City Council

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL – COMMUNITY NEEDS COMMITTEE/ COALITION TAKEN AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING, MAY 22, 2023 – 10:15 AM The Bossier City Council Committee – Community Needs Committee/Coalition met for their first meeting in Council Chambers, 620 Benton Road, Bossier City, Louisiana, May 22, 2023 at 10:15 AM Committee Chair and Council President Jeffery Darby called the meeting to order. Committee Members present: Council Members Jeffery Darby and Don Williams Committee Members absent: Council Members Vince Maggio Also Present: Council Members – Chris Smith City Clerk – Phyllis McGraw Deputy City Clerk – Amyanna Germany CAO- Amanda Nottingham Finance Director – Angela Williamson Community Development Director – Bob Brown Bossier Council on Aging – Tamara Crane, Kay Elte & Debra Koch Chamber of Commerce – Lisa Johnson Bossier Parish Police Jury – Doug Rimmer, Charles Gray and Pat Culverhouse Goodwill Industries & President of VOAD – Lynn Stevens Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana Director – Martha Marak Mr. Darby thanked everyone for attending and gave brief overview of Committee and went over last meeting. Ms. Crane gave Board information she had gathered from last meeting. She also asked questions about the facility concerning extreme weather events. Mr. Darby reported that the extreme weather facility would be attached but set apart from the main facility and that food would be prepared at other locations and brought in so that a commercial kitchen would not be needed. Ms. Marak gave committee update on what the Food Bank of Northwest LA does and their various partnerships. She gave out annual reports and offers to partner with more organizations if needed. Spoke about the most fragile population, the working poor. Their income is so low that one event could make them homeless. Ms. Stevens gave committee and update and spoke about the Alice Study that was done on the working poor. She spoke about what Goodwill Industries does and what she does with the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Mr. Brown reported that he has not found any grants available for building a shelter and what current money can and can’t be used for. He noted that there is some funding for homeless organization staffing but there isn’t currently a contract with anyone. Mr. Rimmer reported that there is already a plan in place for the old library and that there might be possible funding from the State. He also reported that the Jury hasn’t really discussed this project yet. Spoke on Council on Aging facilities he has visited over the years across the State. Mr. Smith reported that at Bossier Day he was told by legislators that there was a cap on spending from State and that he doesn’t think there would be any further appropriations from this session. Mr. Williams asked Mr. Rimmer to please remember this project in the Bossier Parish Police Jury’s upcoming budget talks. Mr. Darby also asked about a Police Jury Committee Meeting on projects such as these. Mr. Rimmer will call a meeting to discuss this project. Mr. Rimmer still feels that the best bet would be to work with State to get funding and will contact them. Ms. Crane worries that the proposed location for the facility would not work and asked that Police Jury and City to work together to find a location. Mr. Darby asked Mr. Rimmer if he would report back at next meeting any discussions the Police Jury might have on this project. He asked Mr. Smith to speak to his contact at the State to see if State funding would be possible. He also asked Mr. Brown to research further grant opportunities. He asked Ms. Nottingham about any other properties and she reported the Administration researched and there currently isn’t any other properties. He asked Mr. Gray to research if the Police Jury has any properties that would be usable. Mr. Gray noted that the old Bank building on Benton Road is currently for sale. Ms. Crane has requested that Krista from Hope Connections to pleased be invited to the next meeting. Mr. Darby asked the City Clerk to reach out to Hope Connections Director to invite to the next meeting. Ms. Crane also asked that the Council and Administration look at the City finances to see if there is any redundancy in groups the City currently funds. Mr. Darby thanked everyone for their participation and reported that the City Clerk would notify everyone when the next meeting is set up. There being no further business to come before this Committee, Committee Chair Darby adjourned the meeting at 11:11 AM Respectfully submitted: Phyllis McGraw City Clerk Publish: June 14, 2023 Bossier Press Tribune