Shreveport business owner: Flood pleas go unanswered despite promises

Yet the situation remains unchanged, with empty pledges and little to no communication, while the threat of flood water disrupting business remains a concern whenever there’s a chance of rain, according to Rachel McGee-Johnson, owner of Chronicles of Numbers.

Johnson is unaware if Council members received her repeated emails or calls but she provided The Center Square with examples of letters that were sent to them.

One letter said, “The continued flooding is causing property damage, plumbing backups, business disruption and ongoing repair costs.”

She is disappointed with her council member, Gary Brooks, District B representative, who did not return her phone calls.

The Center Square sought comment from Brooks but did not receive a response.

At the conclusion of last week’s July 27 work session, department leaders told Johnson they would come to her office that day. She explained the issue during the Council’s public comment period.

By 6 p.m., she had given up waiting and headed home.

Johnson’s plight began in 2023 with letters that went unanswered, unfulfilled pledges to help, covering the cost of replacing damaged floors and plumbing, and stacking 40-pound sandbags in her entryway to protect the building.

"Pretty much any time there's clouds in the sky, we put the sandbags out,” Johnson told The Center Square. 

Johnson, who is a certified public accountant, bought a vacant building on Jordan Street five years ago, spent $150,000 on remodeling and opened her doors in 2022.

Flooding forced the replacement of all the floors the next year.

“This is a minor problem that should have been solved two seconds after she notified you,” James Pannell, a licensed contractor and owner of Pannell Electric and Construction, told the Council. “This woman had an opportunity to go to Bossier and open her business and this is how you treat people.”

Near the end of 2024, a video she sent – accompanied by repeated calls – to city engineering and public works, chronicling the flooding, garnered an extensive visit. They studied it, determined a solution and informed her that it wouldn’t be considered until the next fiscal year.

“He sat in the parking lot to see what would happen so when (rain) hit, he witnessed it, and that's when they started doing all these measurements and stuff,” Johnson said. “They said that they were going to actually put together a plan, but he kept saying we don't have any money.”

The city’s estimate was $18,000, Johnson said.

The year passed without meaningful contact from city officials so Johnson decided to approach the council before another fiscal year passed.

The problem, according to Johnson, is rainwater drains to the south side of Jordan Street and flows west to a city storm drain inlet that sits about 10 to 12 feet from her building. The inlet can’t handle the volume so water rushes southwest into her building.

The city’s engineering director, David Smith, did not return The Center Square’s request for additional details.

Johnson believed it was her responsibility so she contacted Pannell for an estimate, prepared to spend another $10,000.

“This lady has been treated badly,” Pannell said at the meeting. “An engineer would tell her that the drainage is on her property, when it’s 10 feet from the easement – that’s on your property.”

Johnson has five employees and serves about 50 small businesses with bookkeeping, payroll and tax services, and an additional 500 customers during tax season. In December she will mark 20 years in business.

“We're just past tired of the sandbags,” Johnson said. “It affects the appearance of the building and it’s a liability for our customers.”