Last year’s FY 2012-2013 budget allocated $30 thousand total for council salaries, while the new budget calls for $36 thousand. That amounts to a total $1,200 yearly raise for each alderman, or from $500/month to $600/month.

A separate ordinance must be introduced and passed by the board to enact the raise.

Also included in the budget for next year is $180 thousand for the Jonesboro Police Department, which will only fund perhaps two personnel in addition to Chief Wesley Horton. Two years ago, the department’s yearly budget was near $800 thousand.

A public hearing on the proposed budget is set for Tuesday, June 25, 5:30 PM, W. Richard Zuber City Hall, 128 Allen Avenue.

We will have a complete report tomorrow on today’s meeting.

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Here is the agenda.

An ordinance creating a road lighting district was enacted, along with routine approval for several invoices and payments.

Drainage issues have had their share of attention lately, and they were again mentioned last night.

Police Jury President Shane Smiley (District E) said that a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to fund a drainage project for the Town & Country area had been denied. Smiley said that FEMA originally said they would fund the project, and a resolution was passed asking them to reconsider their denial.

Also on the subject of drainage, jury attorney Jay Mitchell reported on the Ouachita RV Park flooding issue that had been discussed at the 4/15/13 meeting of the jury.

Mitchell noted that the City of Monroe was also having drainage issues north of the interstate, and that some work in the area by the railroad may be related.

Said Mitchell, “We’re working on trying to get to the possible reason why all of a sudden these areas south of the interstate that claim to have never had flood problems before, all of a sudden are.”

Ouachita Parish Fire Chief Pat Hemphill reported that he and his staff were completing work on a policy manual for the department, and would be submitting it to the jury for review.

Willie Joseph was arrested last August after an incident that occurred at a Board of Aldermen meeting at W. Richard Zuber City Hall in Jonesboro.

Wrote Teat in his Reasons for Judgement:

It is this Court’s opinion that when you take into consideration the totality of the testimony, defense exhibit D-1, and State exhibit S-1, it is clear that the State of Louisiana has carried its burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and therefore the Defendant is found guilty of simple battery.

Also notable is the implication that two of the defense witnesses may have testified falsely for the defense.

Again, if you concentrate on the video (DVD) that the defendant introduced into evidence it clearly shows that Mrs. (Janice) Simmons could not have seen or heard anything that happened because she was not where she’s testified she was because she was still either in her chair in the meeting room or still in the meeting room, this Court has already referred to, at least six minutes after the incident occurred.

As to the testimony of Franciscus Jackson he also testified under oath that he immediately after the meeting walked out into the hallway by the water fountain and testified that at that time he saw Willie Joseph in the hallway next to the water fountain right in his proximity. (See lines four through ten). He also continued in his testimony to indicate that if anything would have happened next to the water fountain as alleged he would’ve saw it and as a matter of fact testified under oath that he never saw it. If you again clearly look at the video (DVD) that was introduced by the defendant at approximately 1:46:31 of the video (DVD) it shows Franciscus Jackson appear from the bottom right corner of the video (DVD) which clearly indicates he had not ever left the meeting room after the meeting was over which is totally contrary to his testimony under oath.

If you review the testimony of Janice Simmons and Franciscus Jackson it is clear that nothing they testified to is corroborated by either the video (DVD) and/or the CD.

The video was introduced into evidence by the defense, while the audio was introduced by the prosecution.

See here the document.

Prosecuting the case was Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Durrett. Monroe attorney Louis Scott defended.

Media Contact: Kip Franklin
(318) 513-6200
kfranklin@lincolnparish.org

Lincoln Parish, Severe Weather Awareness

The potential for severe weather for Tuesday to early Wednesday morning may expand eastward to include the northwest and north central portions of Louisiana. In addition to hail, damaging winds and tornados the threat of flash flooding will be a concern with any high precipitation supercells or multi-cell storms forming in lines. Any tornadoes that may develop may be rain wrapped making them hard to spot during daylight hours.

The National Weather Service, Shreveport has a special webinar scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10 am. Local officials will tune in to the webinar to stay advised of the severe weather threats and parish residents are urged to tune in to local media venues for updates in weather conditions. For Ruston area residents, please heed the warning to seek shelter indoors should the City of Ruston Outdoor Warning System be activated. Lincoln Parish has also implemented the Alert FM system for severe weather and local emergency notification. Residents may purchase an Alert FM receiver at Hi-Tech Computers at 715 West California Ave. or download the Alert FM App. It is available for both Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod) and Google Android devices. The App can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes (http://imap.tv/2k) or Google Play (http://imap.tv/fmgp) stores. In-App purchases are optional for both versions.

See here the agenda.

Police budget hearing May 16
Chief Mills confronts Homer mayor about budget, hiring issues

(Homer, LA) Guardian-Journal – 5/9/13

Councilwoman, Homer police chief hit standoff regarding records request
Questions arise regarding town’s healthcare coverage
Public records requests for water bill adjustments received

District B’s Renee Stringer renewed her objections to contracting with Walker & Co. until he fulfilled his contract for last year’s review. Stringer said part of the contract required him to appear before the council and answer questions, which he has not done. Stringer noted that the council previously voted unanimously to require Walker to appear, and that no future contract with him be agreed to until he fulfilled his part of the prior agreement.

The council tabled the item, but then realized that if they did not engage an auditor, then the Gate City agreement they were about to discuss could not be approved. One of the requirements of that agreement was that an auditor sign off on the project from time to time.

With that, the council reversed itself and approved hiring Walker, with the provision that Walker report to the council on last year’s report. Stringer voted no.

The Gate City Sewer District Chair Christina Hodnett and Jackson Parish Police Juror Lynn Treadway (Ward 7) were on hand for the discussion on the sewer project and answered several questions about the project.

Stringer again pointed out that in her view the grant to fund the project would not be legal, since the town was on the Legislative Auditor’s non-compliance list, and that she could not vote for it.

Then came a slip of the tongue from town attorney Doug Stokes that may have revealed how the law was skirted. It was in response to a question to him about how he thought the agreement.

Said Stokes, “Instead of the town getting the (grant) money (to fund the project), the bank gets the money. Now, that may be the fig – and I don’t use the word fig leaf – that may be the thing that gets it out of the town being on the noncompliance list. It basically puts the bank in the position of handling the money.”

After a bit more discussion, the council voted to approve the agreement, with Stringer voting no.

In other business during the regular meeting, the council approved the budget ordinance (#714) that was re-amended at the last minute. The vote was 3-1-1, with Stringer voting no and District A’s Sam Lamkin abstaining.

There was also a good bit of discussion about potentially vicious dogs. A resident in Lamkin’s district suggested that some pit bulls that were kept on chains should actually be inside a penned enclosure, due to their aggressive behavior toward passers-by.

The council agreed to further discuss the issue in future meetings.

A jury has convicted Arthur Gilmore convicted of racketeering, but found him not guilty of extortion.

Gilmore convicted on racketeering charges

MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) – Former Monroe city councilman Arthur Gilmore has been found guilty of racketeering. He was also found not guilty on a charge of extortion.

Gilmore could be facing up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for September 26th.

Sheriff John Ballance says its investigation was prompted by the findings by state auditors that records were missing. The warrant came after the town allegedly failed to turn over the requested records. “We decided the best way to get all the records we needed was to get a search warrant on city hall this morning,” said Ballance.

Ballance says that thousands of dollars are missing from the town’s coffers, and that the town owes the IRS $80,000.00 in payroll and other taxes. Ballance says money was taken out of employee paychecks but never made it to their destination.

Mayor Pro Tem and Alderman Marketris Jones claims the financial problems began when Odell Key took office again in 2011. “Mayor Key to me doesn’t have any respect for the law, one thing he likes to say it’s his way or no way,” said Jones and adds around 2011, the alderman began noticing unexplainable large cash transfers from the town account.

Jones notified authorities, leading to several investigations. “Yes I do think there is a mis-use of public funds,” said Jones. But with no paper trail, investigators say it’s difficult to find where the missing money went. But Sheriff Ballance is determined to find answers. “We’ve got people on one side saying, and people on the other side saying another thing. somewhere in the middle we hope we are going to get the truth.”

Bienville deputies raid Gibsland Town Hall

GIBSLAND — Mayor Odell Key threatened in a recent letter to state officials to close the doors to Town Hall. Wednesday, he got his wish. But it wasn’t at his direction.

Complaints against the town’s operations are numerous, with alleged violations outlined by the state Legislative Auditor’s office in a report issued in February. Also concerning to Ballance are recent federal tax liens totaling more than $80,000.

“If the money was taken out of the employees’ checks, where did it go?” he asked. “You’ve got to give it to the proper agencies, and they don’t have it.”

The town also has more than $55,000 on the books from unpaid utility bills. Aldermen last year established a policy to stop cash payments of bills. However, it has continued.