The Lincoln Parish Police Jury last night voted unanimously to proceed with borrowing $1.5 million to purchase the old County Market building across the street from the Court House. Lincoln Parish News Online had reported on the plan earlier.
District Nine Juror Joe Henderson asked how the loan would be repaid if any of the present tenants did not renew their leases. District Eight Juror and President Skip Russell replied that the leases all had nearly five years to run and would likely be renewed after that.
At this point “Thirteenth Juror” and Legal Counsel Andy Shealy spoke up and lectured the members that it was amazing that such a good deal as this was being questioned. It would make money for the Police Jury, he said, and would be available if ever future plans called for more space to house more employees.
No one spoke up to question whether it was the role of government to become landlords and compete with the private sector.
The Jury’s Finance Committee heard requests from agencies wanting money for their groups.
UPDATE: 5:35 pm
Laura Bond’s story in The Ruston Daily Leader.
Lincoln Parish News Online 
09/09/2009 at 8:10 am |
Who is the owner of record of this building?
I do agree: the central question here is: is this a proper function of government? I think not. Just because you (a) can do it; and (b) it is a “good deal”, does not make it right.
This property will come off the tax rolls, which increases the cost, both to the jury and to all other local governmental organizations which depend on property tax revenue. The contents of the businesses will still be subject to ad valorem tax I suppose.
09/09/2009 at 8:15 am |
I do not know who owns the building. I have some other inquiries on another issue that I need to make at the Police Jury so I will ask that question, too.
But in about a week or so, you and I and the rest of the Taxpayers of Lincoln Parish will be the owners.
And that’s a fact.
09/09/2009 at 11:23 am |
Just proves my point that the way to control government, like teenagers, is to keep the money tight. Vote enough taxes down that they really start paying attention to what they do and how it looks to voters, and we will get more efficient government. I still cvan’t believe there was not a citizen’s uprising over the 2+ million dollar Visitors’ Bureau building: a complete waste of money, not to mention the salaries, benefits, and operating andmaintenance costs.
09/23/2009 at 11:59 am |
[…] Market Building Purchase By Walter Abbott A couple of weeks ago, a reader asked from whom the Taxpayers of Lincoln Parish purchased the old County Market Building. […]
02/10/2010 at 1:40 pm |
[…] $15 thousand now collected. Other tenants include Dollar General and Fashion Trend. When the Jury bought the building last year for $1.45 million, it borrowed the money and planned to use rent income to pay the note. […]
02/18/2010 at 2:26 pm |
[…] short of the amount required to make the yearly payment for the bonds issued when the building was bought last year for $1.45 […]
09/26/2020 at 2:14 am |
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Lincoln Police Jury Still Drunk | Lincoln Parish News Online