AMBITIONS FOR BOSSIER CITY
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or the first time in more than sixteen years, Bossier City has a new Mayor. Tommy Chandler took the oath of office on July 1, 2021, and has hit the ground running. Chandler is tasked with managing an annual budget exceeding $100 million dollars, a municipal workforce of 680 employees and nearly $300 million in capital projects in various stages of completion. Chandler is married to Paula Kay Chandler, the Office Manager for Dr. Peter Boggs, and he has two children, Thomas Jr. and Shelby. The Chandlers recently celebrated the birth of their first grandchild. As a life-long resident of Bossier City, Chandler has been active in business and civic organizations. He is a Past President of Crime Stoppers and has served as Vice President of the Bossier Housing Authority, Vice Chairman of the Bossier Parish Republican Executive Committee and is a Member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee. He attended Louisiana Tech University and Harding University and has owned his own businesses since the 1990s, most recently owning and operating T.H. Chandler Enterprises, Inc.
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AUGUST 2021
| SBMAG.NET
BY ELIZABETH BEARD DEAL
Q&A WITH MAYOR TOMMY CHANDLER
SB Magazine recently sat down with Mayor Chandler to hear more about his plans as Mayor of Bossier City. “This is the third day of the third week and we’re just getting started,” he affirmed. What made you decide to run for mayor? I’ve been kind of doing this for over 20 or 30 years. I put it in God’s hands. I prayed to God, I said “look, you know, I’m gonna run for mayor at this time.” I already had a job, my business, so I didn’t need the job. I wanted the job to help people and to help make Bossier City an even better place to live and work. Bossier is great, but I was wanting to make it better, and I saw the opportunity and I put it in God’s hands. How was campaigning for mayor, especially against a relatively popular incumbent? From the very beginning of the campaign, I started working from daylight until way past dark. One time, my campaign manager had me out until 4 o’clock in the morning putting out signs. I bet I knocked on 90% of the doors in Bossier - the whole city. And it was good to go out. You know, I got to learn the city a whole lot better too, by getting out and walking and talking to different people. When
