Changes

As mayor, Beard appointed the Republican activist [[Harriet Belchic]] to the Shreveport Women's Commission and the Riverfront Redevelopment Advisory Committee. The panel completed Riverfront Park although it was poorly designed and unable to withstand seasonal overflows of the nearby Red River. Rising waters would flood the fountains in the park and interfere with the operation of the water pumps.  

As mayor, Beard appointed the Republican activist [[Harriet Belchic]] to the Shreveport Women's Commission and the Riverfront Redevelopment Advisory Committee. The panel completed Riverfront Park although it was poorly designed and unable to withstand seasonal overflows of the nearby Red River. Rising waters would flood the fountains in the park and interfere with the operation of the water pumps.  

Mayor, Beard had often expressed her opposition to any form of riverboat gambling legislation which then [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]] had pushed for legislative approval. Shreveport-Bossier received five gaming licenses, and the area stood potentially to benefit financially from such efforts. Beard hence changed her position and announced her support for one riverboat operation in Shreveport. But as legislative dealmaking resumed, Beard recanted her support once a limited gambling operation began. When once asked about her political legacy, Beard said, "I hope it's not gambling.<ref> Shreveport-Bossier City has seen ups and downs in 25 years of casinos, accessed ,. (shreveporttimes.com), accessed March 27, 2023.</ref>

Mayor, Beard had often expressed her opposition to any form of riverboat gambling legislation which then [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]] had pushed for legislative approval. Shreveport-Bossier received five gaming licenses, and the area stood potentially to benefit financially from such efforts. Beard hence changed her position and announced her support for one riverboat operation in Shreveport. But as legislative dealmaking resumed, Beard recanted her support once a limited gambling operation began. When once asked about her political legacy, Beard said, "I hope it's not gambling.<ref> Shreveport-Bossier City has seen ups and downs in 25 years of casinos, ,. (shreveporttimes.com), accessed March 27, 2023.</ref>

It was widely anticipated that former Mayor [[John Brennan Hussey]], the man whom Beard had succeeded, would challenge her for reelection in 1994, but Beard surprised political observers by not seeking reelection. Hussey ran as expected, but two city council members, Republican Robert Warren "Bo" Williams, and Democrat Roy Cary, an African-American, went into the general election, which Williams won by a comfortable margin. Former Mayor Gardner, in his memoirs, ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. II'' describes Beard as:<blockquote>''"... [A] large woman physically and had been a high school basketball player ... totally self-assured, [this] gave her strength as mayor. Her public appearances and demeanor were of one who was acting under a voter mandate to change everything. She began her term in office by asking for the resignation of all board and commission members, something not done before or since. At her inauguration, she had stated that 'the era of darkness was gone, the era of light had begun.'... This made me uncomfortable with Mayor Beard ... but we did develop a comfortable working relationship."''<ref>'James C. Gardner, ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. II'' (Shreveport: Ritz Publications, 2006), pp. 289–290.</ref><blockquote/>

It was widely anticipated that former Mayor [[John Brennan Hussey]], the man whom Beard had succeeded, would challenge her for reelection in 1994, but Beard surprised political observers by not seeking reelection. Hussey ran as expected, but two city council members, Republican Robert Warren "Bo" Williams, and Democrat Roy Cary, an African-American, went into the general election, which Williams won by a comfortable margin. Former Mayor Gardner, in his memoirs, ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. II'' describes Beard as:<blockquote>''"... [A] large woman physically and had been a high school basketball player ... totally self-assured, [this] gave her strength as mayor. Her public appearances and demeanor were of one who was acting under a voter mandate to change everything. She began her term in office by asking for the resignation of all board and commission members, something not done before or since. At her inauguration, she had stated that 'the era of darkness was gone, the era of light had begun.'... This made me uncomfortable with Mayor Beard ... but we did develop a comfortable working relationship."''<ref>'James C. Gardner, ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport, Vol. II'' (Shreveport: Ritz Publications, 2006), pp. 289–290.</ref><blockquote/>