Shreveport Defers Water and Sewer Budget Amendment Amid Personnel Funding Review

Shreveport Defers Water and Sewer Budget Amendment Amid Personnel Funding ReviewThe City Council voted to postpone an ordinance that would shift personnel funds to equipment within the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund, following inquiries into the utility's commercial driver workforce.

Ordinance 81, a 2026 budget amendment for the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund, was postponed by a vote of six council members.

The amendment proposes moving financial resources from personnel accounts into equipment purchases.

City staff confirmed that while some water and sewer supervisors hold Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs), they are not primarily utilized as daily drivers and earn above debated compensation thresholds.

During the September 8, 2026, Shreveport City Council meeting, officials voted to defer a proposed 2026 budget amendment for the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund. Ordinance 81, which would reallocate funds from personnel to equipment, was postponed following a substitute motion by Councilman Green that passed with six votes. The deferral stemmed from ongoing council scrutiny over how the transfer of personnel funds might impact workforce retention, specifically concerning employees holding Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs). Councilman Jackson noted that the item had been previously delayed to allow for a review of the water and sewer department's CDL exposure and whether shifting funds away from personnel would impact employee retention. A city staff member, identified as Mr. Dark, clarified the utility's current driver staffing situation to the council. According to a review conducted with department leadership, the water and sewer personnel who currently hold CDLs do not fall under the general job class of operator collectors. Instead, most of the licensed individuals serve in supervisory or upper-level roles. Dark informed the council that while these supervisors hold the necessary licenses, they are not utilized as everyday drivers. Furthermore, these employees currently earn above the compensation thresholds being debated for other city departments, indicating the budget shift would not directly threaten water and sewer driver retention. Despite these assurances, the council opted to postpone action on the amendment. A timeline for the ordinance's return to the active agenda for a final vote was not specified during the meeting.