KEN KREFFT
Shreveport and Caddo Parish have a fine emergency operations center on Texas Avenue one block from SPD HQ heading to town. We really need it to be tornado-proof, able to absorb a direct strike by an F-5 tornado.
Our well-trained communications officers -- men and women -- were honored this week during the April 13 City Council meeting, very deservedly so. However, if we are ever pounded by a twister which comes down onto our center for emergency calls, how can these fine folks take our frantic requests for assistance?
A brand new building need not be constructed. Build a cover over the existing structure. Utilize an igloo-shaped, reinforced concrete construction. Picture an upside-down cereal or soup bowl. There are cities which have F-5 tornado-proof special ops buildings. An election for this building and other capital projects should be held.
Fall 2021 electoral choices are Oct. 9 and Nov. 13. I prefer the latter, three days short of two years of the three defeated general obligation bond propositions on the Nov. 16, 2019, ballot, the gubernatorial runoff date.
The deadline for this fair city to act is Sept. 20 to submit an approved city council resolution to the Louisiana Secretary of State. Prior to this we will need approval from the Louisiana State Bond Commission. The last meeting at which LSBC authorization is necessary to appear on the Nov. 13 ballot is Aug. 19. This can be done earlier at either its June 17 or July 15 meeting. A citizens’ committee was formed in 2019. I do not think that one need be appointed, although there is time.
Year before last the city council passed its authorizing resolution to call for the Nov. 16 vote at its Sept. 10, 2019, regular meeting. That item squeaked by on a 4-3 tally. Dissenting were Boucher, Fuller and Nickelson. All three of them stated it was too early to call the election. They really thought that more time was required. Fair enough; we have had a lot more time since then. A unanimous vote is needed. That resolution, 100-A of 2019, may be read in the archives at the shreveportla.gov website under departments, the City Council tab.
One positive item is that the city’s operating budget reserve is at its greatest level in 35 years as a percentage of its general fund. Our $24.5 million budget reserve is big enough that our bond rating is in for a nice uptick this year. I hope it goes up by three or four ratings. This would allow us a much lower interest rate when our general obligation bond sale occurs. This saves taxpayers huge bucks.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE April 23 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.