By Misty Castile | The Center Square
The Government Plaza in downtown Shreveport, La. Photo: Emilee Calametti / The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Caddo Parish Commission President Greg Young questioned a proposal to change the commission’s regular meeting time, saying he was not inclined to make the change simply because several residents had suggested it.
“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 during Monday’s commission meeting.
The Caddo Parish Commission holds its regular meetings at 3:30 p.m.
Commissioner Steffon Jones initially brought forward an agenda item concerning a possible change to the meeting time. Jones said his intent was to send the issue to the commission’s policies and procedures committee for further discussion.
The proposed agenda item was removed after commissioners raised concerns about moving forward without additional discussion.
Jones later said he would remove the item if he could bring the issue before the committee, adding that he had been considering the meeting-time question for some time and that it was not prompted solely by two or three people who had recently raised concerns.
The commission also discussed the legal process for changing the meeting time.
Commissioner John-Paul Young asked the parish attorney to explain the process for the public. The attorney said the meeting time is established in the commission’s bylaws and would have to be changed through a bylaw amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of the quorum present.
Matt Alexander, a former mayor of St. Joseph, later urged commissioners to move their meetings from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Alexander said the current schedule prevents people who work 8-to-5 or 9-to-5 jobs, teachers and city and parish employees from attending commission meetings.
“That provides you a disservice because you have a blind spot if you’re not able to hear from those people regularly,” Alexander said.
The timing is particularly relevant for Caddo Parish teachers and parents, as the current 3:30 p.m. meeting time conflicts with school schedules.
The district’s 2026-27 school year is underway, and schools dismiss students in the mid- to late-afternoon. Turner Elementary/Middle lists a 3:25 p.m. dismissal, while North Caddo Elementary/Middle lists 3:30 p.m. dismissal. Captain Shreve High School’s last bell rings at 4 p.m.
Alexander said he made changing the meeting time one of his first actions as mayor of St. Joseph, moving meetings from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and changing the venue to accommodate residents.
He said residents need opportunities to speak with elected officials and for officials to explain their decisions and hear suggestions from constituents.
“The people are supposed to not only feel heard, they’re supposed to be heard,” Alexander said.