Road improvements were the main focus of the Jackson Parish Police Jury which held its inaugural meeting of 2023 on Tuesday at the Charles H. Garrett Community Center in Jonesboro. Also of interest was an exciting report from Jackson Parish Hospital CEO John Morgan who opened the session by presenting a rendering and details about a planned renovation and addition to the emergency room as well as other improvements that will be done. 

Jury members Lewis Chatham, Amy Magee, John McCarty, Tarneshala “Niki” Cowans, Regina Rowe, and President Todd Culpepper then moved forward with the approval of several road-related items including:
1. Approving the 2023 Revised Asphalt Maintenance Plan
2. Approving the Annual Road Capital Improvements Policy and Priority Lists
3. Approving the improvement of approaches for two railroad crossings on Red Stewart Loop at a cost of $15,900.00
4. Approving Edko’s proposal totaling $79,248 for roadside spraying of parish roads. 
5. Approving the purchase of a new excavator on State Contract for $189,200.00

Following reports by the head of Operations, Road and Solid Waste Departments the financial and engineering report was presented. 

The adoption of a resolution authorizing the 2023 President and Vice President signatures to be added to the signature cards for bank accounts at Jonesboro State Bank and as co-signatures with the Payroll and Accounts Payable Clerks in the
absence of the Secretary-Treasurer followed.

Allowing the Administrative Office to approve the use of the Community Center, hiring HGA for storm damage reimbursement assistance, and acting on complying with assurances for the Uniform Relocation Assistance &
Real Property Acquisition Act then took place. The session ended following the acceptance of the resignation of a Road Department Mechanic and agreement to consider the thset-uporary setup pay for the Maintenance Supervisor position for 60 days pending approval of the Personnel Committee and after being brought back to the Police Jury as a whole to vote on.