Avoyelles Police Jury will focus on 'building trust’ in 2020

If there is one “resolution” for the new year from the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury, it is to increase the level of trust among the jurors and between the Police Jury and the public, Police Jury President Kirby Roy said in an end-of-year email to his colleagues.

“Trust plays a major part in accomplishing goals, getting along and moving forward,” Roy said.

Sometimes trust is hard to achieve because “we try planning for something that does not work out or it takes forever to get done,” he continued. Some constituents just get angry and want to argue about the issue, but “most will listen and try to understand.”

Roy said “lack of trust” is one reason why voters have rejected recent requests for new taxes.

As important as building trust with the public is the need for jurors to trust each other, Roy noted.

“We all have something to offer that will make a difference, no matter how small,” he said. “We all became police
jurors for different reasons.  The main reason should be to improve our district as well as our parish.  It's all about service.”

Roy said respecting fellow jurors is of the utmost importance to ensure success.

“Sure there will be arguments and sometimes strong remarks,” he said. “The bottom line, I respect and trust each of you and together, we can move forward and accomplish many goals.”

Among major initiatives expected to demand Police Jury attention is the statewide watershed project. The parish is working in two watershed districts, one to the
north and one to the south.

Jim Landry, the parish’s representative on the south district, said there is interest in removing or repairing the Bayou Des Glaises control structure to move e water from the bayou into the Atchafalaya River.

Parish road improvements are also high on the priority list for 2020.