Avoyelles Clerk of Court seeking to buy second archive building

As time marches on, it still leaves a trail of paper -- even in the age of computers.

Clerk of Court Connie Couvillon said she is seeking to purchase a building near the courthouse to provide more room for archiving public records.

Since the Clerk of Court is prohibited from owning property, the building will have to be in the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury’s name. Couvillon said her office will give the Police Jury the money to purchase the property.

She said the state requires legal records to be archived in two ways.

“It used to be by paper and by microfiche,” she said. “Now the state requires paper documentation and scanned images.”

Couvillon did not reveal either the anticipated cost of the purchase nor the building being considered.

“We are still in negotiations,” she noted.

The parish currently has a 4,000 sq. ft. archive building that is almost at capacity.

Couvillon said it is virtually impossible to obtain permission to destroy records, and she personally believes original documents should not be destroyed.

In another matter, the Police Jury adopted several resolutions related to Torrent Oil Company’s proposal to replace the Woodside Bridge over Turner Bayou.

The oil exploration company will replace the current bridge with one able to hold the weight of its drilling equipment. Upon completion, the new bridge will be donated back to the parish.

Police Jury President Charles Jones said the construction has to be overseen by Pan-American Engineers, the parish engineering firm, and inspected by Huval & Associates, the company contracted to inspect and certify parish bridges.

All costs of the project will be paid by Torrent.

In another item that didn’t cost the Police Jury anything, Jones paid for three framed certificates to recognize “the outstanding efforts by our leadership team.”

Certificates were given to Civil Works Director Kevin Bordelon, Secretary/Treasurer Jamey Wiley and Emergency Preparedness Director Joey Frank.

Jones said he hopes department heads will keep the program going by nominating employees in their departments for special recognition in a quarterly awards program.

In other business, the Police Jury:
-- Adopted a policy for disposing of surplus immovable property.
-- Was told the Avoyelles Council on Aging served 5,230 meals in its senior centers and 6,342 homebound meals in May.
-- Was told the parish Veterans Affairs Office served 376 veterans in May.
-- Tentatively scheduled a mid-year budget review meeting for 9 a.m. July 3.