School Board, Police Jury elect officers

While the nine-member School Board made it clear it was heading in a new direction with seven new members, the Police Jury sent a message that it was staying the course as both parish elected bodies chose new officers for 2019 at their meetings on Jan. 8.

The School Board meeting was moved to this past Tuesday because its regular meeting date fell on Jan. 1. It was the Police Jury’s regular meeting date.

Lynn Deloach was elected as president of the School Board with Robin Moreau elected vice president, both by unanimous vote. Deloach embodies both experience and a new direction, having served on the board before and returning in the recent election that resulted in seven new board members.

The only members from the previous board are Chris LaCour and Van Kojis, who were both re-elected without opposition.

Deloach called that event “an election like no other” and promised to lead the board in a spirit of unity to move the school district forward.

POLICE JURY

An hour later, just a short distance away from the board’s meeting room on Tunica Drive, the Police Jury decided to stick with the leadership team of Charles Jones and Kirby Roy -- a tandem sometimes called “Chirby” -- as president and vice president, respectively.

Jones rolled out a somewhat lengthy list of proposed initiatives for the coming year.

That includes replacing five aging timber bridges under the state’s federally funded Off-System Bridge Replacement program; continuing with the state capital outlay projects for parish roads and the Council on Aging; proceeding with library system expansion and improvements in Mansura, Effie, Cottonport, Simmesport and Bunkie; working to establish a part-time parish health unit in Simmesport; updating the parishwide road priority list; considering the creation of a “one-stop shop” for the building permit process, to be located in a separate building; and revisiting the adoption of a heavy-hauler ordinance to protect parish roads from damage by heavy trucks and equipment.

Jones also said a solid waste strategic plan will be presented to the jury in the near future.

That plan will look at possible options for addressing future solid waste collection and disposal costs in light of anticipated cost increases that will exceed available tax revenue to support the program.

Jones said he has received a letter from Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser noting the state has acquired the services of a grant consultant to search for federal grants for local governments’ projects.

Jones said he is compiling a list of possible projects to submit to the grant consultant.

“Most are drainage projects,” he said, adding that new construction and remodeling projects could also qualify.