COVID claims two Avoyelles Parish projects

Police Jury postpones Parish Barn, 'One Stop' projects

COVID claimed two more victims this month, but missed a third when the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury discussed several projects in the parish's future.

As previously announced, the Police Jury put its improvements at the Parish Barn and solid waste yard on hold until the economic effects of the state's anti-COVID orders are determined.

Police Jury President Kirby Roy said fears are that sales tax revenue will take a significant hit. While most of the parish's programs rely more on property taxes, the parishwide solid waste program is funded with a 3/4-cent sales tax. The other 1/4-cent of that penny supports parishwide road maintenance and improvement.

The Solid Waste Fund has built up a healthy surplus over the past few decades when the amount collected exceeded the amount needed for the collection/disposal contract. That has changed, with the amount generated by the sales tax barely covering the current costs and projections calling for a hefty increase in the price when the contract comes up for renewal in a few years.

The improvement at the Parish Barn will be funded with part of that surplus. If sales taxes take a big dip, the surplus would be needed to cover current operating costs.

Roy said the jury wants to "play it safe" at this point and see how much, if any, of the surplus will need to be committed to pay for the parishwide program this year.

'ONE STOP' STOPPED
The other victim was the Parish Services Building, nicknamed the One Stop Shop, which will house the parish Permit Office and other parish agencies that would be displaced when -- or if -- the Police Jury remodels the courthouse to upgrade the courtrooms and judges' offices and add more public restrooms to the 93-year-old courthouse.

The jury decided at its May 12 meeting to also postpone purchasing a building for that purpose until more is known about the economic impact. This project was to be funded out of proceeds from the Permit
Office, and not a tax, but those funds could be needed elsewhere if the economy does not bounce back as robustly or as quickly as is hoped.

It was emphasized that both of those projects -- One Stop Shop and Parish Maintenance Barn/Yard -- are still approved and will eventually move forward.

The third would-be victim was efforts to secure a third judge for the 12th Judicial District.

Although a third judge would bring additional costs -- including the need for a third courtroom and a third judge's office -- the jury endorsed a resolution supporting the creation of another judgeship.

The Police Jury's support is just the first step in a process that will involve the State Supreme Court and Legislature before voters will have the opportunity to elect a third judge to sit on an Avoyelles Parish bench.

ASSESSOR UP & RUNNING

Although the One Stop Shop was sidelined, the Police Jury was notified that Assessor Heath Pastor is in temporary quarters and is up and running after a small fire in his courthouse office.

The assessor is renting the former Red River Grill, which is located on Courthouse Square, for a few months while his 2nd Floor office is repaired.

Roy said clean-up and repairs are going well. There is no lingering smoke smell or damage elsewhere in the courthouse, he said.

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