BOSSIER COUNCIL CONSIDERS PRACTICAL PLAN TO REPLACE BOSSIER ARTS’COUNCIL

A 5-2 majority of the Bossier City Council voted Tuesday to terminate its agreement with the Bossier Arts Council (BAC) with a March 31 eviction date
 
The vote was, again, preceded by pleas for forbearance. No information was provided on any plans developed to leave the East Bank building, which is owned by Bossier City even though the BAC still had $66 thousand of the $80 thousand funded by Bossier City in January.
 
An ordinance passed on first reading to authorize the Chandler administration to hire an employee to manage the East Texas building and to provide p programing for the East Bank District which was previously provided by BAC for an additional $50 thousand per year.
 
Bossier CAO Shane Cheatam, a savvy businessman, will oversee the selection for this position to ensure that events in 2026 for the East Bank building proceed as planned and to maintain the integrity of the building and its contents.
 
Cheatam advised the council that this option would keep the building open until such time the council could re-establish its relationship with BAC after compliance with the requirements of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor.
 
This ordinance is scheduled for approval by the council at its next meeting on March 31, which coincides with the date BAC is to leave the building. One can anticipate that Cheatham will have in place the new employee to begin work on April 1.
 
The Bossier Council was put into a no-win position by the BAC's inaction, resulting in the first truly challenging political decisions for this council which took office on July 1, 2026. The vote to terminate the BAC relationship was the proper one, and so will the upcoming vote to hire a building manager on March 31.