Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover a No-Show at Dog Park Hearing

[UPDATE] Judge Leon Emanuel heard arguments from both sides and is expected to issue his ruling at 9 a.m. on May 16. Mayor Cedric Glover was not in court.

[ORIGINAL STORY] The battle over the dog park for Shreveport is headed for a court showdown today. This big dispute started last year when the Dog Park Alliance went to the Red River Waterway Commission and asked for money to fund a dog park at Hamel Memorial Park in South Shreveport.

The Commission approved $280,000. The Shreveport City Council voted 7-0 to accept the funding, but Mayor Cedric Glover vetoed that resolution.

The Council overrode the veto, 7-0 vote. Since then, the measure has been sitting on the Mayor's desk; he has refused to sign off on it. Glover says the city has other higher priorities on the riverfront.

The Dog Park Alliance has filed suit against the Mayor compelling him to sign the agreement so the Waterway Commission can release the money. The two sides square off before Caddo District Court Judge Leon Emmanuel today.

Most folks, though, believe this matter will ultimately end up in an appeals court or possibly the State Supreme Court. To just have a little fun, I wrote a statement the Mayor should make (after changing his mind) before today's court hearing which would put an end to this mess:

"I have decided to sign this resolution and embrace the idea of a dog park. Not only am I going to embrace the idea, but I will make sure that this is the finest dog park between Atlanta and Dallas.

I still firmly believe that Shreveport has other priorities on our riverfront, but I also think the dog park can be a great asset for our city. And since the Red River Waterway has agreed to spend nearly $300,000 on this park, I will make sure it will attract dog lovers and their families from all over our region."