VIDALIA — The Concordia Parish Police Jury made several hiring decisions Monday in its last meeting of 2017.

Jury members voted unanimously to reappoint Dorothy Dew and Dempsey Hillen to the Concordia Parish Fire District No. 2 Board of Commissioners.

For Lake St. John Water Works District 1, jury members voted to appoint Micki Smith as a board member, per a request by the current board.

The Concordia Parish Library’s request to appoint Jill Bairnsfather Britt to the library board for a five-year term was also unanimously approved.

The terms for five of the seven board members for Concordia Parish Recreation District No. 3 were set to expire at one time, Police Jury President Jimmy Wilkinson said.

Ward 2 Juror Willie J. Dunbar suggested the board stagger the term expiration of each member so that the board retains continuity through the passing of leadership.

Those five positions were set to expire on Dec. 31, 2019, and Secretary Treasure Sandi T. Burley said the jury cannot shorten any board member’s current term.

Instead, the jury voted to lengthen some terms in order to stagger the board member’s exits.

Jurors placed the names of each board member in a plastic coffee cup and drew them out one-by-one to see whose term would remain the same and whose would be lengthened.

The terms of Greg Young, Chairman James Thomas and Willie Fred Marsalis will end as planned in two years on Dec. 31, 2019.

Jackie Johnston’s term will end in three years, on Dec. 31, 2020.

Frank E. Duson Jr. and Glen M. Perilloux’s terms will expire in four years, on Dec. 31, 2021.

The final position, which is currently being held by Wesley McCarver, an interim board member, will also expire in four years.

The jury also voted to suspend two positions, that of the sewage guard and the drainage guard. Wilkinson said these guards escort inmates who pick up trash on roadsides.

Wilkinson said the position will be suspended for six months as the new trash service with Metro begins in January.

“It’s suspended,” Wilkinson said. “Not ended. We just want to see if that position is still necessary.”

Wilkinson said if, at the end of six months, the jury decided those two positions are necessary, jurors have the option to take the jobs off suspension.