During a Monday session of the Caddo Parish Commission, President Greg Young expressed reluctance to alter the commission’s regular meeting schedule based solely on a handful of resident suggestions. “I’m not inclined to change anything that we want to do in terms of our meetings simply because we have a couple of people coming up making these suggestions,” Young said.
Proposal and Procedure
Commissioner Steffon Jones introduced an agenda item to consider moving the regular meeting time, which currently begins at 3:30 p.m. Jones indicated his intention was to refer the question to the commission’s policies and procedures committee for further study. After discussion, the agenda item was withdrawn pending additional deliberation.
Jones later clarified that the timing issue had been on his mind for some time and was not triggered solely by two or three recent comments. He said he would re‑file the item once the committee could review it.
Legal Requirements
Commissioner John‑Paul Young asked the parish attorney to explain the process for changing the meeting time. The attorney confirmed that the meeting schedule is set in the commission’s bylaws and any amendment would require a two‑thirds vote of the quorum present at a meeting.
Community Perspective
Former St. Joseph mayor Matt Alexander urged the commission to adopt a later start time, arguing that the current 3:30 p.m. slot excludes many working parents, teachers, and parish employees. “That provides you a disservice because you have a blind spot if you’re not able to hear from those people regularly,” Alexander said.
Alexander highlighted that the timing directly impacts teachers and parents, as most Caddo Parish schools dismiss students in the mid‑ to late‑afternoon. For example, Turner Elementary/Middle releases students at 3:25 p.m., North Caddo Elementary/Middle at 3:30 p.m., and Captain Shreve High School’s final bell rings at 4:00 p.m.
When he served as mayor of St. Joseph, Alexander moved council meetings from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and changed the venue to better accommodate residents. He reiterated that elected officials should provide opportunities for constituents to speak and for officials to explain decisions.
Next Steps
The commission will continue to discuss the procedural requirements and gather broader community input before any bylaw amendment is considered. Commissioners emphasized the importance of following the established amendment process to ensure transparency and legitimacy.
Residents who wish to comment on the meeting‑time proposal are encouraged to contact their commissioners or attend the next public session.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
