VIDALIA, La. – With Monday night’s meeting, Fred Falkenheiner said farewell to the Concordia Parish Police Jury, an institution he has been a part of for 30 years.

Falkenheiner decided not to run for another term in October of this year due to health problems, including a recent bout with cancer. In January, Randy Temple will be sworn in to fill the District 3, Place A jury seat.

&uot;We get a salary — we don’t do this for free,&uot;&160;Falkenheiner, who has served as the jury’s president for 12 years, told fellow jurors before a packed room. &uot;But the real award is what you can get accomplished.&uot;

He added that it has been a pleasure to work with the jury and its staff.

And the feeling is mutual, because jurors presented Falkenheiner with a plaque for his years of service.

&uot;Tonight, we give honor to a person who well deserves it,&uot;&160;said longtime Juror Carey Cook, who handed the plaque to Falkenheiner.

Jurors also presented a plaque to District 2 Juror Fred Marsalis, who lost the November runoff election to Willie J. Dunbar after serving for four years.

&uot;It was not a good year for Freds,&uot;&160;Marsalis joked. Marsalis and Falkenheiner were the only members to leave the jury in this election.

While Falkenheiner was touched by all the attention he received midway through the meeting — and at the end, with a small farewell party — he didn’t forget why he was there in the first place. With purchase orders, employee insurance and occupational licenses left on the jury’s two-hour agenda, there was only one thing he could say.

&uot;Thanks for the recognition,&uot;&160;he said, &uot;and now let’s move on so we can get out of here.&uot;