Early morning fire destroys home
The Guardian-Journal
An
early Saturday morning fire completely destroyed a home on Bella Vista Road.
According
to officials at the scene, the home of John Watson and his wife Debbie, was
completely engulfed and is a total loss.
Cathie
Greeson, of Fire District 6, said the fire started in a wood-burning fireplace
on the southwest corner of the house and moved into the walls between the
sheetrock and the roof. The fireplace was located in an addition to the home
which had a cathedral ceiling and no crawl space.
“It was
a very difficult fire to fight because of the structure of the house,” Greeson
said. “The fire was never put out because it flashed over and (the house) was
down within a very short period of time.”
Flashing
over means the fire created a back flash, moving from the area where the fire
originated to other parts of the house. Firefighters vented the roof, but that
didn’t help either.
Once
the firefighters realized the home was going to be a total loss, they began a
salvage operation in which they began moving what furniture and personal items
they could save from the house.
Watson
said he and his wife are still in disbelief over the loss of their home, adding
they are safe and was able to salvage some stuff from the home.
“I’m
devastated,” he said. “This is always something that happens to somebody else.
When we first discovered it, I fought it myself. I couldn’t make myself believe
my house was on fire.”
Watson
said his wife was still up and had gotten up to let out one of their cats when
she discovered the fire.
“If she
hadn’t still been up, I’m afraid it would have been a different story,” Watson
said.
The
couple has a couple of dogs, which they were able to get out before the blaze
completely took over. While Watson was attempting to extinguish the flames, his
wife was moving vehicles out from under the carport to a safe distance. They
also have a cat that stays indoors, and as firefighters tried to put out the fire,
neither the Watsons nor the firefighters could find the feline.
It was
when they all realized the house couldn’t be saved that the cat was found.
According to Watson, firefighters were trying to get a dining room table out of
the house and when he pulled back a chair from the table, the cat was sitting
in that chair.
They
were also able to locate the cat Debbie had let outside. All their animals are
safe, they are safe, but many of their belongings are gone. They were able to
salvage some sentimental items as well as some jewelry, his firearms, pictures
and a few other things. They lost most of the food in their freezer though.
“We had
a couple of ice chests and emptied out the purple hull peas into it,” Watson said, “but all my fish is toast!”
Homer
Fire Chief Dennis Butcher was incident commander at the scene. Claiborne Parish
Fire Districts 6 and 4 and the Homer Fire Department joined forces to put out
the fire. The first call came in about 2:08 a.m., and personnel left the scene
about 5:30 a.m.
“I can’t
say enough about the fire department,” Watson said. “They were friendly and
very helpful. Everybody’s been running over themselves to try to help us and
we’re very appreciative.”
No
injuries to either the Watsons or firefighters were reported. The Watsons
intend to rebuild their home.
Green pleads guilty
The Guardian-Journal
Former
Homer Housing Authority Executive Director Michelle Green pled guilty in
federal court Monday to theft of government money and property.
According
to a news release from U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, Green, 34, of Little
Rock, Arkansas, pled guilty to the above charge along with five other
co-defendants. The other co-defendants indicted with Green and pled guilty
Monday, October 29, were Curtis L. Mays, 34, of Harker Heights, Texas, Katrina
G. Robertson, 38, Flack D. Robertson, 34, Aaron Perry, 29, all of Haynesville
and Katrina Henderson, 33, of Shreveport.
At the
guilty pleas, it was established that Green caused checks to be issued to
friends and relatives for work that was not being performed. Several persons
readily admitted that they got the checks from Green at her instigation and
would cash the checks and kick back the majority of the funds to Green. The
total amount was more than $400,000. The scheme began in late 2007 and
continued until Green was fired in April 2011.
Each
defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or
both. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.
The
case was investigated by HUD-Office of Inspector General and the FBI. The case
is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Joseph G. Jarzabek.
North Carolina man jailed on child porn
charges
The Guardian-Journal
A North
Carolina man is in jail in Claiborne Parish after authorities in North Carolina
contacted the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office in regards to an investigation
into computer-aided solicitation, among other more serious charges.
According
to a news release, in March, Detective Ben Booth was contacted by Lt. T.D.
Comar of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Hillsborough, N.C. Lt. Comar
advised that his office was investigating an internet perpetrator in his area
and one of the victims had been identified as a juvenile from Claiborne Parish.
During
the ensuing investigation, it was discovered that Brian Travis (Padnos) Allen,
21, had contacted a female juvenile in Claiborne Parish. Lt. Comar reported
this contact was done over computer and/or cell phone, through Facebook and
texting. During this contact, Allen received pornographic photos of the victim
and Allen sent pornographic photos of himself to the victim.
Booth
pursued an investigation here in Claiborne Parish, which resulted in the arrest
of Allen for one count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile with
bond set at $30,000, three counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile over the
age of 13 with bond set at $60,000, 10 counts of indecent behavior with a
juvenile under the age of 13 with bond set at $100,000, three counts
pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13 with bond set at $150,000,
10 counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor under the age of 13 with
bond set at $100,000, and four counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor
over the age of 13 with bond set at $40,000.
Warrants
were obtained on June 1 with the total bond set at $480,000. Allen was arrested
in North Carolina and held on their charges. When the process there was
completed, Allen was transported by a Governor’s Warrant to Claiborne Parish to
face charges pending on him here.
Allen
was arrested on Wednesday, October 24 and jailed at the Claiborne Parish
Detention Center.
Sheriff
Ken Bailey would like to take this opportunity to remind citizens of Claiborne
Parish that these types of crimes are very prevalent in this age of technology.
Use extreme care regarding your children’s contacts on computers and/or cell
phones, through social networking sites such as Facebook, My Space, etc., and
texting.
Juveniles
fall prey to solicitation crimes at alarming rates. Take extra precaution to
protect your family. Should you discover any type of illegal activity, please
contact the sheriff’s office at 318-927-2011.
Reward offered in burglary cases
The Guardian-Journal
The
Homer Police Department is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to
the arrest(s) and conviction of those responsible for a rash of burglaries.
Homer
Police Chief Russell Mills said over the last few months, his department has
investigated several burglaries of car stereos, electronics (including flat
screen televisions, game stations, and cameras), firearms and jewelry. There
has been vandalism to cars and damage caused to vehicles and homes where these
items were taken.
The
target area seems to be in Districts 1 and 2, which include Hill Street, Hudd
Drive, MLK, Dutchtown Road, Scott Street, Monroe Street, Memphis Street, Pearl
Street and South Fourth Street.
A local
car wash and a laundromat have been broken into as well.
And
because of these burglaries, Mills and his officers are asking the public to
not only help them, but to help protect themselves from these thieves.
“Be
aware of foot traffic in your area and be aware of any suspicious activity,”
Mills said. “Call the police immediately if you suspect any illegal activity
going on in or around your home or in your neighborhood.”
Two
arrests have already been made in connection with the car stereo theft --
Patrick and Jeremy Williams.
Mills
also gave some other helpful tips and suggestions to prevent homes from being
broken into.
• Don’t
leave electronics boxes outside.
• Turn
on outside lights at night.
• Watch
for suspicious activity.
• If
you can afford one, purchase an alarm system for your home. There are several
affordable options out there.
“A
little over $300 per year for an alarm system will pay for one item that was
stolen in your area,” Mills said.
In
fact, two of the homes in these areas have alarm systems which deterred a
would-be thief from burglarizing them. Mills said the perpetrator attempted to
break into these homes, but was unable to do so because of the alarm systems.
“We
have a short response time,” Mills said, “but we urge folks to contact an alarm
company and invest in a burglar alarm.”
If
anyone has any information concerning these burglaries that will lead to the
arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible, please call the
Homer Police Department at 318-927-4000.
Skirting the law?
Hospital CEO/board actions questioned
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
In last
week’s edition of The Guardian-Journal, a story was published on the
resignation of Homer Memorial Hospital’s Administrator/CEO Scott Barrilleaux.
Since
then, The Guardian-Journal has obtained a copy of a report from Hospital
Attorney Jim Colvin Jr. of Colvin & Smith P.L.C. detailing questions raised
about alleged ethics violations by Barrilleaux and his wife Brandy.
Alleged Conflict of Interest Regarding Housing
According
to that report, there were no ethics violations, save one where hospital
employees helped Barrilleaux and his family move personal items into the house
owned by the hospital on company time.
“Specifically,
four employees helped Mr. Barrilleaux and the Board Chairman, Wesley Emerson,
move the Barrilleauxs to the new house,” the report states. “The issue, then,
is whether the duties being performed were for a public purpose or strictly
personal for the CEO. More likely than not, this would be considered personal
use.”
During
Colvin’s investigation, the report says, Mr. Barrilleaux was not aware of this
conflict and “merely utilized these employees due to the fact that he had to
vacate his house quickly and that he did not have family in the area to help
him with that move.”
The
report also states that Barrilleaux is willing to reimburse the hospital for
the expense, “which is the appropriate remedy under the law.”
Along
those same lines, Mr. Barrilleaux’s housing issue became a concern for himself
and the board of directors. Initially, when Mr. Barrilleaux and his family
moved to Homer, they moved into a rent house, and when the family moved, they
moved from a home they owned in his former location. At the time he accepted
the position, the house had not sold.
“We
were also asked to determine if the Hospital could purchase Mr. Barrilleaux’s
home in Kinder, Louisiana, at fair market value,” the report states. “On August
18, 2011, we issued a memo to the Hospital regarding the Hospital’s ability to
purchase the house.”
The
memo addressed to Mary Carroll, of Lester, Miller and Wells, A Corporation of
CPAs in Alexandria, stated that La. R.S. 42:1112 does not apply to the purchase
of the house from the CEO for relocation and ethical issues.
Thus,
Colvin suggested that Mr. Barrilleaux recuse himself from any decisions
regarding the transaction of the purchase of his home in Kinder by the hospital
because he is considered a public servant. He also had to agree to an exchange
of services, i.e. an agreement to stay with the hospital for a specified amount
of time to “ensure that the Hospital was obtaining something of value in
exchange.”
According
to Barrilleaux’s employment contract, he was to be employed by the hospital for
three years, of which he stayed two years. As of press time, it has still not
been made clear exactly why Mr. Barrilleaux resigned as the CEO of the
hospital.
However,
in September 2011, a supplement and amendment, which was never adopted, to
Barrilleaux’s contract was drafted which provided “for a housing allowance,
with a reciprocal obligation.” The contract provided for a housing allowance
for five years, extended the term of the contract for five years, prohibited any
salary increase for five years, created additional duties of the CEO,
prohibited the housing allowance from being renewed at the end of the five-year
term and required that it be reported to the IRS and other authorities as
required by law.
“...it
is clear that allowing the CEO to reside in the house owned by the Hospital
serves a public purpose and complies with the statutory and constitutional
requirements,” the report states.
Nepotism Allegations
Other
issues included allegations of nepotism, both on the part of the hospital
attorney and the hiring of the CEO’s wife, Brandy, of which the hospital
attorney found that there were none.
The
issue concerning Mrs. Barrilleaux surrounds the fact two of its medical coders
resigned in May 2011, creating an “extreme” shortage. Brandy Barrilleaux is ICD
9 certified, which is the highest coding certification available.
“We
were asked by the Board of Directors in May 2011 to determine if the Hospital
could retain her as a temporary bridge to help the hospital keep its billing
current and accurate due to the resignation of the two coders,” the report
states. “On May 24, 2011, we advised Mr. Barrilleaux that it was not possible
to immediately hire Brandy on a temporary basis due to the nepotism statute. We
did, however, advise Mr. Barrilleaux of an exception to the nepotism statute
for the initial recruitment of ‘allied health professionals’ after the position
has been advertised for at least 30 days without any other qualified
applicant.”
The
nepotism statute (La. R.S. 42:1119(B)(2)(b)(i) (emphasis added)), specifically
states, “Any hospital service district with a population of one hundred
thousand persons or less as of the most recent federal decennial census or
hospital public trust authority located in such a district may enter into an
initial recruiting contract with or employ as a health care provider, a
licensed physician, a registered nurse, or an allied health professional who is
a member of the immediate family of any district board, authority, or parish
governing authority member or of the chief executive of the district or
authority provided that such family member is the only qualified applicant who
has applied for the position after it has been advertised for at least thirty
days in the official journal of the parish and in all newspapers of general
circulation in the parish where the hospital is located. The chief executive
and any member of a board of a hospital service district or hospital public
trust authority which enters into an initial recruiting contract with or
employs such physician, registered nurse, or allied health professional shall
recuse himself from any decision involving the promotion, discipline, discharge
or assignment of any such employee who is a member of his immediate family.”
According
to definitions provided by Central Arizona College in Apache Junction, Arizona,
a medical coder is considered an allied health professional. Because no one
else applied for a medical coder position at the hospital and it was advertised
for at least 30 days, it was appropriate for the hospital to hire Mrs.
Barrilleaux.
“Thus,
it is our opinion (and it remains our opinion) that Brandy Barrilleaux could
have been legally hired by the Hospital, as the steps required under the
nepotism statute were followed,” the report states. “However, if Brandy was
hired directly by the Hospital, then this would have to be disclosed to the
Louisiana Board of Ethics every January.”
The
report went on to say, “Due to the ongoing shortage and the great concern for
potential lost revenue, we were asked by the Board about alternative options,
including whether Brandy could perform coding services at the Hospital if
employed by a company who had a contract with the Hospital, provided that
neither she nor Mr. Barrilleaux had an ownership interest in that company. Our
research determined that Mr. Barrilleaux’s wife’s employment by one of the
Hospital’s contactors would not violate the nepotism statue, as the Hospital
would not be hiring her.”
Also
under consideration were other sections of the Code of Governmental Ethics to
ensure that an agreement of this nature would not violate the law. The contract
prohibitions were not applicable, the report states, meaning that any “contract
negotiations and execution violated no state statute, federal regulation, state
regulation or any other such controlling rule or rules.
The
other nepotism concern dealt with Colvin himself in that he is the hospital
attorney and his brother, William Colvin, was hired as the human resources
director. According to the report, Jim Colvin was not in any way a part of the
hiring process which led to the employment of William Colvin at the hospital.
However, because Jim Colvin was not “privy” to the circumstances surrounding
his brother’s hiring, Pam Breedlove, an attorney with the Colvin Law Firm,
conducted the investigation to determine what actually occurred.
Her
investigation concluded that William Colvin’s hiring was in accordance with the
law and in accordance with “such practices as the Hospital deemed appropriate.”
Conflict of Interest
Another
concern was a conflict of interest for Jim Colvin in that he represents the
hospital and at one time represented the Town of Homer as its town attorney.
The
report states, “Although this firm has maintained the Hospital files and the
Town files separately for billing and ethical purposes, there was never and can
be no conflict of interest in representing both.”
Homer
Memorial Hospital is a division of the Town of Homer, which means the hospital
is owned by the town. As a part of the town, the hospital is not considered a
separate client in which a conflict of interest can even exist.
“To the
extent that members of the Board might have differing opinions or views than
the Board of Selectmen and Mayor regarding Hospital matters,” the report
concludes, “our ethical duties and obligations run to the Hospital, which is
the Town, not the individuals who make up the two boards.”
A recap of the November 6 ballot
The Guardian-Journal
As the
race heats up for the November 6 presidential election with President Barack
Obama and contender Mitt Romney in what the national media says is a dead heat,
there are other items on the ballot voters will be asked to vote on.
There
will be a local option election for term limits on school board members as well
as an ad valorem tax renewal for the Evergreen Fire Protection District, which
covers a portion of Precinct 3 in Claiborne Parish. There are also nine
proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot.
Here’s
a recap of what voters will see on their ballot.
President of the United States
Incumbent
President Barack Obama with Vice President Joe Biden, Republican Nominee Mitt
Romney with Vice Presidential Contender Paul Ryan, Green Party Jill Stein and
Cheri Honkala, Libertarian Party Gary Johnson and James P. Gray, Constitution
Party Virgil Goode and James Clymer, Justice Party Ross Anderson and Luis
Rodriguez, Prohibition Party Jack Fellure and Toby Davis, Socialism and
Libertarian Parties Peta Lindsay and Yari Osorio, Socialist Equality Party
Jerry White and Phyllis Scherrer, Socialist Workers James Harris and Alyson
Kennedy and We The People Party Sheila Tittle and Matthew Turner.
Also on
the ballot will be the election of U.S. Representative. Randall Lord is running
against Incumbent John Fleming.
School Board Term Limits
On the
ballot is a statewide vote on Local Option School Board term limits. On the
ballot, it will read:
“Local
Option Election
Within
Claiborne Parish School Board District: Shall the number of terms of office
that any member of the school board may serve be limited to three consecutive
four-year terms?”
This is
Act 386 passed by the Louisiana Legislature in Regular Session 2012. A vote for
would limit the time local school board members could serve to three
consecutive four-year terms beginning with elections after January 1, 2014, but
only in school districts where voters approve the measure. Statewide voter
approval is not required for this to pass, and the Constitution will not be
affected.
A vote
against would leave the situation as it is now, which would mean proponents of
term limits could continue efforts to persuade the Legislature to impose term
limits on a district-by-district basis or bring the question to a vote within
their own individual school districts.
Evergreen Fire Protection District
This is
a tax renewal for the Evergreen Fire Protection District. Only part of Precinct
3 will vote on this issue in Claiborne Parish. On the ballot it reads:
“Summary:
Authority to levy a 10 year, 10 mills tax for the purpose of acquiring,
constructing, improving, maintaining and/or operating fire protection
facilities and equipment in and for Evergreen Fire Protection District,
including fire trucks.
“Shall
Evergreen Fire Protection District, Claiborne/Webster Parishes, Louisiana (the
“District”), be authorized to levy a special tax of ten (10.00) mills on all
the property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $190,000
expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire
year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2013 and ending
with the year 2022, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving,
maintaining and/or operating fire protection facilities and equipment,
including fire trucks, in and for the District, and paying the cost of
obtaining water for fire protection purposes?”
Constitutional Amendments:
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1
Act
No. 873 Senate Bill 82, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to prohibit monies in the Medicaid Trust Fund for the
Elderly from being used or appropriated for other purposes when adjustments are
made to eliminate a state deficit? (Adds Article VII, Section 10(F)(4)(g))
As the
cost of caring for the elderly rises for nursing homes and other services, the
Medicaid Trust Fund provides a way to offset the increases by adjusting the
payment rates very year. That, in turn, allows the nursing homes to avoid some
of the state budget reductions hitting other health care providers. The nursing
home industry is an advocate of the Medicaid Trust Fund and supports the
proposed amendment.
A vote
for would prohibit the Legislature or governor from taking money from the
Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly to help balance the state operating budget.
A vote
against would leave the possibility that money could be taken from the fund.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2
Act
No. 874 Senate Bill No. 303, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Louisiana to
provide that the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right and any
restriction of that right requires the highest standard of review by a court?
(Amends Article I, Section 11)
A vote
for would require that any laws restricting the right to keep and bear arms be
subject to the highest level of judicial review, known as strict scrutiny.
Also, the amendment would say that the right to keep and bear arms is a
fundamental one in Louisiana. It would delete a line in the Constitution that
says the right to keep and bear arms shall not prevent the passage of laws to
prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons.
A vote
against would retain the existing language in the Constitution, which affirms
that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged but does not require
strict scrutiny of arms laws and expressly allows the Legislature to regulate
concealed weapons.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3
Act
No. 872 Senate Bill No. 21, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to require legislation effecting any change to laws
concerning retirement systems for public employees that is to be prefiled to be
filed no later than forty-five days before the start of a regular legislative
session and to require the completion of public notice requirements regarding
legislation effecting such a change no later than sixty days before
introduction of the bill? (Amends Article III, Section 2(A)(2), Article X,
Section 29(C), and Article XIII, Section 1(A))
Louisiana
has 21 public employee retirement systems divided into three categories. Under
the proposed constitutional amendment, the public would have to be given
earlier notice than is now required under state law if a legislator planned to
file a bill affecting any of the systems.
A vote
for would require that bills affecting the state’s public retirement systems be
filed a month earlier than other types of legislation submitted prior to a
legislative session. A vote for also would double the public notice period for
prefiled retirement bills.
A vote
against would mean bills affecting public retirement systems would continue to
be subject to the same prefiling period and public notice requirements as they
are now.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 4
Act
No. 875 Senate Bill No. 337, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to exempt ad valorem taxation, in addition to the
homestead exemption, the next seventy-five thousand dollars of value of
property owned and occupied by the spouse of a deceased veteran with a
service-connected disability rating of one hundred percent who passed away
prior to the enactment of the exemption? (Effective January 1, 2013) (Amends
Article VII, Section 21(K)(1))
A vote
for would allow the spouse of a deceased veteran who had a 100 percent
service-connected disability rating to claim a higher homestead exemption even
if the exemption was not in effect at the time the veteran died.
A vote
against would mean the spouse could not claim the higher exemption if the
veteran died before it took effect.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 5
Act
No. 868, House Bill No. 9, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to provide for the forfeiture of public retirement
benefits by any public servant who is convicted of a felony associated with and
committed during his public service? (Adds Article X, Section 29(G))
A vote
for would allow the courts to include forfeiture of a portion of public
retirement benefits as part of the sentence for a public servant convicted of a
felony related to his or her office.
A vote
against would leave the current system in place which means a public servant
convicted of a felony related to his or her office would be allowed to keep
whatever public retirement benefits he or she has earned, except for
court-ordered restitution and other specific circumstances already described in
law.
Proposed Amendment No. 6
Act
No. 869 House Bill No. 497, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to authorize the granting of ad valorem tax exemption
contracts by the city of New Iberia for property annexed by the city after
January 1, 2013? (Adds Article VII, Section 21(L))
A vote
for would allow New Iberia to grant city property tax exemptions to any
property owner annexed into the city after January 1, 2013.
A vote
against would mean the city would be unable to grant such exemptions to property
owners annexed into the city.
Proposed Amendment No. 7
Act
No. 870, House Bill No. 524, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment, relative to the membership of constitutional boards
and commissions that have members who are selected from congressional
districts, to retain the existing number of members and to provide for
implementation of membership from reapportioned congressional districts b
filling vacancies first from under-represented districts and then from the
state at large? (Amends Article VIII, Sections 5(B)(1) and 7(B)(1) and Article
X, Sections 3 (A) and 43(A); Adds Article VIII, Section 8(D))
A vote
for would adjust the membership selection process for constitutionally created
boards and commissions that have members selected based on the state’s
congressional districts.
A vote
against would leave the membership selection process for constitutionally
created boards and commissions as it is now--based on a soon-to-be outdated
number of congressional districts.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 8
Act
No. 871 House Bill 674, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to authorize the granting of ad valorem tax exemption
contracts by the Board of Commerce and Industry for businesses located in
parishes which have chosen to participate in a program established for the
granting of such contracts? (Effective January 1, 2013) (Adds Article VII,
Section 21(L))
A vote
for would allow the state Board of Commerce and Industry to grant local
property tax exemption contracts to a targeted group of non-manufacturing
businesses in parishes that chose to participate in the program.
A vote
against would mean these targeted non-manufacturing businesses would continue
to be ineligible for property tax exemption.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 9
Act
No. 876 Senate Bill No. 410, Regular Session, 2012
Do
you support an amendment to provide that no law relative to the creation of a
special district, the primary purpose of which includes aiding in crime
prevention and security by providing for an increased presence of law
enforcement personnel in the district or otherwise promoting and encouraging
security in the district, shall be enacted unless three separate notices of the
proposed law are published at least thirty days prior to introduction of the
bill, which notice shall set forth the substance of the proposed law and
whether the governing authority of the special district would be authorized to
impose and collect a parcel fee within the district, whether the parcel fee
will be imposed or may be increased without an election, and the maximum amount
of such fee? (Amends Article III, Section 13)
A vote
for would increase the number of times that bills to create crime prevention
and security districts must be advertised and require that the notices of
intent state whether a parcel fee would be imposed and collected, whether the
fee could be imposed or increased without an election, and what the maximum
amount of the fee would be.
A vote
against would mean crime prevention and security district bills would continue
to be subject to the same public notice requirements as they are now.
The
election is Tuesday, November 6. For more information, or for questions, please
go to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.louisiana.gov or call
the Claiborne Parish Registrar of Voters Office at 318-927-3332.
Schedler encourages voters to their cast
ballot
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Secretary
of State Tom Schedler says there’s no excuse for every registered voter not to
vote this November 6.
Schedler
spoke to the Homer Lions Club last Thursday, not only encouraging voters to get
out and cast their ballot, but he also discussed various ways to vote as well
as other duties his office handles.
A new
program his office is offering is the “Honor Vets. Vote.” program, in which a
person may cast their ballot in honor of a veteran of war. The program honors
those who have fought and sacrificed for our freedom and our sacred right to
vote.
While
many cast their ballots on election day, many also cast their ballots through
the mail (absentee voting), or by early voting, which is usually done a week or
so in advance of election day.
In
fact, Schedler said, many of our troops overseas cast their ballots by absentee
voting to make sure their ballots are counted.
Schedler
also traveled overseas in a group of Secretaries of State to visit with troops
recently.
And
while he has spent a good portion of his time throughout the state speaking
about the importance of voting, he also spoke about just what his office does.
“Most
people don’t know what the Secretary of State is, and most people don’t know
what the office does,” Schedler said. “I’m hoping to put some relevancy on the
office and that you see what the office does.”
The
Secretary of State is the chief elections officer for the State of Louisiana.
There are three different arms to the Secretary of State’s office which
includes the clerks of court and registrars of voters. The clerk of court
position is an elected one, just like the Secretary of State. The registrar of
voters is an appointed one, done by the parish police juries.
In
Claiborne Parish, Pat Gladney serves as the clerk of court and Patricia Sanders
serves as the parish’s registrar of voters.
Right
now is a “tense time” for the Secretary of State’s Office in that it is a
presidential election year and there are nine proposed constitutional
amendments on the ballot. There is also the local option school board term
limit proposal as well as the Evergreen Fire Protection District ad valorem tax
renewal. Also on the ballot is the run for U.S. Congressman, of which John
Fleming is the incumbent.
“It’s
just a tense time to get ready, because unfortunately, elections just don’t
occur with rolling a machine in, pressing a button and it’s over,” he said. “There’s a lot of forward work at the registrar
of voters office and the clerk’s office and others.”
He also
counted off several other elections that are coming up, including the December
6 election, which will take care of any run-offs, plus other elections across
the state.
Schedler
also made it clear that neither he nor his office has anything to do with
calling elections. Only the governor has that authority. A constitution
election or one called by the bond commission are under the authority of the
governor.
One of
the things Schedler is attempting to do in Louisiana is reduce the number of
elections in a year.
“We
have too many elections,” he said. “That was something I ran on quite
vigorously in my campaign, and quite frankly, I didn’t wait until my election
to do it.”
From
2005 until 2010, Louisiana had 70 elections, Schedler said.
“That
seemed really high to me, so we had the legislative auditor come in and we
analyzed where those elections were, what was their purpose,” he said. “What we
discovered right out of the box was that 32 of those 70 elections were to
replace a legislator who didn’t finish his/her term for whatever reason.”
During
that time, the Secretary of State’s Office went to the Legislature and got a
bill passed (Jim Fannin, author) that did away with calling special elections
to elect someone to complete a term of office.
“The
only exception was that if a vacancy occurs, we can elect someone and serve for
that election, that he or she to go to Baton Rouge and participate in a
legislative session to take a vote for his constituents, that’s appropriate.”
With
the passage of this bill, Louisiana elections are now down within the average
range of the nation. For example, Florida had 35 elections and North Carolina
had nine elections during that 60-month period.
He’s
also attempting to start a process where if a parish or local governmental
entity wants to hold an election, to get them to hold off until another
election date that has something else on the ballot -- in turn saving the local
governmental entity or parish money.
“When
we start consolidating elections, number one, it’s going to save money,” he
said, “and number two, my hope is that it will create more of a relevancy and
importance to elections. The more elections you have, the more complacent
people get. It loses its importance. I think we all agree that voter turnout is
very dismal, not only in the country, but certainly in Louisiana.”
Constant
voter numbers show 15 to 20 percent turnout.
In
other statistics, he said, Louisiana ranks fourth in the country where 85
percent of its voter population is registered.
“That’s
something I’m very proud of,” he said.
In
presidential elections, Louisiana ranked nine points higher in voter turnout,
which meant that 67 percent of Louisiana’s registered voters voted that day
(2008 Presidential Election). He said his office is anticipating that amount or
more, if early voting numbers are any indication. Early voting records in
Louisiana have set records, he said, showing that the first day of early voting
beat the first day of early voting in 2008 by 24 percent.
Schedler
started out in local politics as a zoning chairman in St. Tammany Parish, city
councilman for six years and was a senator for 12 years. Following that, he
became then-Secretary of State Jay Dardenne’s right-hand man for three years.
Once Dardenne was appointed to the Lieutenant Governorship, Schedler was
appointed to complete Dardenne’s term. Once he completed that, he ran for the
office and was elected as the current Secretary of State.
Fuller Center seeking volunteers
The
Fuller Center for Housing of Claiborne Parish is seeking volunteers to help
build and repair homes. The Fuller Center is also asking for monetary donations
to help eradicate poverty housing. Those interested in giving a helping hand
may get involved through their church, business owners or individually. For
anyone who would like to help, please contact Jeffrey Rhone at 318-927-1161 or
David Colbert, Family Resources, at 318-624-1698 or 318-225-2344. The Fuller
Center for Housing is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All donations are tax
deductible.
