If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! The age old adage was put to use on Monday evening when Ricky Cash and Brandon Lamkin were voted in again as President and Vice-President of the Jackson Parish Recration Board for 2023. The unanimouos decison by board members, Cash, Lamkin, Jeff Hairston, Brent Barnett, Rod Potts, Sully Stevens and Chris Womack took place at the inaugural regulary scheduled meeting of 2023 that was held in the Banquet Room of the JP Golf Course Building on Monday.
In additional action, Womack was selected as Chairman opf the Finance Committee along with members Potts and Lamkin while Hairston was named Chairman of the Personnel Committee joining Cash and Stevens on the panel.
The session started with Jackson Parish Watershed Commission President Kent Hightower and Vice President Gary Joyner thanking the Rec Board for agreeing to sign a cooperative endeavor agreementthat provided $12,000.00 to offset costs of maintenance and possible projects.
Paul Riley of Riley Company in Ruston was next to address the panel where he provided plans and expected costs for an Open Air Pavillion to be constructed at the Jackson Parish Sports Complex. The Pavillion, which has been in the works for nearly a decade, is expected to be 150′ x 300′ with 40′ x 60′ extension along one side and cost an estimated $1.6 million dollars. After discussion it was decided to hire Riley Company to draft and design the building and to contract attorney Steven Gatlin to do research on the bond’s required.
Steven Brown Dirtworks was also approved to start clearing and grading the roughly 15 acres that is estmated to be needed to construct a new driving range that will increase the capacity of five to six at a time to 25-30. Director Tommy Smith then informed the board of the damage done by the tornado at the Sports Complex indetifying two metal building that were overturned, backstop fencing and poles damage on Field 5 and several trees downed on the complex grounds.
The meeting adjourned after the next scheduled session was set for 6:00pm on February 20th in the meeting room of the Recreation Department Sports Complex Administrative Bulding located at 5254 Hwy 4 in Jonesboro.
