The Lincoln Parish Police Jury will meet Tuesday, June 13, Lincoln Parish Court House, 100 West Texas, third floor.
Here are the meeting times and agendas.
Parks, Recreation, and Tourism: 6:00 PM
Solid Waste and Recycling: 6:15 PM
Public Works: 6:30 PM
Police Jury: 7:00 PM
It was a lengthy agenda at last night’s meeting of the Lincoln Parish School Board, and it was made more so by numerous questions from the public and some board members about several issues.
Salary schedules got a bit of discussion, with some saying that more pay raises were needed.
One spectator noted, “My request to the board and the superintendent is find the money for the teachers. The (artificial) turf can only give us a win or a lose. But we do need teachers that are qualified in our school system to carry our kids to the next level.”
District One’s Danielle Williams suggested that paraprofessionals could become certified teachers with additional training, to which Superintendent Ricky Durrett agreed was a good idea.
See here the memo and summary of the salary schedule.
See here the complete schedule.
Earlier in the meeting, bids for replacing the artificial turf at Ruston High School’s football field were rejected. The bids were solicited in February, but it was decided in the meantime that another couple of years of service could be gotten from the existing turf.
A report on discipline issues also had a bit of discussion, with Williams asking the questions.
The same was the case for a report on the selection process for National Honor Society. Williams was insistent that the society’s procedure be followed as specified.
Also presented was the district’s monthly personnel report.
Some six miles of Ruston city streets will be resurfaced under a project approved at last night’s city council meeting.
Public Works Director John Freeman said the project would take about 120 calendar days.
Said Freemen, “The lowest responsive bidder was Diamond B Construction, LLC, out of Alexandria, LA in the amount of $3,647,295.”
He said some of the streets were near schools and would need to be gotten underway quickly so as to be complete before school starts later this year.
Edgewood Street resident Mary Moore spoke to the council regarding the condition of her street.
“My street is very narrow; I’ve addressed this several times with the council,” she said. “We have wash-aways… thankfully no bus has turned over. Cars cannot pass when any trucks on the street,” she added.
She said that after the gas company had put in new gas lines, that potholes had developed that were damaging cars.
Mayor Ronny Walker said he hoped that a $2 million block grant that has been applied for could be used for street work in that neighborhood.
The city’s annual audit was presented, with no issues reported.
The Lincoln Parish School Board will meet Tuesday, June 6, 6:00 PM, Central Office, 410 South Farmerville.
Here is the agenda.
Ruston’s Board of Aldermen will meet Monday, June 5, 5:30 PM, Ruston City Hall, 401 North Trenton.
See here the agenda.
With all of the precincts reporting for the Ruston School District No. 1, it appears the proposal to consolidate the district’s four elementary schools into two, and to sell $75 million of bonds to pay for new construction, was defeated by a margin of better than two to one, 70% no to 30% yes. Turnout was about 14%.
A proposal for new construction in Simsboro School District No. 3 passed by a 53/47 margin. That proposal will add an additional 5.75 mils to existing property tax bills.
Lincoln Parish Sheriff Stephen Williams was this week added as a defendant in the federal lawsuit alleging negligence in the death of a detention center inmate.
See here the amended complaint.
Demerious Jones died in September, 2021 while in custody of the Lincoln Parish Detention Center, partly as a result of diabetic keto acidosis. The suit alleges that detention center staff were deliberately indifferent to Jones’ medical condition, and contributed to his death.
The original lawsuit named two nurses, several deputies, and the detention center commission.
However, after receiving a copy of the cooperative endeavor agreement between the commission and the sheriff, plaintiff attorneys added Williams to the suit.
According to the agreement, “The SHERIFF agrees to provide for the basic routine health care needs of the Detention Center inmates, with all health care personnel responsible for dispensing medical services to inmates meeting all necessary certification and licensing requirements required by law.”
A three-person committee was last night tasked with negotiating a permanent agreement with the City of Ruston to house animals that are picked up in the parish. The action took place in the Public Works Committee meeting and was ratified by the full jury.
A temporary agreement now in place expires on May 30 of this year.
Appointed to the committee were Interim Parish Administrator Courtney Hall, and Jurors Theresa Wyatt and Glenn Scriber.
The committee authorized the parish road crew to assist, subject to availability, with street repair and ditch clean out for the City of Grambling and the Town of Dubach.
See here the requests.
The Solid Waste & Recycling Committee heard from Jon Fourrier, landfill engineering expert regarding the future of the parish’s landfill.
Currently, the parish operates a construction and demolition debris landfill only, with household municipal waste taken to the Union Parish landfill. The C&D landfill is almost full, so additional area will have to be developed.
The new area is north of the now-closed municipal waste area and to the west of the existing C&D area. It will cover about six acres.
The committee approved, and the full jury ratified proceeding with permitting applications for the new site.
Area groups that are opposed to the plan by the Lincoln Parish School District to close two schools and borrow $75 million for new construction met yesterday evening at Zion Hill Baptist Church in Ruston. About 50 people, including several local elected officials met to discuss voter outreach strategy for the upcoming April 29 election.
Among those attending were school board members David Ferguson, George Mack, Jr, and Danielle Williams. Police juror Sharyon Mayfield and Ruston City Council member Angela Mayfield.
Coalition Against School Closures Co-Chair Liz White recapped the events of the past two months, including the past three school board meetings where the issue was discussed.
Said White, “The way I see it, it’s asking us to pay to close our schools.”
She noted how the group got its start, after the February 7 school board vote to move forward on the plan.
Several attendees noted that taxes have become a burden, especially for the elderly. It was noted that even if you rent and own no property, you still pay property taxes, as the owner has to pass that cost along.
Mail-in ballots for the election have already been sent out, and early voting will be April 15-22, excluding Sunday, April 16. Early voting in person will be at the Lincoln Parish Registrar of Voters, Lincoln Parish Court House ground floor, 100 West Texas.
Several local pastors were in the audience, and were recognized.
The next meeting of the coalition will be Monday, April 17, 6:00, Lincoln Parish Library, 910 North Trenton.
The Lincoln Parish Police Jury and two of its committee’s will meet tomorrow (Tuesday, April 11) at the Lincoln Parish Court House, 100 West Texas Avenue, third floor.
Here are the agendas and meeting times:
Public Works Committee: 5:30 PM – agenda.
Solid Waste & Recycling Committee: 6:15 PM – agenda.
Police Jury: 7:00 PM – agenda.
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