Avoyelles Police Jury hires civil works director

Believing that a new administrator will improve efficiency and the overall operation of the parish maintenance program, the Avoyelles Police Jury hired a civil works director at a special meeting on Dec. 20.
After interviewing the six applicants, Kevin Bordelon of Fifth Ward was selected for the position which pays $60,000.
“As always, when you have limited resources, you have to efficiently manage those resources and personnel,” Police Jury President Charles Jones said.
“This is a new position and an additional salary, but jurors felt this is something we needed to invest in and that it will be money well spent.”
Jury Vice President Kirby Roy said he was pleased with the applicants for the position. All of them were impressive and would have done a good job for the parish, he added.
Jones said Bordelon “brings a full slate of experience and expertise to the job.”
Bordelon has been a member of the Avoyelles Parish Planning Commission for six years and was the owner of Specialty Services in Marksville for 20 years.
He has been a supervisor with Progressive Construction Co. since the Alexandria contractor bought Specialty Services in 2005.
Bordelon said he will resign his position on the Planning Commission, but he will serve as an advisor and liaison between the jury and commission.
“There is a lot to go over,” Bordelon said. “I will have to look at the budget, personnel and equipment.”
He said he will start the new position around Feb. 1.
“I have some projects with Progressive that I have to finish before I start the job with the parish.”
He will be meeting with jurors and employees in early January to go over information and discuss issues in the department.
Bordelon said he is familiar with the parish and the police jury’s maintenance needs. He is also familiar with the planning ordinances because he helped write many of those adopted or amended over the past six years.
Jones said the intent of creating the civil works director position was to improve management and planning in the parish’s maintenance operations.
The director will focus on administrative tasks.
Under the previous system, the parish superintendent was the administrator but also worked in the field on projects.