JOHN E. SETTLE Jr.
Editor
In the free state of Bossier, wonders never cease. And legalities are usually an afterthought.
Such was the case last Friday, Oct. 22, when Bossier City Attorney Charles “Zamboni” Jacobs introduced an ordinance to terminate the city’s contract with NTB Associates Inc. for cause and to cease any future payments to the contractor.
Presumably, Jacobs had the blessings of Bossier Mayor Tommy Chandler, and more importantly of Bossier Councilman King David Montgomery. Jacobs’ ordinance accused NTB of failing to communicate about major issues causing delays in construction of the Walter O. Bigby Carriageway.
The issue concerned who was responsible for obtaining permits from the Union Pacific Railroad for the Shed Road crossing. Jacobs pointed his finger incorrectly at NTB.
Manchac Engineering Group has a contract to oversee the carriageway construction. Sources report that the Manchac contract clearly put the onus on Manchac, not NTB, for the Union Pacific dealings. As the favored child, Manchac took no heat for the misunderstanding, much less the failure to complete their contracted duties.
At the specially called meeting on Monday, Oct. 25, the termination ordinance was withdrawn with no discussion, which is, unfortunately, the norm for the Bossier City Council. Rarely is there any public discussion of the council’s business, and citizen inquiries are disdained.
So mark it up as another embarrassing moment in the ongoing soap opera of the Chandler-Montgomery reign at Bossier City Hall. And one can only wonder if King David, who sings the praises of Manchac at every meeting, was the instigator in the bogus termination ordinance.
But it’s the free state of Bossier, so no one is allowed to ask.