Webster Parish Police Jury held its regular meeting on April 1 at the Webster Parish Courthouse Annex at 401 Main Street. All board members were present except for Beverly Kennon of District 9. All agenda items were approved unanimously.
Approved Agenda Items
The jury approved the following agenda items:
- Invoices for payment pending review by Juror Adam Lee on April 9, 2025.
- Adoption of minutes from the March 4, 2025, Road Committee Meeting, Finance Committee Meeting, and Regular Meeting.
- Board appointments for Doyline Waterworks District #1:
- Reappointment of Beth Walker to a four-year term expiring in April 2029.
- Appointment of Randall Hatfield and Travis Herren to a three-year term expiring in April 2028.
- Appointment of Mark Homan to a four-year term expiring in April 2029.
- Approval of a change of ownership for a High Alcohol Content Permit for Springhill Country Club 2025.
Committee Reports
HeadStart: Wanda Finley reported that state monitoring of the program is proceeding well.
Webster Parish Libraries: Director Savannah Jones reported the success of Read Across America and the coloring contest. The library is preparing for its summer Discovery Camp, which will feature four weeks of STEM programming. The library will participate in the upcoming Tartan Fest to sign up new library cardholders. Jones also noted that the Doyline library construction is ongoing. “We’re super excited. We’re working toward the move, and we’ve got a lot of hands on the ground making sure it’s a huge success,” said Jones. Additionally, librarian Shelley Masog received the Louisiana Library Association’s Public Librarian of the Year award.
Law Enforcement: Police Chief Jared McIver announced an upcoming church crisis development team event on Thursday at the Civic Center. “We just want to do something to help churches, whether they have a team in place or they need a place to start,” said McIver, encouraging attendees to RSVP.
Tourism: Johnnye Kennon reported on upcoming events, including:
- Tartan Day Proclamation reading at UnderDawgs on April 5.
- Love the Boot Week (April 5-9).
- Scottish Tartan Festival (April 12).
- 4th Annual Pro/Am Archery Competition (April 24-27).
- 23rd Annual Burn Run (April 25-26).
- Highway 80 Sale (April 26-27).
- Trails & Trellises Garden Tour (April 26).
LSU Ag Center & 4-H: Shakera Williams reported on upcoming 4-H events:
- 4-H Fun Day at Minden REC (May 2).
- Summer Camp (June 9-12), with remaining spots available for boys and a need for a male chaperone.
- 4-H University (June 16-20).
- Bring Your Own Chair Outreach (April 11).
- Open recruitment for the Master Gardener class.
Emergency Preparedness: Director Brian Williams reported plans to purchase a new weather station for the courthouse to assist 911 with weather monitoring. The department is also working on securing FEMA generators and replacing the 1969-built generator for the courthouse annex, estimated to cost $150,000 if FEMA funding is unavailable. He also highlighted a recent university bus breakdown on I-20, emphasizing the effectiveness of preparedness plans. “We have a plan for all these different types of incidents, and this just shows that the planning and collaboration makes everything go well,” Williams said.
911 Dispatch: Angie Chapman announced that the second week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and encouraged public recognition for dispatchers. “Let them know they’re doing a great job, because a lot of work happens behind the scenes so that the field responders can get out there,” she said.
Dorcheat Museum: Director Jessica Gorman reported that the museum’s newest book, Historically Speaking Part III, is now available. The next Night at the Museum will feature Gorman discussing a 193-year-old letter and its unexpected personal connection. The museum also received a $5,000 Louisiana Culture Care grant, and the museum plans to start working on a long-anticipated expansion. “I wasn’t really expecting that to be on our plate this year, but some things started lining up, so we’re going to go for it,” Gorman said.
The Webster Parish Police Jury meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:30 AM. The public is encouraged to attend. A livestream of the meeting is available at www.websterparishla.org.