(The Center Square) — The Bossier City Council held a public hearing on unfinished business, including the additional funding needed for the new Jimmie Davis Bridge.
While citizens did not come to speak, Councilman Brian Hammons was still weary of advancing the ordinance.
The ordinance appropriates additional funding for the $361 million Jimmie Davis Bridge project. The $120,500 being used will come from the city’s Water Capital and Contingency Fund and the Sewer Capital and Contingency Fund.
The ordinance allowed the appropriation of $16,000 from the Water Capital and Contingency Fund and $104,500 from the Sewer Capital and Contingency Fund.
The Center Square reached out to Bossier City Finance Director Angela Williamson to verify where funding comes from for both of these city funds. However, a response was not received before publication.
“Just like on the first reading on this that I opposed, this is a state project, and I do not feel like we should be paying for anything related to it. We pay enough for state projects that we don’t get reimbursed on,” said Hammons.
Hammons previously opposed the ordinance during its first reading, saying, “I feel like, it’s having to be moved for a state project, that the state should be paying for this and not the citizens of Bossier City.”
In a previous meeting, Bossier City Chief Administrative Officer Amanda Nottingham reassured the council that they were seeking reimbursement for the funds and the ordinance is a backup plan to not hold the project up.
“We have found documents that we think will satisfy the DOTD,” said Nottingham in Tuesday’s meeting.
Since the state is looking to move quickly, the council moved to pass the ordinance appropriating the funds for the utility relocation.
“I don’t want to hold the project up at all. I mean, there’s enough going on down there in my district right now with all of that, but it just gets to a point that you know, we continue doing stuff and paying stuff for the state on state highways that, at some point, it’s gotta come to an end,” said Hammons.
Nottingham and Hammons reassured that south Bossier citizens would not see any costs despite the funding coming from city funds.
