The Caddo Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed $10 million bond project to construct a pickleball complex in southeast Shreveport at its next regular meeting on Sept. 18. How the vote will go is anyone's guess.
However, some votes are fairly certain.
Commissioners John Atkins, Grace Anne Blake, John Paul Young and Ed Lazarus will vote FOR the project.
Commissioners Chris Kracman and Ron Cothran voted against advancing the vote and thus it can be assumed they will vote AGAINST the project.
That is four "For/Yes" and two "Against/No" votes.
Commissioner Greg Young chairs the Commission's Economic Development Committee which has twice voted to present the proposal to the full Commission. Most observers believe he will vote FOR the proposal. However, Greg Young has a checkered voting record that often does not match his rhetoric from the horseshoe.
If all are in attendance seven "Yes" votes are needed. Commissioner Steffon Jones has missed many votes of late. If he is absent only six "Yes" votes are needed. If you put Greg Young down as a "Yes" vote the proponents still need two, or possibly just one, "YES" vote.
So, this leaves Commission president Stormy Gage-Watts, vice-president Ken Epperson, parliamentarian Victor Thomas, Steffon Jones, and Roy Burrell as deciding votes.
As a rule, Thomas and Jones vote with Gage-Watts.
Stormy has been very high profile during her term as president and rarely misses a press event and photo op. She is termed out on the Commission and the word on the street is she wants to run for the Shreveport City Council next fall to replace the termed out James Green. Her vote will most likely be decided on what she believes will further her political ambitions.
It's difficult to determine how Burrell will vote. He often cites anti-MAGA logic in his long monologues to justify his positions. Burrell's comments have been both positive and negative on the project.
Epperson will vote his mind, come hell or high water. Best guess for him is a "NO".
So how the vote will go is still a big guess. A betting man would probably say it will not pass, but who knows. As they say, that's why they push the buttons or maybe now after the amended pleadings by AG Murrill, why they VOICE vote versus electronic vote.