very narrowly tailored to address a compelling governmental interest. And I’m saying that for the law clerk that will be reviewing this tape later. And I think that this accomplishes something that we need to deal with. Last and not least, you know people said something about he who is without sin, let ‘em cast the first stone. You know my issues have been made of quite publicly. I’ve never run from those things. When I’ve made mistakes, I’ve earned up to them. I’ve said I was wrong, I’ve taken my punishment, and I’ve dealt with it. That’s the person that my parents taught me to be. That’s how I was raised. Not that you’re not going to make mistakes, it’s that you accept responsibility. You fall down, but you don’t wallow in it, you get up. And all to often, we’re allowing our children to fall down and saying it’s okay to fall down and wallow. I don’t want that. I’m 36 years old. I don’t want the people taking care of me to be the people who we’ve allowed to wallow the last 8 or 10 years. I’ve heard the deal about it’s a fashion, it’ll pass. But they’ve been - - - the last time I was practicing at juvenile court was in 1999. I mean, that’s a heck of a fad if we’re talking in terms of fads, and it doesn’t seem as if it’s going to pass. Finally, . 2 Samuel 10:4 since somebody brought the Bible into it. So Hanun seized David's ambassadors and shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame. Isaiah 20:4, For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopians as prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Councilman Shyne: Mr. Chairman, I’m not going to add religion. I don’t want to be a part of the Taliban. And if you think the sagging ordinance is a cure for everything, then I got some swamp land that I want to sell you in Arizona. If you think what has happened to Allendale or to the other urban areas in America is because of sagging pants, it’s something wrong. Sagging pants didn’t cause all of this. Sagging pants didn’t cause our educational system here in the State of Louisiana to be where it is. Do I like sagging pants? No. But do I think this is the way to go about preventing sagging pants? No. This is a value. This is a culture. We’re getting to the point now where we want to just legislate everything. We want our police - - - after a while, we’re going to let our police officers raise our kids. That’s wrong. Did I do things when I was growing up that people didn’t like? Sure I did. Would I have wanted them to legislate against me wearing an Afro. My mamma didn’t like for me to be wearing an Afro. She talked to me and put something on me, and I cut it. She didn’t need the police raising me. And Chief, I’ve talked to some of these officers, and I don’t want to get you involved in this, but I’ve talked to some of your officers ,and I don’t want to call any names, Councilmen we’ve got our place for it. Trying to stop these drug dealers. Trying to stop these people who are breaking in our houses. We wish we had more of them, breaking in that were wearing sagging pants. Then we could run ‘em down. Cause you can’t run with your pants sagging. I don’t know where we came to the point, all of a sudden if you see somebody’s underwear I mean, the world is coming to an end. I saw Michael Jordan’s last night on TV advertising what was it Hanes? You could see all of his shorts. And lets don’t talk about the Victoria Secrets show that comes on every year. Michael how many people you think be running to see that show? And they don’t have on anything almost. We’re not calling Jim McCrery and telling him look, we want you to make a national law against people showing their underwear on TV. You know I don’t think it’s the greatest thing, but I don’t think I need to start legislating against things like that. Mr. Green, I remember a time when if 4 or 5 of us got together, and I want you to understand this is nothing racial, I’m not making this a racial issue as some people say that it’s a racial issue. Of course Roosevelt old enough to know that they had a loitering law. We abide by Charlie for years until we found out it was unconstitutional. Do I like to see people standing around on the corner? No. It’s a whole lot of things that I don’t like. But because I don’t like it, do I need to legislate a law against it? No. That’s what makes this country so great. The diversity in it, whether it’s good or bad. When we get to the point that we want everybody to abide by our moral standards, or what we like or what we don’t like, this isn’t going to be a democracy anymore. This isn’t going to be the great country that we had. Willie I remember, you’re probably not old enough, but I remember when there were laws made that Earlene and I couldn’t go to school together. Was that right? No. It’s a lot of people that said blood would run in the streets of Shreveport when Fair Park became integrated. Mr. Green, you remember that. A lot of folks didn’t like that. It’s a whole lot of things that we don’t like. But is it right for me to legislate against it? Sure I don’t like to see young men walking around showing their underwear, but I think we need to take a different approach. We haven’t even tried no other approach. I see ‘em passing my house everyday, and I hope the Principal from Bethune don’t get mad at me for saying this, but they be leaving Bethune, they be leaving other schools. I go out and tell ‘em young man, pull your pants up. That’s not the way to go. But we done got so now in our communities until we’re afraid. We want to turn everything over to the police. We are making a mistake. Now, you know Calvin said he made his best grades in the constitutional law area, but you got to understand Calvin ain’t been practicing law that long. And I’ve had some folks who been out there a long time, who made good grades too, and said hey look, this might be constitutional violation. We don’t know. One judge might rule one way, and another might rule another way. That’s why you have the different levels of courts. So we don’t know whether this is constitutional or unconstitutional. I would hate and I hate to see us go this way. Do we need this? Work with this problem. Do we need to come up with a solution to sagging pants? Yes. But this is not the right approach. You see it on TV. What you going to do? Outlaw your TV? You’re going to say well in Shreveport, you can’t have not TV program on Mr. Mayor, where they’re showing sagging pants. I guess that’s going to be our next move. Or when the Victoria Secrets Show come on, I guess we’re going to say in Shreveport, that’s going to be outlawed. Cause it’s showing what? Underwear. Our standards are so morally high. And this is how you do it by legislating high standards. That’s not how you set high standards. Values are taught. You’ve got to start off at an early age. And it’s not an easy solution. We’re so used to an easy solution. If we want a meal now, what do we do? We put it in the microwave. We just want everything to be instant. Everything to be instant. I really think that we are putting our police department into a position where they’re going to be so subjective. One officer might say well, they were way down here. Another one - - - no, it was one inch. What was it? Two inches. What was it? Three inches. I truly believe that we are making the wrong move. We need to work on this in our school system. We need to work on this in our homes. I head somebody say well you know the mama work on ‘em, and when they leave home, they might do anything. When I left home, I didn’t know when I might look up and see my mama. And this is what we’ve got to get back to. It’s the same old thing. We’ve got to make these mamas and daddies be responsible. Don’t make the police department be responsible for raising your child, teaching your child values. Let’s take a different approach. I really hate to see us do this, because after while there’s going to be something else we don’t like. And then what we’re going to do. We’re going to legislate a law against that. I’m asking my colleagues to please take a look at it. This makes you feel good, because you can leave here and say well, we got a solution to the sagging law. We don’t have to worry about it, because the police are going to take care of it. We have made a step forward for justice. We have raised our values in Shreveport. Look at us America. Come to Shreveport and you don’t have to worry about sagging pants. That’s a minor thing. I’m worried more about crack houses, dope dealers. I’m worried about all these old cars we have in our neighborhoods. The psychological impact of kids growing up in a neighborhood that’s not kept clean. To me that’s more of a problem than sagging pants. We’ve got enough laws on the books. We are making a mistake. We are making a mistake. That’s why we live in a democracy. That’s why we live - - - that’s why this country is so great. Mr. Chairman, to the Members of the Council, this is nothing personal. I just believe that we’re making the wrong effort. I think more of us need to get involved. More of us need to put more sweat into trying to change some of these kids. Trying to show ‘em some love. Find ‘em something to do. This is why I’m concerned about a good recreation program. Because you can teach values. You can teach ‘em why it’s important for them to keep their pants up. The police don’t have time to teach them on why it’s important to keep their pants up. Some of them probably glad. Like a couple of them told me, we can catch ‘em quicker Councilman if he’s trying to run with his pants down, he’s going to trip. He done broke in somebody’s house or done broke in somebody’s car. We need to take it upon ourselves, am I my brother’s keeper? Or do we just want to sit back and have it the easy way. And when somebody is going to give it to us the easy way, then our jaws going to be puffed out. We got to work at this problem. Sagging pants didn’t cause what happened in Allendale with people to move out. People been moving out of Allendale for the last 25 years. So lets don’t put all of the ugly things in our society on the sagging pants, and think when we pass the sagging pants law, everything is going to be alright. Chief, I hope in six months, we can kinda get a look at our crime stats to see how much crime this sagging law has cut out. Cause I know that’s what it’s going to do.

Councilman Walford: Mr. Shyne, you’ve gone way beyond your ten minutes.

Councilman Shyne: Mr. Chairman, this is a very, very important issue to me. We have begin to take away some of the rights that are guaranteed to us in the Constitution of the United States. This is very important.

Councilman Walford: It is, and I will come back to you with another ten minutes after the other Council Members have had their debate.

Councilman Shyne: I would ask the Members of the Council to please look at this in a very serious way, and from a constitutional way. And not from the way of putting this in the laps of the police officers and letting them raise our kids. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Council, thank you very much.

Councilman Webb: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I have looked at this in a serious manner, and I think our forefathers would probably roll over in their graves if they knew what was going on in today’s society. It think that’s part of the problem is American people have lost a lot of value and morals along with it. I’d like to watch a lot of Western movies, and I think back looking at the way they dressed back in those days, the women - - - it was almost a sin if they showed their ankles. And I think where we’ve gone from that day to now, I know that this is a fad that people say will go away, but I agree also, it’s been going on I know for 15 years. One of the fads that I know that I used to see the teenagers have was those little bracelets that said WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). And I’d like to see that fad come back. Maybe it’d change our way of thinking. But I think you know all this really, in my opinion, starts at home. The parents are not doing their responsibility as a parent. I realize we have more and more single parents in this world that are trying to raise children. And that’s the reason I think why the values and everything are gone down like they are. And you look at TV, I think TV plays a very, very big role in the reason why crime is what it is today, because kids see things on TV, and they act those things out. And that’s another area that today I don’t think parents are paying attention to what their children are watching on TV. And there’s hardly anything really that’s even worth watching on TV. But there’s one good thing about it, you do have a switch or a remote you can change the channel or turn the TV off if you don’t like what you’re seeing. And I do that quite often. But I don’t feel like that this is just a feel good legislation. It’ll probably wind up being a look good legislation after it’s all over with. Because I don’t have to be in the check out line at the grocery store and have to see what I see all the time. I don’t like it. It’s true we live in a free democracy. But just like cigarette smoke. I enjoy not going to a restaurant and eating and not have to smell cigarette smoke. If somebody wants to smoke, that’s fine. If they want to wear sagging pants in their house, that’s fine. But I just don’t think that it should be allowed out in the public. You take Bossier City, the Boardwalk over there. They took a hold of that from the initiative, and they set guidelines in there that such as sagging pants, and people walking around in groups and anything like that. Because when people go out in the public and they go to eat and they go to shop, they don’t want to be exposed to that stuff, and that’s one reason I think that that Boardwalk has been as successful as it has been because they’re taken that initiative. South Park Mall as everyone knows closed a few years back, and I think if they’d taken some of those initiatives back then to correct some of those problems like the Boardwalk did from the beginning, the mall might still be open. But I’m going to support this ordinance, and I think it’s some good legislation. And it’s a shame that it really has to come down to this. But the schools aren’t really, in my opinion, taking care of it, and it’s not being taken care of at home. So, you don’t really have much choice but to try to do it this way. If we let it continue like it is now, whose to say what its going to be like five years from now. We may look back and say man, sagging pants was nothing compared to what it is now. So, for me it’s time to get a foothold on it and put a stop to it and keep it from getting worse than what it is. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Councilman Wooley: Thank you Mr. Chairman. I’m going to be supporting this piece of legislation today. I was initially opposed to it, for one major reason, and I sought legal counsel on it. Let me back up and explain a couple of points first. Personally, I think it’s disrespectful. And distasteful for myself or anyone else to be exposed to one’s personal undergarments. However I was concerned about the constitutional effect it would have for a local government body to dictate a particular dress code, or I should say more specifically as Councilman Lester has so eloquently languaged it, it is very specific in what we’re trying to accomplish by not having the exposure of undergarments due to sagging pants, whether it be male or female, Black or White, or any other race for that matter. So, I sought some legal counsel on where it would put us in reference to putting together this type of ordinance. I do want to cite the Supreme Ruling of Texas vs. Johnson of 1989, the infamous flag burning case where the U.S. Supreme Court laid out the standard for what constitutes expression or a k a freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment. There was a ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and their summary quote says this: “This inquire focused on whether an intent to convey a particularized message was present and whether the likelihood was great that the message would be understood by those who viewed it”. Now let me explain that. Basically it means this. If a type of clothing that is worn, or a style of clothing is worn, or maybe some verbiage or some language is on a shirt, and we referenced Christianity today, so we’ll use Christianity. I can’t be arrested for wearing a Christian T-Shirt. It is a clear statement if I have a cross or it says WWJD like Councilman Webb said, everyone clearly understands what that means and what that message means. Therefore I cannot be arrested or indicted because that is a clear message being sent out. It could be for New Orleans Saints or it could be for whatever you want to say, there is a clear message being said through either words on my clothes or the style of clothes I’m wearing, then that’s freedom of speech, and you can’t do anything about that, because that is my constitutional right under the First Amendment. However, wearing sagging pants does not bring out a very concise and particularized message that could be understood by those who view it. I’ve heard some loose commentary, well it’s part of the Hip Hop culture. That’s a very vague, vague generalized overstatement, and that would never stand up in a court of law. So, from a constitutional standpoint, I believe we set a very good position for ourselves not to be sued, and if we were challenged, I feel quite confident that we would succeed. Now on the basis of that, which is really the underlying foundation and principle that I was most concerned with, but personally I think it is disrespectful and distasteful to see somebody’s undergarments. I didn’t ask to see it, and I don’t want to see it, and I don’t think anyone else should be exposed to that. But from a legal standpoint which is very important to me, also being a government official, I wanted to see where that put us in the legal realm. According to the U. S. Supreme Court in 1989 and according to this summary by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, I think it places us in a very good solid position to make this stand, and I intend to make it today. Thank you.

Councilwoman Bowman: Yes sir. First, I’m going to address this to T. J. I might have - - - don’t know which I probably would have gone, but our visitor certainly made the decision for me on which way to vote. I feel that first you have to and I’m going to paraphrase this, get that big board out of your own eye before you try to get a little splinter out of somebody else’s eye. Remember that. Now as far as this ordinance is concerned, in my opinion, it is a matter of respect. Yes respect should be taught at home. Should be, but in a lot of cases it is not. Should be taught at school. But if the teachers are busy trying to instruct your children, they don’t have time to discipline and make them pull up their pants. Some will, and some will go out of their way to do it. I look at the fact that so many things are pressed upon us. I look at the fact that at one particular time, we had prayer in school. But we sit back and allowed them to take prayer out of the school. That’s part of the reason when I say the Pledge of Allegiance up here, and you hear somebody hollering “under God”, it’s me. And I’ll continue to do that, because that’s one of my rights. I have the right to serve, and I’m going to continue to do that. I’m tired of being in the grocery line myself, and I’m not worried about looking at underwear, I’m worried about looking at your natural behind. That’s what I see. And it is disrespectful. Do we put a law there to stop it? Yes, there are obscenity laws on the books, but you’re going to be arrested if you’re called on that one. That’s the way I see it. I look at the fact that we speak of rights. We sit back, and even now we take Christ out of Christmas. You can’t serve like you want to, but yet, you can have your own rights, you can force your rights upon me. Your right to play music and call women and young ladies Bs and Ws. And that’s alright, because little children sing those songs. They know those songs, and don’t know how to spell their names. But I’m supposed to sit there and I’m going to be okay with the fact that you can show me your behind. Councilman Lester, I will vote with you, because I’m tired of looking at behinds. Thank you.

Councilman Walford: Well, I guess it’s my turn, so Ms. Scott, you’ve been sitting back there. I’ve got lots of questions if you can come up here. And while you’re on your way, I will preface my remarks by saying that I think that sagging pants on the males is about the silliest and most ridiculous looking thing I’ve ever seen. But I’ve got some real serious concerns about this ordinance. But I think Ms. Scott is going to answer the questions for me, and maybe she can make me comfortable. The ordinance says “It shall be unlawful for any person to appear in public wearing pants below the waist which expose the skin or undergarments.”

Ms. Scott: Yes sir.

Councilman Walford: Now the current style in the young females is low rider jeans and slacks. In fact if you go out to LSUS today, I would imagine that you could find several hundred that you could arrest under this ordinance. Is that correct?

Ms. Scott: That is correct.

Councilman Walford: So, this applies - - - we’ve been hearing obviously targeted at young males.

Ms. Scott: No sir. The way that this ordinance is written, it will be applied and enforced equally or can be applied equally toward male or female.

Councilman Walford: Okay now, in a couple of weeks, we’re going to have the Race for the Cure starting right by my house and several thousand joggers are going to run by. It’s a very popular style of jogging attire is not worn at what I found defined as the waist. And I used Land’s End, Eddy Bower and several others, and their little diagram trying to decide what is the waist. But most jogging shorts are worn below the waist. And very popular with the female are the running tops. So, will Chief Whitehorn’s people who are providing security at that run have to cite all of those females wearing that attire?

Ms. Scott: Mr. Walford, the ordinance says below the waist which exposes the skin or undergarment. If wearing the undergarments below the waist does not expose the skin or the undergarment, then they will not be cited or charged under this ordinance.

Councilman Walford: But if the jogging shorts are worn below the waist, it’s going to expose skin, so will all these people be in violation?

Ms. Scott: They potentially could be. But let me tell you this. It’s going to come down to some kind of reasonable interpretation by the police officer as to whether or not that person is to be cited or charged under the ordinance. There is no way that we’re going to be able to write an ordinance that affectively addresses all situations. But again, we believe that the way that this one is written does in fact notify persons of the conduct that is being prohibited. And generally it is wearing of any pants below the waist that exposes, again, the skin or the undergarments. But again, it comes down to the officers discretion as to whether or not they will charge that person and the courts discretion as to whether or not they will in fact impose a fine if that person is convicted.

Councilman Walford: Ms. Scott, one that really worries me. What are we going to do about bikinis. They are obviously illegal now if we pass this ordinance.

Ms. Scott: Yes sir.

Councilman Walford: So while we’re ridiculing Shreveport in the national media, we not only will outlaw sagging pants, Shreveport will no longer have bikinis?

Ms. Scott: Mr. Walford: Again, the way that this ordinance is written, it is intended to prohibit your outer garments. Your pants from being worn in such a way it exposes your skin or your undergarments. Bikinis are not intended to be worn as pants or outer garments in public.

Councilman Walford: But they are at our public swimming pools.

Ms. Scott: Yes sir, but again, that is a public swimming pool. The purpose of that is for recreational use. And those types of garments are intended to be worn at a swimming pool.

Councilman Walford: But if I’m not mistaken, they expose the skin, and they’re worn below the waist.

Ms. Scott: Yes sir, but again, that activity, that particular attire is designed to be worn for that activity.

Councilman Walford: Okay, I noticed football practice going on right now, and the style seems to be to wear, in this heat, to cut off old jerseys when they’re wearing their pads. And of course their pants are not worn at the waist, they’re worn below.

Ms. Scott: On a school playground during football practice?

Councilman Walford: Uh hmm.

Ms. Scott: Again, that is not intended to be that type of public exposure.

Councilman Walford: But its exposing skin. It goes all the way from their shirt down to their pants.

Ms. Scott: It is not the type of public exposure that is prohibited by this ordinance would be standing on the street corner, or in a grocery store. In a school setting, recreational practice arena, that is not the public that is intended by this ordinance.

Councilman Walford: Where does it say that in here?

Ms. Scott: Again, it comes down to some kind of reasonable rational application of the ordinance by the individual police officer. Public is intended to be the public at large. Again, a school playground, or a school recreational activities are not intended to be the public that is addressed in this ordinance.

Councilman Walford: So when these joggers leave Mall St. Vincent and go over and go down Fairfield, Ockley, Richmond, Southfield, all the way back down Fairfield, there is a very public setting.

Ms. Scott: Yes sir. And again, they could be cited, but it again goes back to some kind of good common sense, should I say by the police officers and when they will enforce this ordinance.

Councilman Walford: So we really are setting up an ordinance for selective enforcement (I’m very afraid of)

Ms. Scott: No sir. That is not the intent of this ordinance. And again it is not to be selectively enforced. It is intended to address behavior or it is intended to address conduct in which the pants allow the skin or the undergarments to be exposed. Given the situation that you have set up with the joggers, it is possible that they could be charged. It is also possible that they could be convicted. Whether or not the judge will actually convict and impose the fine. Again, I don’t know and I’m not going to stand here and tell you no, they will or no, they will not.

Councilman Walford: Okay, another question. There is almost no question in my mind that this will be challenged. What do you anticipate that the city will spend to defend this ordinance?

Ms. Scott: Mr. Walford, it is impossible to predict whether or not, first the ordinance will be challenged, and the expense of that litigation. But what I can tell you is that this ordinance has been drafted in such a way that we believe that it will withstand the challenge.

Councilman Walford: Okay, I will be voting no. I think it’s a terrible direction for us to go in. I compliment Mr. Lester because I know it’s well intended. I know what he’s trying to accomplish. I think I’ve just mentioned a few things that clearly are going to be holes in this ordinance. And I shudder to think of the results that’s going to come from it.

Councilman Lester: And just to wrap up Mr. Chairman, as I appreciate it and I support it, and worked with Councilman Walford, we - - - this Council had the audacity maybe four or five months ago to legislate smells of all things. Isn’t that correct? And when we legislated the smell ordinance, we knew in fact that that was going to be challenged. We had a reasonable expectation that, that smell ordinance was going to be challenged. Isn’t that correct?

Ms. Scott: Yes sir.

Councilman Lester: But the Council felt it was important enough to legislate to deal with the issue and defend whatever challenge was out there as it relates to that smell ordinance. And in fact, this Council, this Councilman, this Mayor even went as far as to prevail on our legislature to change the law to come and to help us with what we perceived to be a problem. Is that correct?

Ms. Scott: That is correct.

Councilman Lester: Okay, I just wanted to say that for the benefit of the public. I don’t think that our job is to legislate to the point of being worried about challenges, because if we believe that we are in constitutional solid ground, and the ordinance has been narrowly tailored to address an either rational basis or a compelling governmental interest, I think that’s the only inquiry that we need. But to say that we’re afraid to pass an ordinance because we’re afraid to be challenged, again, I think my point is at a certain point when we believe something is an issue, then we act. We believe that smell was an issue, and we acted to legislate smell. Something that you cannot grasp, you cannot see, you cannot touch, that only affects one of the senses. Just for what it’s worth.

Councilman Shyne: Mr. Chairman, I think our position is that sagging pants is a problem. And we don’t want anybody to misunderstand that we’re for sagging pants. Because we’re not. Our position is that we just don’t think that this is the right approach to take. And I agree with Councilman Lester on the concept that we need to do something about sagging pants. We needed to do something about the smell. That odor could physically make you sick. Then we have certain environmental laws that are in place already that says that an odor can be at a certain level. And it’s against the State law or it’s against the Federal law. Do we like seeing the behinds of people? No, but we’re going to get into a gray area like you were saying about the joggers. You don’t see people jogging that’s got little tops that come right here. You can see ‘em jogging in the neighborhood where you can see their belly buttons. Where you can see all of this. Where you can see their hips. And what do the officers say? Say well, they’re on the playground, or they’re in the neighborhood, and not standing on the street corner, so we’re not going to do anything. It’s kinda of a catch 22 situation. I hope that this ordinance will nip it all in the bud. Five weeks from now, we won’t have nobody sagging. Or two years from now, we won’t have no body sagging. But I still don’t believe that we’re taking the right approach. I think this is an educational issue. I think this is a value issue. I think this is something that we need to have our parents looking into. I think that we need to have the news media involved in all of this. Do we like sagging pants? No. Do I like looking at somebody’s behind? No. Do I like to see Michael Jordon on TV advertising the shorts? No. And Mr. Davis, I was about to say do I like to see the models of Victoria Secrets, I almost said no. But this is our position. It’s not that we’re against - - - it’s not that we’re for sagging pants, because we’re not. I would just hope that we would come together as a community and say hey look, this is a problem that we need to work on. Lets see if we can solve this problem as a community, and not put it in the lap of the police officer. Mr. Chairman, thank you. Council Members, thank you for letting me indulge upon you. And I love you, and I appreciate you.

Councilwoman Bowman: Terri, on this ordinance and I’m through. When bikinis were mentioned and jogging pants, it’s my impression that this ordinance is for sagging. Its for when you’re showing your skin below the other direction. For instance when females want to wear thongs and pull their pants down low enough, that’s what I’m looking at. I’m not looking at somebody at a swimming pool who would wear a bikini or would wear a swimming suit.

Ms. Scott: At a swimming pool.

Councilwoman Bowman: At a swimming pool. That’s what I mean. But if I’m in the grocery store and there’s a female there, and she wears her low riders and she has a tattoo she wants to show off, then those are the things that I would assume this is addressing. Right?

Ms. Scott: Yes ma’am. And she could be cited under that. Again, the ordinance only prescribes certain wearing of attire or wearing of garment in a certain way.

Councilwoman Bowman: Right.

Ms. Scott: It basically says that you shall not wear pants below your waist if it exposes your underwear or your skin. That is what is prescribed by this ordinance. Enforcement - - - it will be at the discretion and left up to SPD. And again, it’s like a speeding ticket. Not everyone who speeds gets a ticket, but speeding is still against the law.

Councilman Walford: One last thing Terri, just to clarify. No place in this does it make any reference to sagging. That’s something the media is tagged to.

Ms. Scott: That’s correct. That is a misnomer. The ordinance is actually titled, and you have a copy of it in front of you, “Wearing of Pants below the waist in public.” Sagging is again in term of art that is being applied to this ordinance and ordinance (inaudible)

Councilman Walford: And thank you very much. And one last thing I would want to echo what Mr. Shyne has so eloquently said. I don’t like sagging pants, but I don’t think this is the right direction to go in. And I’m going to vote no. If we can find some other way to do it, I certainly will look very hard at how we can. But I’m voting no.

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 4. Nays: Councilmen Walford, Long, and Shyne. 3.

5. Ordinance No. 133 of 2007: ANNEXATION – TAG NO. 07-04: An ordinance enlarging the limits and boundaries of the City of Shreveport – a 26.7 acre tract of land located adjacent to the north side of Southern Loop Roadway West of Norris-Ferry Road in Section 20 (T16N-R13W), Caddo Parish, Louisiana, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (D/Wooley)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Wooley, seconded by Councilman Bowman to adopt.

Councilman Walford: Just for the record, this is the tract that we had the public hearing on earlier today.

Councilman Wooley: Right, and just for clarification, this is a continuation of their Master Plan. It’s already been approved by the MPC.

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

7. Ordinance No. 127 of 2007: ZONING: C - 65-07: An ordinance amending Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances, the City of Shreveport Zoning Ordinance by rezoning property located on the west side of Clyde Fant Parkway Service Road, 2267 feet south of Stoner Avenue, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana from B-3, Community Business District, B-1, Buffer Business District, And R-A-E, Residence-Agriculture/Extended Use District to R-3, Urban, Multi-Family Residence District, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (B/Walford) (Postponed August 14, 2007)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Walford, seconded by Councilman Webb to postpone. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

8. Ordinance No. 135 of 2007: ZONING – C-69-07: An ordinance amending Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances, the City of Shreveport Zoning Ordinance, by rezoning property located on a tract of land 100 feet south of Kennie and 600 feet west of Linwood, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from R-A, Residence Agriculture District to R-1D (PUD) Urban, One-Family Residence (Planned Unit Development) District, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (D/Wooley)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Wooley, seconded by Councilman Long to adopt. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

9. Ordinance No. 136 of 2007: ZONING – C-70-07: An ordinance amending Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances, the City of Shreveport Zoning Ordinance, by rezoning property located on the north side of Greenwood Road at its intersection with I-20, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from B-3 (SPI-2) Community Business (Industrial Park Overlay) District, to I-1 9SPI-2) Light industry (Industrial Park Overlay) District, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (G/Bowman)

Having passed first reading on August 14, 2007 was read by title, and on motion, ordered passed to third reading. Read the third time in full and as read motion by Councilman Bowman, seconded by Councilman Wooley to adopt.

Councilwoman Bowman: Mr. Kirkland, was there any opposition on this at all?

Mr. Kirkland: Don’t recall any Ms. Bowman on this.

Councilwoman Bowman: I just want to be sure before I - - -

Mr. Kirkland: Did that answer the question?

Councilwoman Bowman: Yes sir.

Mr. Kirkland: A quick aside, at your next Council Meeting, you need to exempt older men from the sagging pants.

Councilman Shyne: Charles, why did you look at me and Monty?

Mr. Kirkland: (Inaudible)

Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

The adopted ordinances and amendments follows:

ORDINANCE NO. 131 OF 2007

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REPLACING SECTION 90-198, MAXIMUM LIMITS ON SPECIFIC STREETS, AND OTHERWISE PROVIDING WITH RESPECT THERETO.

BY:

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport in due, regular and legal session convened that Section 90-198 of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Shreveport pertaining to Traffic and Vehicles, Maximum Limits on Specific Streets, is hereby amended and replaced to read as follows:

Sec. 90-198. Maximum limits on Specific Streets.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Speed

Limit

Street Extent (mph)

* * * * * * * * * * *

Creswell Road From 70^th Street (La. 511) to Deborah Drive 35

From Deborah Drive to Glenhaven Drive 25

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dumbarton Drive From Line Avenue (La. 523) to Glenhaven Drive 25

* * * * * * * * * * *

Glenhaven Drive From Dumbarton Drive to E. Wilderness Way 25

* * * * * * * * * * *

Millicent Way From Industrial Loop (La. 526) to Youree Drive (La. 1) 30

From Line Avenue (La. 523) to Creswell Street 25

* * * * * * * * * * *

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that if any provision or item of this ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items or applications and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Ordinance No. 299 of 1984 pertaining to the speed limit on Creswell Road, Ordinance No. 61 of 1989 pertaining to the speed limit on Dumbarton Drive, Ordinance No. 62 of 1989 pertaining to the speed limit on a portion of Glenhaven Drive, and Ordinance No. 99 of 1965 pertaining to the speed limit on Millicent Way and all other ordinances or resolutions or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Amendment No. 1 to Ordinance No. 131 of 2007

In Section 90-198, delete the phrase “Creswell Road from 70^th Street (La. 511) to Deborah Drive 35” and replace it with “Creswell Road from 70^th Street (La. 511) to Deborah Drive 30.”

ORDINANCE NO. 132 OF 2007

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND REENACT CHAPTER 50 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ADDING SECTION 50-167 RELATIVE TO WEARING OF PANTS BELOW THE WAIST IN PUBLIC AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO.

By: Councilman Lester

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport, in due, legal and regular session convened that Section 50-167 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Shreveport is hereby enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 50-167. Wearing of pants below the waist in public.

a) It shall be unlawful for any person to appear in public wearing pants below the waist which expose the skin or undergarments.

b) Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $25.00 and up to one eight-hour day picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

c) Any person convicted of a second offense of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $50.00 and up to two eight-hour days picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

d) Any person convicted of a third offense of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $100.00 and up to four eight-hour days picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that if any provision or item of this Ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items or applications of this Ordinance which can be given affect without the invalid provisions, items or applications and to this end the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that all Ordinances or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

Amendment No. 1 by Mr. Lester to Ordinance No. 132 of 2007

Amend Section 50-167(b), (c) and (d) to read as follows:

Sec. 50-167. Wearing of pants below the waist in public.

* * *

b) Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $100.00 and up to one eight-hour day picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

c) Any person convicted of a second offense of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $150.00 and up to two eight-hour days picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

d) Any person convicted of a third offense of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $250.00 and up to four eight-hour days picking up trash or refuse, or performing other court-approved community service activities.

Amendment No. 2 Ordinance No. 132 of 2007

Amend Section 50-167 by inserting the following as paragraph (b) and re-numbering paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) as paragraphs (c), (d) and (e).

Sec. 50-167. Wearing of pants below the waist in public.

* * *

b) Any violation of subsection (a) hereof shall be cited by the law enforcement officer by the issuance of a citation and summons to appear before a court of proper jurisdiction, and shall itself not be grounds for an arrest or for a full search of the person cited.

ORDINANCE NO. 133 OF 2007

AN ORDINANCE TO ENLARGE THE LIMITS AND BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT– A 26.7-ACRE TRACT OF LAND LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE NORTH SIDE OF SOUTHERN LOOP ROADWAY WEST OF NORRIS-FERRY ROAD IN SECTION 20(T16N-R13W), CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO.

TAG NO. 07-04

BY: COUNCILMAN WOOLEY

WHEREAS, Section 172 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 provides for annexation by petition; and

WHEREAS, petitions signed by more than the required percentage in number of registered voters and in number of resident property owners and by more than the required percentage in property value of resident owners of the area described below have been filed with the City Council to annex and bring within the corporate limits of the City of Shreveport, Louisiana, the following described property, to wit:

26.7 acres more or less – three tracts of land in Section 20 (T16N-R13W), Caddo Parish, Louisiana per assessors plats 161320-0-117, 161320-0-118 & 161320-0-119, as recorded in Book 3852, Pages 87-95 & Book 3865, Page 36, of the Conveyance Records of Caddo Parish, Louisiana

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport in due, legal, and regular session convened, that the limits and boundaries of the City of Shreveport are hereby changed to include within the limits and boundaries of said City the above-described property.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the annexed area contained herein be and is hereby assigned to Council District “D”.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Clerk of Council be and is hereby authorized to file, within ten (10) days of the final passage of this ordinance, with the Clerk of the District Court

for Caddo Parish a description of the entire boundary of the municipality as changed by this ordinance.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Clerk of Council be and is hereby authorized to record a certified copy of this ordinance in the official records of the District Court for Caddo Parish, Louisiana.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that if any provision or item of this ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items, or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items, or applications and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that all ordinances or resolutions or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

ORDINANCE NO. 135 OF 2007

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 106 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT ZONING ORDINANCE, BY REZONING PROPERTY LOCATED ON A TRACT OF LAND 100 FEET SOUTH OF KENNIE AND 600 FEET WEST OF LINWOOD, SHREVEPORT, CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA, FROM R-A, RESIDENCE AGRICULTURE DISTRICT TO R-1D (PUD) URBAN, ONE-FAMILY RESIDENCE (PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT) DISTRICT, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO

SECTION I: BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, in due, legal and regular session convened, that the zoning classification of property located on a tract of land 100 feet south of Kennie and 600 feet west of Linwood, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, legally described below, be and the same is hereby changed from R-A, Residence Agriculture District to R-1D (PUD) Urban, One-Family Residence (Planned Unit Development) District.

A 12.533 acre tract of land located in Section 2, T16N-R14W, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, being more particularly described as follows: Commence at the accepted E/4 corner of Section 2, T16N-R14W, thence measure S01°43’18”W for a distance of 30.00 feet to a point; thence measure N88°46’42”W for a distance of 40.00 feet to a point at the intersection of the W R-O-W line of Linwood Avenue and the S R-O-W of Kennie Road; thence measure along said W R-O-W line of Linwood Avenue, S01°22’13”W for a distance of 100.00 feet’ thence leave said W R-O-W line of Linwood Avenue and measure N88°46’42”W for a distance of 489.54 feet to the P-O-B of tract herein described. From the P-O-B measure S01°13’18”W for a distance of 100.33 feet to a point; thence measure N88°46’42”W for a distance of 67.32 feet to a point: thence measure S01°13’18”W for a distance of 144.84 feet to a point; thence measure S88°46’49”E for a distance of 21.52 feet to a point; thence measure S01°13’11”W for a distance of 104.85 feet to a point; thence measure N88°46’49”W for a distance of 3.96 feet to a point; thence measure S01°13’11”W for a distance of 150.00 feet to a point; thence measure N88°46’49”W for a distance of 921.00 feet to a point; thence measure N26°21’07”W for a distance of 96.58 feet to a point; thence measure N21°37’35”W for a distance of 50.00 feet to a point; thence measure N01°06’21”E for a distance of 222.34 feet to a point; thence measure N88°53’39”W for a distance of 128.56 feet to a point; thence measure N01°06’21”E for a distance of 100.29 feet to a point; thence measure N88°46’42”W for a distance of 24.71 feet to a point; thence measure N01°13’18”E for a distance of 146.00 feet to a point; thence measure S88°46’42”E for a distance of 344.59 feet to a point; thence measure S01°13’18”W for a distance of 100.00 feet to a point; thence measure S88°46’42”E for a distance of 844.20 feet to the P-O-B.

SECTION II: THAT the rezoning of the property described herein is subject to compliance with the following stipulations:

1. Development of the property shall be in substantial accord with the subdivision plat submitted, with any significant changes or additions requiring further review and approval by the Planning Commission.

2. The Master Plan shall be reviewed by the City of Shreveport Engineering Department regarding the traffic engineering and vehicular circulation issues. Any recommended changes shall be incorporated into the Master Plan prior to the submission of future applications for additional phases of this development to the Planning Commission for approval.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that if any provision or item of this ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items, or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items, or applications and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that all ordinances or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

ORDINANCE NO. 136 OF 2007

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 106 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT ZONING ORDINANCE, BY REZONING PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF GREENWOOD ROAD AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH I-20 SHREVEPORT, CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA, FROM B-3 (SPI-2) COMMUNITY BUSINESS (INDUSTRIAL PARK OVERLAY) DISTRICT, TO I-1(SPI-2) LIGHT INDUSTRY (INDUSTRIAL PARK OVERLAY) DISTRICT, AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO

SECTION I: BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, in due, legal and regular session convened, that the zoning classification of Lot 2 Red Roof Subdivision, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, located on the N side of Greenwood Road at its intersection with I-20, is hereby changed from B-3 (SPI-2) Community Business (Industrial Park Overlay) District, to I-1 (SPI-2) Light Industry (Industrial Park Overlay) District.

SECTION II: THAT the rezoning of the property described herein is subject to compliance with the following stipulation:

1. Development of the property shall be in substantial accord with a revised site plan showing the location for hard surface parking. Any significant changes or additions shall require further review and approval by the Planning Commission.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that if any provision or item of this ordinance or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions, items, or applications of this ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items, or applications and to this end the provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared severable.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that all ordinances or parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Mr. Thompson: Mr. Chairman, at the Work Session on yesterday, I believe the Administration indicated that they would ask the Council to remove Resolution No. 184 of 2006.

1. Ordinance No. 131 of 2006: Amending certain sections of Chapter 38 of the City of Shreveport Code of Ordinances relative to housing and property standards and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (Introduced August 22, 2006 – Tabled November 28, 2006)

2. Ordinance No. 204 of 2006: An ordinance amending the 2006 Budget for the Riverfront Development Special Revenue fund and otherwise providing with respect thereto. (Disparity Study) (A/Lester) (Introduced November 14, 2006 – Tabled December 12, 2006)

3. Ordinance No. 205 of 2006: An ordinance amending the 2006 Capital Improvements Budget and otherwise providing with respect thereto. (Introduced November 14, 2006 – Tabled December 12, 2006)

4. Ordinance No. 13 of 2007: ZONING APPEAL – C-101-06: Amending Chapter 106 of the Code of Ordinances, the City of Shreveport Zoning Ordinance, the City of Shreveport by rezoning property located on the south side of Bert Kouns Industrial Loop 1500 feet east of Ellerbe Road, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana, from R-A, Residence Agriculture, to B-2 Neighborhood Business District, with PBG (Planned Building Group) approval, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (D/Wooley) (Remanded to MPC February 13, 2007)

5. Resolution No. 184 of 2006: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into, or request the Authority to enter into, one or more Swap Agreements, all in connection with certain outstanding bonds of the City or the Authority and providing for other matters in connection therewith. (Tabled February 27, 2007)

Motion by Councilman Shyne, seconded by Councilman Bowman to remove Resolution No. 184 of 2006 from the agenda. Motion approved by the following vote: Ayes: Councilmen Lester, Walford, Long, Wooley, Webb, Shyne and Bowman. 7. Nays: None.

6. PROPERTY STANDARDS APPEAL - HBO070006: - 1901 Perrin St., Shreveport, LA (A/Lester) Rev. Wilbert L. Malone, 7819 Gideon Street, Shreveport, La 71106 (D/Wooley) (Postponed April 9, 2007 until October 8, 2007)

7. Resolution No. 51 of 2007: A resolution supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, and to otherwise provide with respect thereto. (Tabled May 8,, 2007)

8. PROPERTY STANDARDS APPEAL – HBO0700076: - 1601 Martin Luther King Dr., Shreveport, LA (A/Lester) Mr. Freddie Thomas, 1525 Martin Luther King Dr., Shreveport, LA (A/Lester) (Postponed July 24, 2007 until October 22, 2007)

Mr. Thompson: I’m not aware of any other item on Unfinished Business to be taken up Mr. Chairman.

Councilman Walford: Okay moving to New Business.

NEW BUSINESS:

Councilman Walford: We’ve dispensed with Taxi Driver Appeal, the ABO Appeal yesterday, the Property Standards Appeals.

TAXI DRIVER LICENSE APPEAL:

Mr. Leonard R. Cummings, 6828 Snowmass Street, Shreveport, LA 71119 (Near District G/Bowman) Yellow Checker Cab, Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA (C/Long) (Postponed August 14, 2007)

ABO APPEAL

Mr. J. Tyrese Thomas, 3345 Ironwood Drive, Shreveport (A/Lester) El Dorado Casino, 451 Clyde Fant Pkwy, Shreveport, LA 71101 (B/Walford)

PROPERTY STANDARDS APPEAL:

HBO0700081 – 1062 Dalzell Street, Shreveport, LA (B/Walford) Mr. Stanley W. Burke, III, 8848 Youree Drive, Shreveport, LA 71115 (D/Wooley)

HBO0700132 – 2231 West College, Shreveport, LA (B/Walford) Ms. Johnnie M. Johnson, 1518 Easy Street, Shreveport, LA 71101 (B/Walford)

HBO0700137 – 1919 Walnut Street, Shreveport, LA (A/Lester); Ms. Ethel J. Reed, 4745 McDaniel Drive, Shreveport, LA 71109 (F/Shyne) (Postponed August 13, 2007 until August 27, 2007)

HBO0700145 – 426 Woodrow, Shreveport, LA (F/Shyne) Mr. Adrian Gerard Gallion, 124 Carroll Street, Shreveport, LA 71105 (C/Long)

HBO07000147 – 359 W. 75^th Street, Shreveport, LA (C/Long) Ms. Marilyn Wilhite, P. O. Box 535021, Grand Prairie, TX 75050

HBO07000160 – 1120 Fannin Street, Shreveport, LA (B/Walford) Mr. Joe Giglio, 317 Highland, Shreveport, LA 71101 (B/Walford)

HBO0700165 – 2027 Mabel Street, Shreveport, LA (G/Bowman) (Ms. Magabline Hills, 919 Travis Street, Shreveport, LA 711101 (B/Walford)

REPORTS FROM OFFICERS, BOARDS, AND COMMITTEES:

Councilman Walford: Ms. Bowman.

Councilwoman Bowman: Just a reminder the Public Safety Meeting, September 12, 2007, 12:00 noon at the 911 Communications Center on Texas Street.

Councilman Long: The Audit and Finance Committee will meet next Tuesday, September 4^th at 12:00, and we’ll get the word out as to which room it’ll be in, probably in one of the meeting rooms.

Councilman Shyne: Could I ask a question about the Audit and Finance Committee, I’m trying to think. It’s been so long since I’ve been on the Audit and Finance Committee.

Councilman Long: You’re welcome to attend the meeting if you’d like to join us.

Councilman Shyne: Well thank you. I was thinking about the retirement. Is that - - -

Councilman Walford: The Retirement Board is a separate one.

Councilman Shyne: Oh, okay. It’s been so long.

Councilman Walford: This is not from a committee, but I’d like to give the Council a very brief report and I would like to ask the Administration to - - - Mr. Mayor please feel free to jump in on this. We met today with a group of non profits, Mr. Long you please feel free as well. I had to leave. But the non profits using the Convention Center and Mr. Mayor, I thought there was some very good exchange of information, and I will defer to you if you have anything to add for the Council about that meeting.

Mayor Glover: Thank you Mr. Chairman. Council Members as Chairman Walford just mentioned, one of the things that obviously this Administration has taken very seriously since taking office is some of the sentiments that have been expressed by many of the non profits groups across this city, and what they believe was less than satisfactory treatment in their efforts to make use of our new Convention Center. And in an effort to try and resolve those issues, address those problems, and as I have put it, make the Shreveport Convention Center, the venue of choice for all non profits and any other individuals seeking to host and hold an event in the Ark-La-Tex, we have to ask the folks with SMG Management with the responsibility of helping us to turn the page, to get a new start, and to see if it’s possible for us to overcome those negative first impressions that were made on so many groups when they had their initial functions there at the new Convention Center. And it’s important for a lot of reasons. Obviously, we want these groups to make use of this facility, or the reason as to why it was built in the first place. But then in addition to that as was expressed today during our lunch meeting, individuals who make up the non profit community in this city, are also civic and business leaders in this city as well. They represent the ambassadors who go back to their various banks, corporations and other business operations and their other non profit involvements and what have you, and make the case or don’t make the case for why it is that larger events, their trade shows, their regional conventions, possibly even their national conventions should come and look to hold their event in Shreveport. And those folks can’t say that they’ve had a positive experience in working with their local non profit, then it becomes even more for them to make an argument for the Shreveport Convention Center, when they deal with their business colleagues and other in terms of making a bid to bring some other function back to Shreveport. So, we want the local folks, but we also want everyone who is involved connected and in any way impacted by the Convention Center to leave there being an advocate, to being an official part of the sales force, in helping to tell the story of why it is that they’ve had such an outstanding experience while they were in that facility. And as Doug Thornton, the Regional Vice President for SMG stated today to those individuals and those non profits, the expectation should be that if you move your event from a smaller venue like the Expo Hall, or the Municipal Auditorium, and then you moved it to the new Convention Center, then part of your expectation, part of our collective expectations should be that your event should be that your event should be bigger, better and grander. Now it may not necessarily be more profitable based upon some of the additional expenses, but certainly going into a facility such as that should offer or afford you the opportunity to grow your event in ways that were not available to you in the other facilities around the city. So, we are committed to going back and I won’t call any names. Those groups out there know who they are. You’ve heard form them, I’ve heard from them, you’ve met with them, I’ve met with them. But we’re going to see if we can’t go back and turn this thing around, and make as I said, the Shreveport Convention Center the venue of choice for both non profit groups and every other piece of significant convention, trade show, and event business in the Ark-La-Tex region. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Councilman Walford: Thank you Mr. Mayor. I think it was a very productive meeting today, and I think the non profits got a great deal out of it.

CLERK’S REPORT: None.

THE COMMITTEE RISES AND REPORTS: (Reconvenes Regular Council Meeting)

Councilman Long: I had a question earlier about our spraying of Hydrilla on Cross Lake and was also going to ask if we’d had any evidence of Salvinia on Cross Lake yet. The reason I asked that, I attended a meeting last week at the (inaudible) Baptist Church concerning Lake Bistineau, and this problem is getting very big and very large. And I’d just like you to give us a quick update, I’d sure appreciate it.

Mr. Mike Strong: On Cross Lake, we have started our spraying this year. We have some $300,000 that is earmarked for spraying and also for the purchase of the Carp. Our issue at Cross Lake has been Hydrilla and Hyacinths. We’re also watching for the giant Salvinia. We did have a fishing tournament here this past weekend. We did find evidence of giant Salvinia in the lake, in and around the boat launch. So, we have raked and we have sprayed for that immediately. And what this is, is we’ve got problems with the Hydrilla from the lake. We’re attacking that. We have a three year program that’s probably going to be extended because what I’m believing that in the future, we’re going to be doing something every year to patrol these non native vegetations that’s being brought into our country. But this giant Salvinia is very scary for what is going across. And we’ve seen in it Bistineau, we’re seeing it in Caddo Lake. In fact I’m going on a tour of Caddo Lake tomorrow afternoon to see some of the controls that the Texas side has put into effect. So, we want to keep it out of Cross Lake. But we pumped 12 Mile Bayou, we pumped from the Caddo Lake area. So we’re going to see it come down sooner or later and it’s not like it’s not there, it is. And it’s coming through. But I think on Cross Lake, we’ve got a long way to go. The Carp will be put into place the end of September, first of October when it starts cooling down on the water. And we’ll start seeing some evidence of how that’ll work over the next two to three years. But that is the long range plan on the Hydrilla up in the western portion of the lake and the northern section of the lake. But what we’re wanting to do with our spraying regiment is to make sure coming closer to the intake, where our water intake is, that we can keep and control that point. And I think we’re seeing good success. I rode this past Friday in the lake from where we sprayed early on, and we had two weeks of it, and we saw great evidence that we are doing a good kill the first time around. So, I think right now, we’re seeing some success, but we can’t stop.

Councilman Long: I appreciate that. I tell you that the ramifications of this giant Salvinia is very, very scary. Cpl Russell was there at that meeting too, and let me tell you that’s some bad stuff. And we’ve got to get more money from the State, from the Federal Government and whatever sources we can get to combat this problem, because this stuff can literally choke out our water supply. So I’m real concerned about, and our quality of life, as we know it in Louisiana could be seriously impacted.

Mr. Strong: And I think right now there’s a possibility I may even be on the agenda of the Wildlife and Fisheries Board next Thursday. So.

Councilman Walford: Thank you and with that, we are adjourned.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at approximately 6:20 p.m.

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//s// R. M. Walford, Chairman

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//s// Arthur G. Thompson, Clerk of Council