CADDO COMMISSION’S REBUFF OF COMMISSIONER EPPERSON’S RESOLUTIONS SENDS MESSAGE ON THURSDAY PRESIDENT ELECTION

The Caddo Commission rejected two resolutions proposed by commissioner Ken Epperson at its work session yesterday (Mon.)

The first was a request by Epperson to travel to Memphis Tenn. to inspect a data center that had the reputation of being a third world facility.

Last month commission president Stormy Gage-Watts and economic development committee chair Greg Young traveled, along with Shreveport councilwoman Ursula Bowman, visited a state-of-the-art data center in Virginia. The proposed data center for Shreveport will be modeled after the Virginia facility. Epperson’s request was deemed unnecessary.

Epperson’s second resolution was to urge the Caddo School Board to pursue a data center on its property in south Caddo that lacked the needed infrastructure for a facility. Additionally, this property is encumbered with restrictions on use for educational purposes. Epperson had first proposed this location in his opposition to the west Shreveport special use permit for a proposed data center.

Epperson currently serves as the Commission vice-president. On Thursday of this week new officers will be elected. Current president Stormy Gage-Watts can not serve two consecutive terms. As a rule, the Commission moves the VP up to the presidency, although there has been an exception in recent years.

Informed sources say  Epperson will not be elected president for many reasons. Greg Young has pushed the commission to be progressive and proactive in economic development. He actively supported the pickleball complex, the proposed data center, and a parish talent competition and mass choir.  It is expected that Young will be named president and that Victor Thomas will move from the commission parliamentarian to vice-president.

The selection of Young would be a good choice. He has served well as the chair of the economic development committee, and he has abandoned his practice of long-winded racist monologues from the horseshoe. Young has the potential to unite a racially divided commission that has too often had very long meetings dominated bv special resolutions and lengthy vitriolic comments by commissioners Epperson and Roy Burrell that focused on their political track records along with critical comments on  national and state politics not related to parish business.

Thursday’s Commission meeting will be interesting to say the least and the selection of president will certainly send a message on the prospects for meaningful actions by the Commission.this year..