Oh what a difference a week can make. On the brink of having an election called, tensions have eased considerably after months of speculation about the Jackson Parish Library losing some of their funds to the Solid Waste Department. As it turns out there won’t be any need. After gaining clarification during a trip to Washington D.C., Jackson Parish Police Jury (JPPJ) President, Amy Magee, stated to board members this past Monday that ARPA funds could be allocated for use.
“I am pleased to announce that there will be no further need to discuss calling for an election,” said Magee. “We have now learned that the ARPA money can be allocated to the General Fund, which would allow us to use the funds to help with the Solid Waste Department needs.”
JPPJ Finance Committee Chairperson Tarneshala “Niki” Cowans echoed the information as well as provided additional good news to the Library during her report about ad valorem tax millage rates.
“No election is needed now as we realize that the Solid Waste Department won’t be needing any of the Library’s excess funds,” said Cowans. “Furthermore it has been decided to leave the Library’s millage the same for the upcoming year.”
Although the information provided will not be made official until the regular scheduled session of the JPPJ that is to be held Monday evening, Jackson Parish Library Director Floyd Knox welcomed the news.
“I am very happy that it looks like things have worked out the way they have,” said Knox. “I will be even more pleased once it becomes official that our funds are safe. It has been hard on all of us the last couple of months not knowing what the future held.”
Additional discussion centered on whether or not to suspend activities at the Hwy 148 bin site and should be the Solid Waste Department concentrate on building one “mega” bin site or construct several smaller ones that would have gravel bases instead of concrete ones. Also to be considered is whether or not to reduce the Museum Board from ten members to seven and to change the polling location in Hodge.
See the full agenda below that has been submitted for the August 9th session that will take place at 5:30pm at the Charles H. Garrett Community Center. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance, please contact Gina Thomas at (318) 259-2361, extension 203 describing the assistance that is necessary.
AGENDA:
Call to Order
Invocation & Pledge of Allegiance
Public Comments
1. Presentation on Adopt a Road: Mr. Jeff Hairston
Approve Minutes
2. Adopt the minutes of the July 13th and 27th Meetings, monthly purchase orders, and the payment of all bills
Approve Committee Reports:
Grants Committee
3. Adopt the minutes of the July 21st Grant Committee meeting
Finance Committee
4. Adopt the minutes of the July 21st Finance Committee meeting
5. Consider and act on a resolution to adopt the 2021 ad valorem tax millage rates (roll call vote)
6. Consider and act on Q2 budget amendments
Operations Committee
7. Adopt the minutes of the July 20th Operations Committee meeting
8. Consider and act on recommendation to temporarily suspend the activities on the Hwy 148 bin site, pending the review of ARP grant funding
9. Consider and act on recommendation to authorize an appraisal on the timber and land for the landfill expansion
Policy & Personnel Committee
10. Adopt the minutes of the July 23rd Policy & Personnel Committee meeting
11. Consider and act on the recommendation to publish the Code of Ordinances as-is through Municode with the understanding that the Police Jury will need to review and update, by ordinance, the provisions to conform to present practices, regulations, and rules and to conform to the applicable state laws
Management Reports
12. Road Superintendent Report – Mr. Jody Stuckey
a. Accept the Emergency/Off-Schedule Report
13. Solid Waste Superintendent Report – Mr. Robin Sessions
14. Financial Report – Ms. Gina Thomas (report includes budget to actual comparisons for all funds)
Other Business
15. Engineering Report – Mr. Paul Riley, The Riley Co. of Louisiana
16. Consider and act on Parish Board Appointments
a. Appoint Tracy Rushing to the District 4 Fire Board for a 2-year term ending 12/31/2022
17. Consider and act on introducing Ordinance 01-0913-2021 to amend Ordinance 03-0409-2007 to reduce the number of Directors for the Jackson Parish Heritage Museum Board to 7 members
18. Consider and adopt Ordinance 01-0809-2021 to change the polling location for voting precincts 17, 17A, and 18 from the Hodge Annex Building to Hodge Town Hall
19. Consider and act on authorizing the President to execute a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Office of Veterans Affairs
Announcements & Notifications
Juror Comments
Adjourn
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