BY: WES MERRIOTT
SOBO Live
As Mayor Thomas H. Chandler begins his second term, his Public Information Officer released a glowing summary of first-term "accomplishments" on June 24. But a closer look reveals a pattern of half-truths, misplaced credit, and missed opportunities that raise serious questions about his leadership.
Claim: "City Engineer Hired"
Reality:
The mayor claims credit for filling the long-vacant City Engineer role. In reality, the position had been posted for over four years with no qualified applicants. Ac¬cording to a source inside City Hall, the administration was not actively recruit¬ing. Instead, the applicant reached out directly. Around the same time, Manchac Engineering promoted Ben Rauschenbach, who had been serving as the city’s unofficial engineer. This pushed the administration to finally hire Andy Bajnauth in May, the first qualified applicant to apply in years.
Verdict: Routine staffing, not a mayoral success.
Claim: "No-Kill Animal Shelter Achieved"
Reality:
Bossier City Animal Control takes in fewer animals than ever. Midway through Chandler’s first term, BCAC began refusing animals from the Parish after the Bossier Parish Police Jury shut down its animal control facility. Citizens within city limits report difficulty getting BCAC to respond to stray dogs and cats.
While the intake numbers dropped, the actual stray population in the city ap¬pears to have grown. The designation of “no-kill” may reflect record-low admis¬sions, not improved outcomes.
Meanwhile, the city is being sued by Red Rover, a legally-zoned dog boarding facility, for alleged harassment by city officials. The lawsuit claims Bossier City Police, under direction from the City Attorney, targeted the business with base¬less citations.
Verdict: More stray dogs than ever. The administration is facing legal backlash from another animal care business.
Claim: "Supported Term Limits"
Reality:
While Chandler paid lip service to term limits, his administration actively hin¬dered their adoption. The City Council refused to pass the ordinance for a public vote at least six times. Rather than directing his legal team to file a writ of man¬damus to enforce the city charter, Chandler watched as his City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney placed roadblock after roadblock in front of the citizen-led effort.
It was private residents, not City Hall, that sued and won. The city then ap¬pealed the ruling, forcing taxpayers to cover tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Verdict: Political cowardice, not courage.
Claim: "Raises for City Employees"
Reality:
After pressure from public safety workers, including a billboard campaign by the police union, city employees received a flat $500/month raise. This directly contradicted the city’s own $70,000 salary study, which recommended targeted raises to bring underpaid roles in line with market standards.
The result? Overpaid positions got even more. Underpaid employees stayed behind. The city ignored its own data and threw out a measured approach in favor of a quick political fix.
Verdict: Mismanaged, politically motivated, and fiscally irrespon¬sible.
Claim: "Running the City Like a Business"
Reality:
Businesses negotiate contracts and demand accountability. Chan¬dler’s administration did neither. The Manchac contract was quietly renewed with a 33% raise and no competitive bidding process.
Worse, the city spent over $500,000 paving parking lots for pri¬vate businesses, without clear legal justification. When questioned, the City refused to publicize the payments made or to whom con¬cerning the construction. This may violate Louisiana’s constitutional prohibition on spending public funds for private benefit.
Verdict: Not business—grift.
Left Out: Boardwalk, Blight, and Basic Services
Chandler’s letter skips the obvious: the Louisiana Boardwalk is a ghost town. The parking garage is plagued by drug use and home¬lessness. Most tenants are gone.
Citywide, apartment owners have banded together to fight what they call unfair sanitation rate hikes. And as usual, the mayor’s of¬fice remains silent.
Final Word
Mayor Chandler’s “From Promises to Progress” report reads more like a campaign ad than an honest audit. The reality is clear:
Promises were made. Credit was claimed. Results fell short.
For Bossier City residents still waiting on transparency, targeted policy, and real leadership—this first term was a bust.