(The Center Square) – Bossier City’s financial support for the Bossier Arts Council has ended after the Louisiana legislative auditor found the nonprofit noncompliant in reporting its finances.
The city has been providing more than $80,000 annually along with free use of a city-owned building in the East Bank District as part of their longstanding cooperative agreement with the arts council, which hosts art exhibits, music concerts, dance performances, theater productions and educational opportunities. Following the city council’s 6-1 vote on Tuesday, the arts council is evicted from the building, which it occupied for 45 years.
The vote came after city council members granted the nonprofit a two-week window to re-establish itself in “good standing” with the legislative auditor. The organization did not meet the requirements in time for the deadline.
“Friday we were delivered notice that they had received our request for extension and that our request had been denied,” said Nathan Hicks, a member of the art council’s board.
The council questioned how the noncompliance issue persisted for three years while Bossier City continued funding the organization.
To prevent similar issues, Bossier has implemented an internal procedure to review the noncompliance list before allocating funds to any city-supported organization. The city council left open the possibility of working with the arts council again once its financial management issues are resolved.
“Every interaction I have had with every member of the city, attorney’s office, the accounting office, the staff or the council has been positive. It has been courteous and it has been respectful,” Hicks said.
