Police jury makes policy changes

By Vershal Hogan (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Tuesday, March 9, 2010

VIDALIA — The Concordia Parish Police Jury, Monday, passed changes to its personnel policy and to the policy governing jury-appointed boards.

The personnel policy change states there will be no limitation on the accumulation of sick leave, but that employees hired after January 2007 will only be allowed to convert 90 days of sick leave at time of retirement.

Juror Whest Shirley, who is on the policy committee, said this change was made at the request of the state.

The other policy change was to require jury-appointed boards to furnish annual financial reports, furnish minutes of their meetings to the jury and have regularly set meetings that do not conflict with police jury meetings.

The policy change also requires that the boards supply the names of those they want appointed and re-appointed at least a month in advance, and that they post notice of any special meeting at their meeting site at least one day in advance.

Juror Willie Dunbar said he could live with all of the changes except for the one requiring an annual financial report.

Instead, he said he wanted boards to supply financial statements every six months.

“All our boards and everybody should have an audit report at the end of the year, but if we happen to have a problem in between there, in the six month financial report from the board, we have the opportunity to catch something that is not right or needed to be done,” Dunbar said.

Jury Secretary-Treasurer Hazel Dickson said that none of the boards currently do more than a yearly financial statement.

All jury-appointed boards are audited yearly.

The jury also voted to buy a crack sealer and a service truck to pull the sealer on state contract.

Because the items were state contract items, the jury did not have to advertise for bids, President Melvin Ferrington said.

The crack sealer costs approximately $56,000, and the service truck costs approximately $21,000.

“This is a machine that we very much need on our newly maintained roads,” Ferrington said. “It is something we are going to have to have if we are going to take care of our roads.”

In other news:

• The jury voted to advertise for statements of qualifications for an architect to design a new roof for the parish courthouse.

• The jury approved a payment of $34,982.52 to legal firm Davenport, Files and Kelly for services rendered.

• The jury approved a payment of $2,024 to Don L. Tolar for services rendered.

• The jury voted to approve room and mileage costs for the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office for prisoner pickup.

• Heather Urena of Kisatchie-Delta Regional Planning District appeared before the jury to discuss what the planning district is doing, and discussed possible grant opportunities the jury could pursue in connection with the parish health unit.