MONTEREY &045;&045; Cora Jean Reese wants to take her reputation as a caring, outspoken person to another level. Encouraged by friends and family, Reese is seeking the position of Concordia Parish police juror in District 5B, running against incumbent juror Tommy &uot;Red&uot; Tiffee, also of Monterey.

A beautician and a housewife, Reese, 49, is well known in the parish for her community involvement, particularly as a booster of Monterey schools and its athletic programs.

&uot;We talked about a need for someone to run in this race,&uot; Reese said, describing the support she received from those who urged her to get into the race. &uot;There are a few things in the lower end of the parish that no one has recognized in a long time.&uot;

Reese has ties to some of the best known families in the Monterey area. Her parents are the late Harvey Pecanty and Artie Book Pecanty.

She is married to John Larry Reese and is the mother of two daughters and grandmother of four.

&uot;I’m well known,&uot; she said. &uot;And people know I don’t mind telling what I think.&uot;

Her willingness to speak out and her knowledge of the area she would represent are strengths that give her confidence. &uot;And I think people asked me to do this because we need more women involved.&uot;

This is her first time to enter a political race, and Reese has no illusions about the ease with which she might serve on the police jury. &uot;I’ll just have to wait until I get in there and see,&uot; she said.

Meantime, however, she has identified several problems in the southern part of the parish, such as drainage and road issues.

&uot;I may not be able to do everything I want to do, but I’ll let it be known that these things haven’t been done,&uot; she said.

Reese wants to push for more funding for Riverland Medical Center, and she knows bringing more jobs and industry to the area is a priority.

Is a shortage of funds hindering progress the jury can make? She doesn’t know, she said. &uot;But I’ll have to ask those questions.&uot;

Known as a person who likes to help others, Reese likes to be involved and informed. &uot;Most people believe I’m a good person. But I don’t like to brag on myself,&uot; she said.

When families in the area have needs, she wants to be there to help. &uot;I try to help anyone I can.&uot;

That, she said, will be the same attitude she will take to the police jury.

Tommy &uot;Red&uot; Tiffee

Tommy &uot;Red&uot; Tiffee has projects to continue and work to complete for the people who live in his District 5B in Concordia Parish. The incumbent police juror said he has improved roads and drainage in the district but hopes to find money available to do much more.

&uot;I’ve been working with Bryant Hammett to get a grant to improve Boggy Bayou Road,&uot; he said, referring to the state legislator from Ferriday. &uot;Boggy Bayou Road is paved, but it’s rough, and it will take a lot of money.&uot;

A Monterey native, he is one of many in the Tiffee family living in the district. He is proud to be from Monterey and to have graduated from Monterey High School, he said.

Having served for eight years as police juror for the district, Tiffee, 51, believes people know he has the best interest of the parish at heart. &uot;The oil business is down, and the economy is bad all over the world,&uot; he said. We have to hang in there until it gets better. I’m just glad we’ve been able to keep our parish workers on the job.&uot;

Tiffee said he has worked hard for the parish, especially for the area he represents. Prior to becoming a police juror, he served on the Monterey Recreation Board.

&uot;If (I’m) elected again to the police jury, there are a lot of things going on that I want to finish. There is more paving and more ditching to do and more to do in the new part of our district from Deer Park to Shaw.&uot;

On the job, he knows the needs and frustrations of his constituents, he said. He shares their feelings. &uot;Things can’t happen all of a sudden. As a police juror, I think I’ve pleased the people pretty well,&uot; he said.

Tiffee works hard not only as a police juror but also as a farmer. Knowing the challenges of the people who depend on agriculture for a living helps him to work for the people he represents, he said.

He points to his experience not just as a member of the police jury but also his membership on key committees, such as public works, solid waste and personnel. &uot;And I’ve been vice president of the police jury for the past two years,&uot; he said.

Having the experience of serving as a police juror is a plus for him, he said. &uot;There is a lot more I want to do.&uot;