On Saturday, December 31st Arceneaux along with seven councilors was inaugurated into office.
This year’s mayoral election ended in a tough run-off election on Saturday, Dec. 10, which is between Tom Arceneaux and Gregory Tarver with Arceneaux winning 56 percent of the vote.
The Shreveport City Council will have two new members. Gary Brooks will serve in District B and Ursula Bowman will serve in District G. Alan Jackson won the re-election and will continue to serve in District E.
Former County Councilman and former Shreveport Mayor Keith Paul Hightower spoke during his term on the council. In his speech, Hightower reflected on his time in office and encouraged the new councilors and mayor-elect to continue their efforts as a city to be proud of.
“It’s not all doom and gloom in the city, that’s for sure,” Hightower said. “We’ve got a lot to be proud of, and everyone in this room, you’re here today because you’re a courageous person. The council and the mayor who will come out every day to this city and look after this city and lift this city up.” They need the constant support of a group of citizens like this who wholeheartedly support progress and progress and can help when needed.”
Arceneaux was a member of the Shreveport City Council from 1982-1991 and the Board of Directors of the Highland Restoration Association for 13 years.
Returning to the Arceneaux office are Tom Dark as interim CAO, Sherricka Fields-Jones as interim finance director and Zelda Tucker as interim attorney. Arceneaux went on record as saying “there are no bosses anywhere to cut” in terms of current department heads.
During Arceneaux’s opening remarks, he talked about the city changes he and his team are planning to implement and encouraged the Shreveport community to get involved. Arceneaux spoke about breathing new life into Shreveport’s old bones and the amount of work it will take from the entire community to do so.
“Like the song ‘Dem Bones,’ we have to connect every part of the city to every other part,” Arceneaux said. “They each form a part of the whole body. We can have a happy and hopeful future. Now hear the word of the Lord, when we all work together the bones of Shreveport will rise again. Please join us in the renewal, Re restoring our great city. Yes, these bones can live, so let’s get to work.”
Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times
