It is not uncommon for a board of an organization to talk about wanting to do something for their constituents but often times that is the only thing that comes out of it – a lot of talk. You can’t say that about the Jackson Parish Recreation Board (JPRB). They have put their money where their mouth is.
At the regularly scheduled August meeting of the JPRB held at the Charles H. Garrett Community Center board members Brent Barnett, Ricky Cash, Jeff Hairston, Sullivan Stevens and Chris Womack agreed to spend over $280,000.00 that will greatly benefit a wide variety of Recreation Department users. Brandon Lamkin and Rodney Potts were absent.
The largest part of the expenditure was $176,000.00 paid to Weyerhaueser for 80 acres of land that sits adjacent to the Jackson Parish Golf Course which Recreation Department Director Tommy Smith hopes will bring to fruition a dream of his since his department took over the golf course several years ago.
“The hope is that with the extra land we will be able to have a full 18-hole golf course for our parish residents,” said Smith. “We already have one of the best 9-hole layouts you can find but this would put us on a new level.”
The second expenditure was the awarding of a construction contract in the amount of $104,200.00 to Dodson Enterprises of Jonesboro for the building of a permanent concession building on the south end of the Baseball/Softball Complex.
“This helps us to complete the original plans we had for out baseball/softball complex,” furthered Smith. “Now all of our fields will have the benefit of a true concession building like the one we have at the front of the complex.”
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at noon on Monday, September 21st at the Charles H. Garrett Community Center.