Councilwoman says she won't be intimidated into backing mayor Play Video

By TRISH WILLIFORD twilliford@ktbs.com

Posted: Feb 8, 2010 9:31 PM
Updated: Feb 10, 2010 9:56 AM

Shreveport Mayor Glover's proposed appointments to several local boards were once again a hot topic at Tuesday's City Council meeting -- with votes on several appointments postponed for six months.

 Glover wants to appoint four new people to the board at the Shreveport Airport Authority.  The mayor says the number of people boarding flights out of Shreveport has dropped significantly over the past several years and he believes it's time to make some changes.

The council on Tuesday postponed a vote on confirmation of the mayor's appointments to the Metropolitan Planning Commission, the Caddo-Bossier Port Commission and the Property Standards Board until Aug. 24.

One of the questions that was raised is why Glover has waited so long to make nominations. He is up for re-election this year.

Councilwoman Joyce Bowman on Monday said she was tired of people pressuring her to back some of the nominees -- warning them she would "come out swinging" if it persisted. Bowman would not name who was pressuring her or what positions were involved.

 "I refuse to be intimidated," Bowman said. "You don't go and call friends of mine and tell them that if I don't do what you say, then you're going in my community and you're gonna tell the black community that all I do is go along with the white folks and vote for white folks. I go along with what is right. If you push the wrong button with me, I'm going to call you out because -- guess what -- I'm not afraid of you."

 Glover did not respond to Bowman's comments.

 On Tuesday, he said he felt the airport board needed new members.

 "It's time for us to move in a direction," Glover said. "That will give us a chance to be able to see if we don't have an opportunity to have a fresh set of eyes"

 That drew a rebuke from Councilman Joe Shyne, who said too much blame was being laid on the airport board.

"I don't think it's fair ... because there's been a downturn in the number of passengers at our local airport, that it's because of the members we have on the board," Shyne said. "If I was them, I would be extremely mad."

  The council will discuss the proposed appointments to the Airport Authority board during the next council meeting in two weeks.

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