(The Center Square) — The Bossier City Council established an Investigative Committee to look into the unapproved spending by city attorneys Charles Jacobs and Richard Ray that occurred earlier this year.
The Investigative Committee met this week to go over its findings in a sometimes heated session.
“What is most concerning and clearly outlined in the report is that Mayor (Tom) Chandler, Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Ray, who, according to the statements, appear to have been the key decision makers, did not submit any documents,” said Councilmember Brian Hammons during the meeting. “This lack of documentation has significantly hindered the committee’s ability to fully assess the situation.”
The committee is led by Hammons, with Councilmembers Debra Ross and Cliff Smith also on the committee.
According to the resolution establishing the committee, all city departments and city officials must cooperate with the investigation and provide any necessary documents, records or information.
According to Hammons, documents received revealed several discrepancies.
Ray addressed the committee and said documents were sent. A heated discussion arose between Hammons and Ray, which was deemed inappropriate and resulted in the adjournment of the meeting.
The city council moved to hold an executive session next week to go over the Investigative Committee’s findings.
The Bossier City Council was facing potential litigation after the unapproved spending was discovered by the city attorneys, who were accused of unapproved spending on parking lot repairs.
Those businesses involved included Bossier Power Equipment and Scot’s Audio.
Hammons discovered the lots were being fixed off Benton Road without approval from the city council first.
“We did personal inspections out there concerning the condition of some of those parking lots,” said Jacobs in a previous council meeting. “Richard and myself talked to the mayor about it, and in order to basically avoid litigation, we agreed after the signing of certain releases that we would go ahead and overlay or repair those parking lots.”
The alleged unapproved spending totaled $250,000.
