Charter controversy continues
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Charter Controversy
The
controversy over the proposed ordinance to change the police chief’s position
from an elected one to an appointed one continues.
In
February’s regular monthly meeting of the Homer Town Council, citizens showed
up in force again to voice their opinions on the matter on both sides of the
fence.
Don McCalman spoke up saying the
money that will be used toward the election would be better spent on water
infrastructure.
“We’ve
got, right now, outdated water and sewer systems,” he said. “If this continues,
the Town of Homer may very well be paying daily fines because of the inadequate
sewer system. Instead of spending $20,000 plus for an election on appointing a
police chief, take that money and put it where it needs to be.”
The
Rev. Willie Young also spoke up saying that no one is trying to take away
anyone’s right to vote. He quoted sections of the original town charter,
specifically Section 16, No. 9, Ordinance 60. He continued by saying the town
had an appointed chief of police, according to Section 7 of the charter.
“The
chief is right when he made a statement that he’s an elected official, no
matter the damage – whether it’s the death of a 73-year-old citizen of Homer,
or the near death of a police officer, or the threat of police harassment of
young people or the financial burden of a possible lawsuit – the chief does not
have answer to anyone,” he said.
Even
though the chief is elected and he doesn’t have to answer to anyone, he
continued, the council is stuck with the burden of the chief’s actions. This is
what prompted some council members to ask for an appointed chief, he said.
“Make
no mistake, the chief does need to answer to somebody,” he said.
Ronnie Anderson, a former town
council member, responded, saying this whole issue is a power trip for three of
the council members.
“I find
it very alarming that the town council wants more oversight than it has over
the police chief,” Anderson said. “From when I served on the town council, I’m
sure the rules are the same – they have control over the purse strings, who he
hires and who he fires, when he buys a car, when he gets rid of a car, any pay
raises. The only oversight they don’t have is the election of him or the
appointment of him. They are trying to take this right away from the people and
give it to the majority of the council, three people. I find that very alarming
because most of the time, when they want more power, they don’t want it for the
good of the people, they want it for the good of themselves. It’s not going to
serve the people better. It’s only going to serve the people in power.”
The
Rev. Ray Jiles shared Bible scriptures which he says spoke to his heart.
Quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14, Galatians 6:7 and Proverbs 17:13, he said wanted to
share those scriptures because he felt like everyone present would consider
themselves a Christian.
“God
talks to His people,” he said, “and I’ve been a citizen of Homer for a long,
long time. There seems to be power struggles. It seems as though people have
personal agendas and a lot of times bring personal issues to this place here. I
don’t believe that my rights ought to be taken away from me. I lived partially
in slavery a long time ago, and I don’t ever want to go back to that. I say
that because I need to be able to make a decision and people have died so that
I can do that.”
He has
been the pastor of his church for 32 years, he said, and he’s made some
mistakes.
“Nobody’s
crucified me yet,” he said. “Whenever a person gets in public office, there’s
only a certain length of time. It’s enough to deal with the office itself
without that person being persecuted or crucified. Let that person serve their
term.”
Nobody
knows an office before they get in it, he said, and everybody has to learn it
and make mistakes.
“God
would not let me continue to sit on this,” he said. “Homer cannot survive the
way it’s going. Whatever has happened in the past, we can’t change anything. We
can learn from them.”
Clifton
Mozeke Jr. said he’s hurt to see the direction Homer has taken. He asked that
the community come together as human beings.
“If we
don’t unite, we’re going to self-destruct,” he said. “All I’m saying is, let’s
come together as human beings. It’s not right for us to continue to bicker and
fight against one another. It’s not a black/white issue, it’s a people issue.
I’m so sick and tired of it. We’ve got to quit fighting one another. All these
personal vendettas have got to stop.”
District
2 Councilman Michael Wade asked Town Attorney Jim Colvin if the council could
take away the people’s right to vote. His answer was no. Wade said he was
embarrassed by the ad that has run in the paper concerning the petition.
“Was it
a problem when it went from an appointed position to an elected position?” he
asked the audience. “It hasn’t changed yet, and my point is we’re always going
to have a problem, regardless. It hasn’t been changed, and it’s embarrassing to
see Mr. McCalman and all the rest of you to put it in the paper, and hear ya’ll
stand up and say that your right to vote is being taken away.”
Roberson reiterated what Wade
said, saying again that no one’s rights to vote are being taken away.
“We
can’t change something without the people’s vote,” he said. “Why are we
squabbling? Why are we creating a problem when there is no problem?”
District 3 Councilman Toney
Johnson said he’s troubled by the divisiveness of the issue.
“We
have a lot of serious problems,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot of serious expenses
coming up. This is another $20,000 expense, but to show you how divisive this
is, we’ve already got 500 names on a petition that will go to the governor in
opposition to this. You’re not going to lose your right to vote, because you’re
going to get to vote on whether or not you want to do this. If it passes, then
you do lose your right to vote for a new police chief.”
He
continued by saying that Homer Police Chief Russell Mills does answer to the
council. He’s constantly coming before the council with needs and
recommendations that cannot be done without council approval. He ultimately has
to answer to the people who put him into office, he said.
“This
is just more divisiveness that we don’t need in Homer,” he said. “We can’t
afford this. If we want to do this, this just isn’t the right time to do it. I
just wish that we could all come together and quit this fussing and fighting.”
As it
stands now, the proposed ordinance will have to run twice more in the official
journal and a public hearing will be held just before the March monthly
meeting. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, March 1 in council
chambers.
Lisbon Street
Rezoning
In
other news, a public hearing was held in regards to the zoning of a lot on Lisbon Street in Homer. Peggy Sue Williams, owner of the property, purchased a double wide
mobile home and obtained a permit from the Town of Homer to place it on her
property. Ordinance 809 states the property is under R-1 zoning and the idea
was to amend it to rezone Lot 3, where Williams wants to place the home, to an
R-2 zoning. The other lots will remain R-1.
“We’ve
waited a long time,” she said, “and I hope the town council will reconsider
zoning my property from an R-1 to an R-2. I would really appreciate it if you
did.”
The
problem is, at the time Williams received the permit, research showed there
wasn’t a problem. But, after more research, it was discovered that Williams’
lot was zoned R-1 instead of R-2.
Ruth
Cooper, a resident of Lisbon Street, said she is still against the rezoning of
her street because of the property value.
“I
think the property owners of that district should be considered,” Cooper said.
“You passed a law some 15 years ago, and the way I see this written up for the
publication in the paper, it was discriminatory.”
She
asked why rezone one lot, when it would “open up the floodgates” for this to
continue.
“I
think that law should apply to everybody,” she said.
After
the public hearing was closed, the vote was 3-2 in favor to amend the
ordinance. Councilmen “Doc” Roberson, Michael Wade and Councilwoman Patricia
Jenkins voted in favor of the amendment, while Councilman Toney Johnson and
Councilwoman Carlette Sanford voted against it.
Road Damage
Ronald
Day also spoke to the council in regards to the damage in the road at the
intersection of West 4th Street and Edgewood Drive, saying something needs to
be done. His concern centered on the amount of time it would take to reroute an
ambulance to Homer Memorial Hospital. The difference in time could mean
someone’s life, he said.
“I
would hate for an ambulance to be going across that and the whole street
crater,” he said. “If it’s a life and death situation, the detour around could
determine whether a person is going to live or die.”
Newell
said he’s talked with the state and they are not taking responsibility for that
road.
Police Hire
In
other news, the council tied on a vote to allow Mills to hire Willie Fred
Knowles as a police officer for the Town of Homer. Mills had two names that he
recommended to the council with Knowles being one and Shane Huffstatler being
the other. Homer Mayor David Newell broke the tie and voted to hire Knowles.
An
issue arose when Roberson said he wanted to see Huffstatler’s resume and
application for review. In January, it was decided to form a committee to do
just that, but it wasn’t until Monday night that the committee was formed.
Newell is expected to call together a work session where the committee can
review the young man’s resume and make a recommendation to the council.
The
council also approved:
•
$40,000 to be spent to repair the Dutchtown well. Newell now has the authority
to spend the money to have it repaired.
• a
motion to have the leaking ground storage tank repaired for $15,000.
In other news, Town Clerk B.J.
Lowe and Financial Consultant James Colvin Sr. have both turned in their
resignations.
The
next town council meeting will be held at 6 p.m., March 1, in council chambers,
located inside the Homer Police Station. For more information, please call city
hall at 927-3555.
Homer man released after dispute
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
man was released on his own recognizance after he allegedly beat his
girlfriend.
Jamichael
L. Greer, 25, of Homer, was arrested Wednesday, January 27, on charges of
domestic abuse battery, attempted criminal damage to property and disturbing
the peace.
According
to reports, the Homer Police Department was dispatched to the 600 block of Fulmer Street in reference to a domestic disturbance. Responding officers were Darren
Norton, John Bailey and Van McDaniel.
Police
say upon arrival, a couple inside the residence could be heard arguing.
Officers Bailey and Norton were already at the residence when Greer was
allegedly heard yelling at Bailey to get his wife to leave the residence.
According to the victim, Arlisa Greer, she and her husband were having marital
issues. She stated that while she and her child were in the house, an argument
ensued between her and Jamichael Greer. During the fight, she said, she slapped
her husband and at that time, he picked up a belt and hit her with it
repeatedly.
The
husband denied hitting his wife, reports say, and he demanded that his wife
leave the residence.
Jamichael
Greer was then escorted out of the residence and placed in a patrol unit for
transport. Reports say he refused to comply with verbal commands, but agreed to
once he was told he would be tased. McDaniel re-entered the residence to speak
with Arlisa Greer again when he heard noises outside.
When
McDaniel went to see what was going on, he was informed by the other officers
that Greer was attempting to kick the window out of the patrol unit. After
being informed of his Miranda rights and placed under arrest, the suspect was
taken to the police station for booking.
In an
unrelated incident, Huey Lee Henderson, 39, of Homer, was arrested and charged
with entry on/remaining after forbidden, with bond set at $500, and disturbing
the peace, with bond set at $500.
According
to reports, Homer Police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Monroe Avenue in reference to a disturbance. The victim, Al Monroe, told police that Henderson had been inside his home causing a disturbance, and Henderson was asked to
leave. Monroe also stated he’d called police for the same reason earlier in the
day, police say. Henderson was then taken into custody and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center on the above charges.
Officer
Mario Thomas was the arresting officer.
In
another incident, Jamie L. Eaton, 35, of Westmoreland, Tenn., was arrested on
Monday, January 25, on the charge of driving under suspension.
Officer
Van McDaniel initiated a traffic stop for investigative detention, reports
said. During the stop, it was discovered that Eaton was driving under
suspension and he was arrested and transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center on the above charge. Bond was set at $500.
Short foot chase ends in arrest
The Guardian-Journal
A short
foot chase by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office ended in two Homer men’s
arrest last week.
Cassie
Ferguson Walker, 30, of Homer, was arrested and charged with driving on right
side of road, driving under suspension, possession of marijuana (second
offense), possession with intent to distribute Schedule II CDS crack cocaine,
possession/carrying a firearm by a convicted felon, with bond on all these to
be set, and failure to pay child support (Webster warrant), with bond set at
$10,000.
Earl
James Warren Sr., 64, also of Homer, was arrested and charged with possession
of Schedule I CDS, second offense and possession of drug paraphernalia, with
bond on both charges to be set.
According
to the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, on Friday, January 29, the Claiborne
Narcotic Enforcement Team (CNET) received information that Walker was headed to
Homer and was transporting illegal narcotics. CNET agents immediately contacted
the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol division and the Homer Police
Department and provided them with this information.
Approximately
20 minutes later, Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Deputy J.T. Williams met a
northbound vehicle on Harris Road. This vehicle was traveling in the middle of
the road and forced Williams off the edge of the road as they met in a curve.
Williams
then turned around and pursued the vehicle, driven by Walker. When Williams
attempted to stop the suspect, Walker pulled into a residential driveway
located on Harris Road. Walker quickly got out of the vehicle and proceeded
toward Williams, but stopped, turned around and returned to the open driver’s
door of his vehicle where he dropped a purple Crown Royal bag on the ground.
Walker than turned back around and started towards Williams.
While Williams talked to Walker, an unknown suspect from the residence where Walker stopped, walked up to the purple bag and picked it up. Williams advised this
subject to stop but he refused and a foot pursuit ensued.
After a
very short chase, Williams caught this subject, later identified as Warren. When Williams caught up to Warren, he observed Warren thrown the purple bag onto
the hood of a truck parked in the front yard.
Deputies
Roger Ellerbe and Paul Brazzel arrived on scene to assist.
Williams
discovered a pistol and crack cocaine inside the purple bag that Walker dropped. Walker was arrested by Williams and charged with the above charges.
A
search of Warren’s person revealed a wooden box containing marijuana along with
a metal pipe used for smoking marijuana. Warren was arrested by Ellerbe and
charged with the above charges.
A
passenger in Walker’s vehicle, identified as Darryl Dewayne Fisher, 27, of Minden was checked for arrest warrants. This check showed Fisher had two outstanding
warrants for failure to pay child support. Fisher was arrested and charged with
failure to pay child support, two counts, with a fine set at $300 each, and was
also charged with possession of an open container of alcohol, with bond set at
$500.
In
other crime news, a Minden man was pulled over for a traffic violation and
ended up getting arrested on other charges.
Richardo
A. Hollinquest, 29, was arrested and charged with headlamps on vehicle, open
container, driving under suspension, possession of Schedule II CDS cocaine,
possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of Schedule I CDS marijuana,
with bond to be set on all charges.
According
to CPSO, on Saturday, January 30, Ellerbe observed a vehicle that had a
passenger head lamp not functioning. While speaking to the driver, identified
as Hollinquest, Ellerbe detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting
from his person. Ellerbe also noted an open container of beer in a bottle in the
vehicle.
A field
sobriety check was performed which Hollinquest passed. A search of
Hollinquest’s person revealed a small clear plastic bag containing a white
powder substance that appeared to be powder cocaine from his right pants leg.
A
further search revealed a “green” Kool cigarette carton containing seven
cigarettes and a “green” straw approximately two inches in length with a white
powder substance on the straw, all found in Hollinquest’s left front pants
pocket.
A small
clear plastic bag of marijuana was discovered in his left sock.
A check
of Hollinquest’s driver’s license revealed that his license were suspended.
Deputies Marc Herring and Aaron Christian arrived on scene to assist.
Hollinquest was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention Center and charged on the above charges.
In an
unrelated incident, on that same date, Williams responded to a call from the
detention center regarding a person bringing contraband into the facility.
Upon
arrival, Williams spoke with CPDC personnel and was informed that Natasha
Combs, 22, of Homer, was the only visitor a particular inmate had seen that
day. A cellophane bag with marijuana inside was discovered on the inmate’s
person inside his left shoe under the insole.
Williams
then placed Combs under arrest and transported her to the Claiborne Parish
Women’s facility for booking on the charge of introducing contraband into a
jail. Bond is set at $5,000.
Athens student wins essay contest at DARE
graduation
The Guardian-Journal photo/Jenni Williams
The 2010 DARE program essay winner was Athens High School sixth-grade student Adrian Thomas Junior. Pictured above are, left to
right, DARE program Deputy Ben Booth; Thomas’ parents, Adrian and Sontonya
Thomas; Claiborne Parish Supertintendent Janice Williams; Sheriff Ken Bailey
and Athens Assistant Principal Mrs. Hathorn.
JENNI WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter
Jessica
Tinsley, a senior honor student at Claiborne Academy, was the featured speaker
at the annual D.A.R.E. graduation last Thursday, January 28. The event, held at
Homer High School auditorium, was attended by sixth grade students from all
six Claiborne Parish Schools.
Approximately
300 sixth grade students in the parish completed the 12-week program in the
months of September through December 2009. The schools participating this year
were Homer Junior High School, Athens High School, Summerfield High School, Claiborne Academy, Mount Olive Christian School and Haynesville Junior High School.
Ben
Booth, the D.A.R.E. officer with Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, took over
the program seven years ago from Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey, who had
been at the helm of the program for 13 years.
The
DARE program, Drug Awareness Resistance Education, was established in 1983 in Los Angeles, California as a way to provide children the education they would need to avoid
drugs, alcohol and violence. After 25 years in service here in the United States, the program is also taught in 17 foreign countries.
At the
time that Sheriff Bailey established the program in 1990, the program was 17
weeks long instead of the current 12 weeks. He said, “This may not be as
important as high school graduation but it ranks right on up there and holds a
special place in my heart. It doesn’t just start in the classroom. Put your
kids in church every time the doors are open and teach them responsibility.”
Booth,
who has 18 years with the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, said, “I found it
a privilege to fill his shoes when he decided to run for Sheriff.”
Claiborne
Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Janice Williams also spoke to the
students and family members present. “I commend each of you, and do not forget
these lessons you were taught. This is a very important life lesson.”
Each
Claiborne Parish sixth grader was required to write an essay after the 12-week
program was completed to explain what they think about what they learned, how
it has and will affect them and what their thoughts are about the program.
A
winning essay was chosen from each school and a grand prize essay was chosen
out of the winning essays. The winner from Athens High School was Adrian
Thomas, from Homer Junior High was Takea Heard, from Summerfield High School was Ashlyn Turner, Ashlyn Heckle from Claiborne Academy, Faith Williams from
Haynesville Junior High and Selena Lonadier from Mount Olive Christian School.
Adrian
Thomas was selected as the grand prize winner and after reading his essay to
the attendees, was awarded a brand new 10-speed bicycle donated by the
Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Each of
the five essay winners were awarded a medal and a number of other prizes. All
students were awarded certificates of completion for participating in the
program, along with D.A.R.E. bumper stickers and pencils.
Jessica
Tinsley, the night’s speaker, was taught in the sixth grade by Booth in his
very first class of the DARE program. She was also the very first essay winner.
Tinsley
addressed the families attending the graduation and offered a word about the
difference D.A.R.E. has made in her every day life.
Many
door prizes were given out during the evening including McDonald’s gift cards
and Kentucky Fried Chicken gift certificates.
Deputy
Booth ended the program by saying, “It’s an honor and a privilege to teach this
program.” This was the sixth D.A.R.E. graduation for Booth since taking over
from Sheriff Bailey.
The
program is currently taught in 62 of the 64 parishes in Louisiana.
Blood drive slated for Feb. 11
LifeShare
Blood Centers will host its quarterly community blood drive at Homer Memorial Hospital, located at 620 E. College Street on Thursday, February 11, from noon until 5 p.m. in the hospital conference room.
LifeShare
Blood Centers is proud to be associated with Homer Memorial Hospital. The Homer community is encouraged to come out and donate to help replenish the blood
supply.
To
donate blood, you should be feeling well, weight at least 110 pounds, and be a
minimum of 17 years of age. Drinks and snacks will be provided.
Photo
identification will be required at registration. For more information, please
call the hospital at (318) 927-2024.
Storytellers bring local history to life
Shown here (left to right) are Myra Davis, Angelique Feaster, Thelma Harrison, and Jeanine Pasini Beekman. They shared
reminiscences of North Louisianians from the Great Depression and New Deal Era.
JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer
An
inept storyteller can run a good story off into the ditch. No stories went into
the ditch Saturday afternoon, January 30, between 2:30 and 4 at Homer City Hall as the “Voices of Witnesses, a Storytelling Tribute” was presented by
capable storytellers Jeanine Pasini Beekman, Myra Davis, Angelique Feaster, and
Thelma Harrison.
Sponsored
by the Claiborne Jubiliee, the program featured stories rooted in the Great
Depression of the 1930s. These raconteurs extraordinaire credited the stories
they shared to “The Elders,” those older ones who personally experienced the
effects of the Great Depression of the 1930s and the New Deal. Some local residents—“elders,”
if you will—who contributed their own recollections include Virginia
Hollenshead, Dump Hatter, and Sunshine Robertson.
In a
sense, the program was one of history come to life as Beekman, Feaster,
Harrison, and Davis charmed an audience of 50 or so with stories of the WPA
(Works Progress Administration), CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), and PWA
(Public Works Administration) and the effects of these programs locally.
All the
storytellers incorporated voice, gesture, and movement to tell their tales,
many of which undoubtedly evoked within each audience member their own
reminiscences of those trying times or experiences related by their own older
family members recalling that era.
This
quartet demonstrated an expert mix of wit and passion as they shared stories of
hope and fear, accounts of human weakness and courage along with tales of
honor and dishonor.
School
lunches in syrup cans, “We Piddle Around,” home ec cottages, lynchings,
mattress factories, home demonstration agents, getting rid of rats, “good
Baptists/good Methodists don’t drink,” Rosenwald schools, Huey P. Long’s
“roadpaving policies,” bootlegging, the KKK, the “tree army”—these themes and
more provided fodder for a Saturday afternoon that was both educational and
entertaining.
Trash Bash this Saturday
Trash
Bash will be this Saturday, December 5 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., beginning on Oil Mill Road, between the old cotton warehouses and housing apartments.
This is available to Homer citizens only. Please be prepared to show identification.
Metal
and white goods (refrigerators and washing machines, etc.) and regular trash
accepted. No limbs accepted unless bundled in 6-foot long pieces.
For
more information, please call Town of Homer’s Clean City Committee at 927-3271
or 927-2342.
CPPJ gears up for constitutional
amendment
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Claiborne Parish Police Jury is now gearing up to encourage voters to support
the severance tax constitutional amendment coming this fall.
In
January’s regular meeting, the police jury nominated members of a committee to
work with them and Secretary-Treasurer Dwayne Woodard to help ensure the
passage of the “constitutional amendment that will increase the severance tax
monies returned to the local parishes in which they were derived,” according to
the agenda.
Nominated
were Janell Brown, Gene Coleman, Randy Crittendon and J.T. Taylor. District 8
Police Juror Roy Mardis will be chairman.
The
committee met Tuesday, January 19, at the police jury complex to put together a
game plan to get the ball rolling.
The
idea, said Woodard, is to “formulate a plan for the passage…of this amendment
during the fall general election both locally and statewide.”
The
committee “is exploring what was successful last time and what was not
successful last time, both locally and statewide,” Woodard said. “We have to
have passage of at least 60 percent plus, along the I-20 corridor to ensure
passage of this amendment statewide.”
The
police jury is allowed to actively campaign for the passage of this amendment,
but they cannot use public funds to do so. The money they use for the campaign
would come from police jurors’ personal funds.
Other
parishes are also involved, he said, most notably Webster.
Coleman
said the amendment really reflects the Louisiana Legislature’s voting in
support of it.
“The
amendment on the ballot reflects the legislature’s voting,” he said, “with the
governor’s support of the oil and gas producing parishes receiving additional
monies from the oil and gas revenue the state collects. If the people in the
state of Louisiana would just vote to accept it, that’s all they need to do. We
have been prohibited from getting our constitutional 20 percent because of
restrictions.”
House
Bill 765, if passed would become Act 541, is asking the people of Louisiana to
pass a constitutional amendment to free up more state funds derived from the
oil and gas producing parishes in the state.
It
works like this. Currently, the oil and gas industry pays state taxes on the
amount of oil and gas they pull from producing parishes. The state gets a
complete 80 percent of that revenue, and oil and gas producing parishes get to
keep 20 percent of that up to $850,000.
For
instance, if a parish (Claiborne for example) pays in $14 to $15 million to the
state per year, approximately $2 million (20 percent) of that is supposed to
come back to the state for roads, bridges and infrastructure. It doesn’t work
like that. Right now, Claiborne Parish only gets back up to $850,000 and it
stops. The rest (approximately $1.15 million) goes back to the state for them
to send wherever they deem necessary. That’s $1.15 million that Claiborne
Parish could use on its roads, bridges and infrastructure. And the same goes
for all other oil and gas producing parishes in the state.
In
other police jury news, the drainage issue at 911 Howard Street was once again
tabled from December’s meeting. In December, Ulysses and Carolyn Jones
approached the police jury asking them for help with a drainage problem at
their home. With all the heavy rains that have come through the area, a
foundation issue arose, because the ground is literally being washed out from
under their house.
A creek
runs through their property on the back side, and the home is located near the
creek. An addition was constructed onto the home, which put the house within
feet of the creek, and when the rain waters rose, it flooded that part of their
home.
The
Town of Homer requested the assistance of the police jury in November 2009,
asking them to help using their equipment. In December, there was an issue of
what they were allowed to work on and what they are not. It was decided to
table the issue then until more information could be obtained.
In
other news, the police jury approved a motion to set the regular meeting dates
for 2010, which will be the same as the previous years – the Wednesday
following the first Sunday of every month.
Also,
they approved a request from Woodard to set committee meeting days to the
Monday prior to the Wednesday that the agenda is due. All committee meetings,
except the personnel committee, will be held on this day, unless one has to be
called to deal with an emergency situation. Committee meetings are set to begin
at 1:30 p.m. with the intent of ending at 4:30 p.m.
The
police jury also approved a request for the police jury to enter into and for
Police Jury President Scott Davidson to sign a memorandum of understanding
(MOU) between IBTS and the police jury regarding the administration of a
$110,000 EECBG (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant) to the
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by the U.S. Department of
Energy.
These
funds will be used to retrofit – as many as possible – existing parish
buildings with energy efficient lighting, solar panels for the police jury
administration building and the development of an energy efficient master plan
for all parish-owned buildings. Some of these buildings include the Claiborne
Parish Sheriff’s Office as well as the Claiborne Parish Courthouse.
Also,
as required by law, the police jury formed the Claiborne Parish Emergency
Management Advisory Committee (PEMAC). This committee must be comprised, at
minimum, of a fire chief, municipal chief executive officer, police chief,
sheriff or his designee, and an emergency medical senior executive officer.
Davidson will serve as chair and Homer Fire Chief Dennis Butcher will serve as
vice-chair.
According
to R.S. 29:727(I)(1), the purpose of this committee is “to offer advice and
counsel to the parish or police jury president on homeland security and emergency
management issues…” According to R.S. 728, Appendix B, those issues include
planning, development, prioritization, coordination and implementation of
homeland security and emergency management issues to include, but not limited
to, homeland security and emergency management mitigation, preparedness,
response and recovery, grant requests and the expenditure of grant funds.”
During
the public comment portion of the meeting, Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey
asked the jury to fix the gas pump at the Criminal Investigation Division of
the sheriff’s office. Bailey wanted to expedite the process to get the pump
fixed, so the police jury gave Buildings and Grounds Committee Chairman Bob
McDaniel the authority to go ahead and act on behalf of the police jury to get
it fixed.
The
next police jury meeting will be held Wednesday, February 10, at 9 a.m. in the big room at the police jury complex. For more information, please contact
the office at 318-927-2222.
