Bossier City staff presented revisions to the proposed 2026 budget and the council voted to continue related items to the Oct. 21 meeting for additional review and amendments.

Finance staff (Miss Nottingham and Miss Williamson) summarized changes since the budget workshop: a net decrease of $18,845 to the general fund after adjusting a proposed assistant public works position; moving fire station remodel costs from sales tax capital to the fire improvements and operations fund; adding one full-time water treatment plant operator with a $45,896 salary plus benefits (noted as a $72,068 net increase to Fund 600); removing a generator and gas line and a $1.5 million fire-truck purchase from sales tax capital (because of relocation and an off-rotation purchase); and a $3,000,000 transfer from sales tax capital to Parkway capital projects. Staff also reported the health-insurance plan would remain with Aetna but shift to a higher-deductible plan that, per the presentation, would lower employee premiums by roughly $35–$60 per month depending on coverage tier.

Staff said total full-time staffing remained at 709 positions. Council members questioned details of the salary/compensation study, benefits comparisons, part-time wages and whether part-time positions could be converted or evaluated by department heads. Councilwoman Ross and others proposed a 2% raise for part-time employees (the council discussed a proposed $10,350 general-fund impact). Councilman Cochran suggested a 2–3% operational cut across departments to avoid a possible tax roll-up next summer. Other members proposed restoring donations to the Bossier Chamber, providing funding to the Independence Bowl and donating to the Ronald McDonald House; the council asked staff for sponsorship forms and legal limits on contributions.

Several citizens spoke. Kevin Blanc urged a traffic corridor study for Benton Road, Airline Drive and two east-west collectors; he also requested a correction to minutes that recorder-reported Benton Road’s average daily traffic at 52,000 when his DOT checks showed 22,792 vehicles. David Crockett urged the council to adopt longer-range fiscal planning and to publish fund restrictions and debt service information to guide decisions.

After discussion the council voted to continue budget items 10 through 37 to Oct. 21 and directed staff to provide requested clarifications, sponsorship forms and budget trend data in advance of the next meeting.