Guilty
Donte Fielding convicted in Butch Bays’
murder
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
One of
two charged in the murder of the late Brian G. “Butch” Bays has been found
guilty of second degree murder.
Donte
Fielding, 21, of Haynesville, was convicted in Bienville Parish and will likely
spend the rest of his natural life in prison without the possibility of
probation, parole or otherwise.
Sentencing
has been set for February 7, 2013, in Bienville Parish. Once he is sentenced,
he will be assigned to a state prison somewhere within the state of Louisiana.
Assistant
District Attorney Danny Newell, lead prosecutor in the case, said he was
pleased with the outcome of the trial, saying justice had been served.
“We
were pleased,” Newell said. “It was a 12-0 vote and the alternates indicated
they would have voted to convict if needed.”
Jack
Bays, Butch’s brother, said they were pleased with the outcome of the trial and
it does give him and his family some closure.
“It’s
the outcome I expected and I think the sheriff’s office and the DA did a good
job,” Bays said. “We’re very pleased with them. We all loved Butch and we’re
just glad to see it have some closure.”
Newell
said the case was tried on 95 percent circumstantial evidence, because the only
direct evidence they had was mitochondrial DNA. However, the circumstantial
evidence appeared to be compelling enough for the jury of 12 to convict.
The
trial had been moved to Arcadia because the defense felt they could not get a
fair trial in Claiborne Parish due to the publicity on the case, Newell said.
In addition, Bays was a prominent figure in Summerfield and Claiborne Parish.
In the
beginning, Fielding was charged with first degree murder, but the charges were
reduced to second degree murder with the consent of the family. The reduction
in the charge increased the chances of a guilty verdict, Newell said.
Claiborne
Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey said Fielding will continue to be housed at a parish
detention facility until he is sentenced in February. Upon sentencing, he will
be moved to a state facility.
Bays
was shot and killed on Thursday, December 16, 2010 in the early morning hours
at his store in Summerfield. Investigators discovered that Bays had been shot
multiple times, and authorities recovered a weapon believed to have been used
in the commission of the crime. However, no shell casings were found at the
scene.
Police
believe the motive may have been robbery because money had gone missing;
however, there were some bags of money still under the counter.
“Nothing
else was disturbed and nothing else was missing,” Bailey said the day of the
tragic shooting.
Bays,
72 at the time of his death, was an icon in Summerfield, where he ran his
little country store, Butch’s Country Store and Bait Shop. He was dubbed the
unofficial “mayor” of Summerfield. He served as a Claiborne Parish Police Juror
for District 1 for 16 years and served in many other aspects in his community.
He and
his brothers were also responsible for donating the property to Claiborne
Parish Fire District #6 in which the new Summerfield Fire Station now sits.
Many
people were stunned when they learned of his death, and the outpouring of
support to Bays’ family and friends was overwhelming. Makeshift memorials
immediately went up at the store and the investigation went quickly.
Within
days, Fielding and Taylor both were arrested and charged with first degree
murder in the case.
Bailey
and Newell both highly commended Detective Charlie Buford, who was the lead
investigator on the case, for his professionalism and his tireless work on the
case. He did a fantastic job not only on the stand, but leading the
investigation, the sheriff said.
Taylor
is also charged with second degree murder. His defense team has requested that
venue be changed as well for the same reasons as Fielding’s change of venue.
Last
year, a difficult decision was made to move Taylor from the parish jail to home
where he has been on an ankle monitor since then. The decision was made because
Taylor suffers from a disease in which medications cost upwards of $90,000 per
month. If he goes to trial and is convicted, Taylor will be dropped from
Medicaid and the state prison system will pick up the cost of his medication,
Newell said.
Taylor
has been under constant monitoring, where a deputy goes by his house several
times a day and is not allowed to leave his home except to go to the clinic
where he receives treatment, for doctors’ visits and court appearances.
If
Taylor is convicted, he will receive the same sentence as Fielding, mandatory
life in prison without the possibility of probation or parole.
“I was
very satisfied with the verdict,” Bailey said of Fielding’s trial. “I want to
commend everybody on the fine job they did from my office to the state police and
the DA’s office.
“Most
everybody knows Butch was a personal friend of mine,” Bailey continued, “and
I’m glad that this has come to a close, not only for me but for the family of
Butch. We’ll now move on.”
Man run over at The Square
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Late
Tuesday evening a big rig truck driver was run over on U.S. 79 when he failed
to make a right onto the Square.
According
to Homer Police Chief Russell Mills, from all indications, the man hit was a
truck driver.
“It
appears that he cleared the intersection, going north,” he said. “He didn’t
know that he had to turn (right). He cleared the intersection and stopped.”
He got
out of his truck, went to the back and was advising motorists behind him “to
give him a cushion” so he could back up and make that right turn, Mills said.
“When
he was walking back north to get back into his truck, he was struck in the main
travel lane by a motorist coming from the north going south,” he said.
The
victim, whose name had not been released as of press time, received multiple
severe, possibly life-threatening, injuries. Mills said emergency personnel
advised him the driver suffered compound fractures to his right leg, several
broken bones and severe head injuries.
“They
said he was really hurt,” Mills said.
Pafford
Air One was called to airlift him, but due to weather, the helicopter was
grounded. He was transported to Minden Medical Center for treatment by Pafford
Ambulance Service. While the chief and his officers were working the scene,
others were directing traffic.
The
Homer Fire Department was called in to clean up so that traffic could move
freely again.
As of
press time, multiple law enforcement agencies were looking for the driver of
the vehicle who struck the man. See next week’s edition of The Guardian-Journal
for more details on this story.
Illegally purchased goods nets arrest
The Guardian-Journal
A Homer
man has a hefty bond after garnering multiple counts of unauthorized ordering
of goods and services.
Spence
F. Willis, 44, was arrested by the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Detective Adrian
Malone on Monday, November 26, on warrants charging him with 13 counts of
unauthorized ordering of goods and services.
The
charges are a culmination of a five-month investigation into Willis’ illegal
activities during the months of May and June.
During
these months, Willis committed eight counts of unauthorized ordering of goods
and services at Fred Smith and Sons Farm Supply in Homer by charging the items
purchased on someone else’s account without permission or knowledge. Willis
committed five other counts of unauthorized ordering of goods and services by
purchasing items at M&M Hardware Store in Homer. Willis charged these items
to the same person.
The
total dollar value of goods illegally purchased was more than $900. Detective
Malone completed his investigation and obtained warrants on this charges for
Willis’ arrest.
Willis
is currently housed at the Claiborne Parish Detention Center with a bond of
$21,500. Willis is also charged with a fine of failure to pay child support in
the amount of $8,000.
In a
separate incident, on Thursday, November 29, Deputy Heath Tingle was flagged
down at the Homer Travel Plaza by a store clerk.
The
clerk informed Tingle that the driver of a red Ford pickup had stolen a bottle
of liquor from the store. Tingle pursued the vehicle which was being driven in
a reckless manner and found the driver to be Andrew Morgan, 52, of Homer.
Upon
making a traffic stop, Tingle discovered that Morgan appeared to be intoxicated
and he was found to be in possession of what appeared to be a crack pipe.
Tingle
arrested Morgan and charged him with DWI second offense with bond set at
$1,000, reckless operation of a vehicle with bond set at $500, theft with bond
set at $500 and possession of drug paraphernalia with bond set at $500.
CASA seeks help for Christmas
The Guardian-Journal
The
Christmas season is one of giving and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)
is asking for your help.
According
to Deanna Curtis, CASA supervisor, there are 50 children in Bienville,
Claiborne and Jackson Parishes who are currently in foster care, and the
organization wants to give these children a great Christmas.
“We know
donations, personal and business, are down due to the economy,” she says in a
press release. “Anything given will be greatly appreciated. If you would like
to take a wish list for one of the CASA children, call or come by the office.”
Due to
abuse and neglect, these kids have been removed from their home and placed into
the state’s custody. These children are thrust into the court system through no
fault of their own, and their only “crime” is they have been victims of
violence, psychological torment or sexual abuse. Most are frightened and
confused.
“I work
for the Volunteers for Youth Justice CASA program,” Curtis said. “The children range in age from newborns to
18-years-old. CASA is appointed to represent the child’s best interest and to
advocate for a safe, permanent home for these children.
“These
children do not have the benefits of a loving family and have not had an
opportunity to experience fun, wholesome activities,” she continued. “It would
be a wonderful, exciting experience to be able to provide a generous Christmas
for these children.”
Any
donation, whether monetary or items, is a greatly appreciated gift that would
put a smile on the face of a child.
“We
serve children who have never ever had a bicycle of their own or a new doll,”
she said. “Please consider CASA at this time of need.”
All
donations will go to needy children in the Bienville, Claiborne and Jackson
Parish area. CASA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and their TIN number is
72-1057695.
To drop
off toys or for more information, please call Curtis at 318-263-2292 or go by their office at 1968 N. Railroad Avenue,
Arcadia, LA 71001.
Food Drive applications due December 14
Those
who would like to receive a food box at Christmas should pick up an application
at the Homer Food Stamp office or at the Claiborne Parish Police Jury. After
completing the form it should be returned to either location accompanied by a
print out from the Food Stamp Office. Deadline for receiving applications and
forms is December 14. Boxes may be picked up at the First Presbyterian Church
in Homer on December 21 from 1-4 pm or at the City Hall in Haynesville. For
more information call Dwayne Woodard at 927-2222.
The
food drive is sponsored by Brookshire’s and donations for the drive may be
dropped off there in designated boxes. Individual items are welcomed and
pre-packed bags are also available for purchase.
In
addition to the Lions Club volunteers, the 4-H Junior Leaders will be
collecting and sorting the donations.
Sheriff Bailey: ‘Think safety first’
The Guardian-Journal
Millions
of people have hit the stores to find that perfect gift for their loved ones
this Christmas, and Claiborne Parish Sheriff Ken Bailey is cautioning shoppers
to be careful as they do.
Bailey
advises holiday shoppers, “Think shopping safety at Christmas!” As shoppers
travel to do their Christmas shopping, they are probably neglecting to check
their safety.
This
time of year seems to attract more shopping-related criminal activity because
of larger crowds and extended store hours. These factors, combined with the
usual distractions related to shopping, create a more favorable environment for
petty thieves and other offenders.
In
light of these factors, the sheriff warns shoppers to be on guard so they do
not become one of the tens of millions of people every year who are victimized
by some sort of criminal activity.
“Unfortunately,
when shopping, people sometimes have a tendency to become distracted and lose
sight of their personal safety,” Bailey said. “However, there are several
precautions busy shoppers can take to help eliminate their chances of becoming
a crime statistic.”
Some of
those safety precautions include:
•
Always try to shop with another person. A single shopper is the ultimate target
for theft.
• When
going shopping, make sure you tell someone where you are going and what time
you expect to return home.
• Plan
ahead. If you know you are going to return to your car after nightfall, park in
a well-lit area. Note your parking space. Parking lots have a tendency to look
very different as cars come and go.
• If
you are in a store and sense that you are being followed, locate a store
employee or security personnel. Be prepared to give them a complete description
of the person you suspect.
• If
carrying cash, keep it in a front pocket. This makes it more difficult for a
pickpocket to remove.
• Store
keys in a pant or jacket pocket. If your purse is stolen, you will still be
able to drive home.
•Take
only one or two credit cards and a couple of checks with you.
• Make
a list of all credit card numbers and the numbers to call in case they are lost
or stolen. This will make the incident a lot easier to report.
• If
you feel uneasy returning to your car alone, find a security guard and ask him
to walk you to your car.
• When
returning to your car, check around it, under it and in the back seat.
• Have
your car keys in your hand to avoid spending unnecessary time unprotected from
the security of your vehicle.
“Have a
safe and joyous holiday season from your Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office,” Bailey said.
ODC confirms recommendation to suspend
Bowman
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A
recommendation to the Louisiana Supreme Court to suspend Attorney Chris Bowman
has been made by the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board.
Their
recommendation follows that of the hearing committee which filed its
recommendations in May that Bowman be suspended for one year with six months
deferred.
“The
Board also adopts the Committee’s conclusions regarding the Rules of
Professional Conduct,” the report filed earlier this month states. “The Board
also recommends that Respondent (Bowman) serve a two-year period of
unsupervised probation after the active portion of his suspension and that he
be assessed with the costs and expenses of this proceeding. Any disciplinary
infraction during the period of probation should be grounds for making the
deferred period of suspension executory.”
In
2008, Bowman was found guilty of domestic abuse battery against his ex-wife
stemming from an incident involving visitation with the couple’s children.
Later
that year, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) filed a “petition for
interim suspension with the Louisiana Supreme Court based upon Respondent’s
conviction.”
This
petition was denied.
In
2010, ODC filed formal charges based upon those facts. The charges alleged
Bowman’s criminal conviction constituted a violation of Rule 8.4(b) of the
Rules of Professional Conduct, which states, “it is professional misconduct for
a lawyer to commit a criminal act especially one that reflects adversely on the
lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects...”
Bowman
denied these charges, saying he was not convicted of a “serious crime” as
defined by the Louisiana Supreme Court, and that being guilty of this act
doesn’t reflect upon his moral fitness to practice law.
The
report goes on to cite the facts of the case as well as reiterate the hearing
committee’s report; however, the board also found that Bowman violated Rule
8.4(a), which was not addressed by the committee, ODC said.
Rule
8.4 (a) states, “Violate or attempt to violate the Rules of Professional
Conduct, knowingly assist or induce another to do so, or do so through the acts
of another.”
ODC
says it amended the formal charges to include the aforementioned rule because
it alleges that Bowman “influenced or attempted to influence the testimony of a
witness, Carol J. Dreyfus (Bowman’s ex-wife), prior to the hearing of this
matter, of which Bowman denied.
ODC,
however, argues that the committee erred in its conclusion that Bowman tried to
influence his ex-wife, going on to say that based on the hearing committee’s
interpretation of the evidence, it agrees with the committee’s conclusion,
citing insufficient evidence, that Bowman did not violate Rules of Professional
Conduct 8.4 (c) and (d).
Rule
8.4 (c) states, “it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in
conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.”
Rule
8.4 (d) states, “it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in
conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
ODC’s
recommendation for Bowman will now go before the Louisiana Supreme Court for a
final decision.
Anne’s Bucket List Flight
Anne McDaniel, Special to The Guardian-Journal
I was
born in a crippled body that often feels older than it is. I also have an old
soul. I think often about what heaven will be like. I also think far too often
about dying and death.
In
2007, I went to the theater with two close friends to watch the movie “The
Bucket List,” starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. These actors play two
men dying of cancer. Morgan Freeman’s character makes a list of things he wants
to do before he kicks the bucket. Jack Nicholson’s character uses his money and
resources to make Morgan Freeman’s character dreams come true.
In the
process, this odd couple who were thrown together in sickness become true
friends until death parts them.
No, I
am not dying, but back in September, I thought I was. My legs and feet were
swelling. I had difficulty walking and breathing. I thought my lungs were full
of blood clots again, like they were in 2003.
The
wonders of nuclear medicine showed that my lungs and legs were clear of blood
clots. The severe fluid retention was due to medication. The dosages of my
medications were changed, and I was placed on a low sodium diet.
During
the time I thought I was at high risk for death, I thought often about my
bucket list. I mentioned it one day to a friend who had come over to help with
some yard work. He asked me what my bucket list included. I told him the
following:
1. To
live in the Holy Land for 40 days -- I do not want to be a tourist. I want to
immerse myself in the culture.
2. To
live in a Mennonite or New Order Amish community for 40 days -- again, not as a
tourist.
3. To
visit a lighthouse.
4. To
ride in a sail boat.
5. To
go on a mission trip.
6. To
write a book.
7. To
ride in the cockpit of an airplane.
When my
friend heard the last thing on my list, he said something like, “I might be
able to make a plane ride happen. My father-in-law owns an air strip.”
I did
not think much about it until my friend emailed me last week and said he had a
surprise for me. Last Saturday, my friend drove me out to a small air strip in
Athens, Louisiana.
When I
walked into the hangar, I had to exercise self-control. I so wanted to jump up
and down with excitement. I was expecting a six-seater-sized airplane. But,
what I saw was a much smaller Sonnex two-seater! Probably the closest I will
ever get to flying in an old-timey bi-plane or a fighter jet.
I was
not sure how I was going to climb in the plane and climbing out would be even
more difficult. But if that was all that got between me and my dream of flying
in a cockpit, I would try just about anything -- even letting other people
touch me.
My
friend, Jay, his father-in-law, Emmett, and my friend Meg worked together to
transfer me into the plane and get me strapped in.
Mr.
Emmett, the plane owner and pilot was a wonderful tour guide. While the plane
was warming up for take-off, Mr. Emmett explained all the controls. I love the
feeling of taking off.
We flew
over Lake Claiborne and back. Again, Mr. Emmett was a wonderful tour guide,
pointing out the landmarks below, like the chicken houses of the local
processing plant. Mr. Emmett has a pilot’s eyes and far better sight than me. I
could not really identify things on the ground, but I loved the sky.
I saw
the horizon and we flew over a flock of snow geese. Mr. Emmett flew a few
smooth turns, a few fairs wheel and a half-G. Those were enough tricks for me.
Then
came time for the descent and landing. I loved the feeling of leaving the
ground but hate the feeling of coming down to earth. One small detail that I
purposely left unmentioned is that I get motion queasy easy. My throw-up
muscles are week. I knew that I would not throw up; I would just feel like I needed
to.
When we
landed, I felt like I was vibrating. I just sat there for a while before we
began the process of transferring me out. I felt dizzy and queasy for the next
three days.
But the
flight dream had come true. It was awesome and I would do it again.
Several
people have told me how brave I am to take a flight like that. While I was
flying, I was not afraid of dying. I was caught up in the joy of living.
Jay,
Mr. Emmett, and Meg made a lifelong dream of mine come true. Their example
inspired me to add one more thing to my bucket list:
8. Be
the kind of friend that helps another friend’s dreams come true.
Concerns raised about burglaries,
council tackles full agenda
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A Homer
woman says she feels like a prisoner in her own home because of the rash of
recent break-ins in her neighborhood.
Azzie
Olds, a resident of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, told the Homer Town
Council in Monday’s meeting that she is tired of them and something has to be
done.
“I’ve
been in Homer all my life,” she said. “Never have I felt like a prisoner in my
own home until now, but I’m sick and tired of someone breaking into those
houses and stealing things. I didn’t work all these years for somebody to come
in and steal my stuff. We need to do something, because there’s too much going
on.”
District
2 Councilman Michael Wade said his home has been broken into three times in the
last year and a half, and Olds added that she doesn’t like what Homer’s turning
into. She’s willing to do whatever she can to help stop it.
Homer
Police Chief Russell Mills said they’ve made arrests in several of the
break-ins, but they haven’t gotten them all.
“This
time of year is the worst time of year (for break-ins),” he said. “While we
have gotten some community involvement, we also have to have evidence too.”
He
referred to a recent break-in in Doyline in Webster Parish where an elderly
lady shot a would-be burglar to protect her property and possibly her life. He
also referred to two attempted burglaries were a burglary alarm system is the
only thing that stopped them.
With a
town the size of Homer and the limited number of officers on the force, Mills
said his officers do the best they can to solve these crimes.
“We do
what we can do and solve what we can solve,” he said.
Homer
Police are working as quickly as they can right now to solve a rash of
burglaries that have occurred over the last few months. These burglaries are
taking place in the neighborhood Olds lives in and the surrounding areas. While
they have solved at least one major one, they are working on others as well.
Items
taken in these burglaries include car stereos, flat screen televisions, game
stations, cameras, firearms and jewelry. Vandalism to cars and damage to
vehicles has occurred during these burglaries.
The
target areas seem to be in Districts 1 and 2, including, Hill Street, Hudd
Drive, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Dutchtown Road, Scott Street, Monroe
Street, Memphis Street, Pearl Street and South Fourth Street.
In the
November 1 edition of The Guardian-Journal, Mills strongly suggested
people invest in an alarm system for their homes, because while it might not
stop all burglaries, it will serve as a deterrent to most.
Olds
suggested hosting a community forum to allow citizens to come and express and exchange
ideas on how to come together and stop these burglaries. The mayor said her
office would contact her to discuss a community forum further.
In
another concern, Olds said her car drags (bottoms out) at the end of her
driveway, and she’s concerned it will damage her car. With the end of the
driveway being the town’s responsibility, she is asking that something be done
to take it down some.
Public
Works Supervisor Lee Wells came to her house and looked at the driveway, and
upon inspection, realized that the concrete was poured over “everything.” Under
the concrete is tin and other debris, which has raised it enough to cause
damage to a low-seated car.
There
was also concern about drainage issues in her yard, but she said she is willing
to pay the costs of having something done about the drainage if the town would
just lower the end of her driveway so she can back out without scraping the
bottom of her car. She also indicated that she would sign whatever forms are
necessary stating who’s responsibility is whose.
Homer
Mayor Alecia Smith said she’d spoken with representatives of Balar Engineering
about the matter and is awaiting word on what to do. She also said that he
comes to the grant meetings, and in the January 2013 grant meeting, she will
speak to him again on the issue.
Property Manager
Mayor
Smith introduced Timothy Ivory, who has been tapped as the town’s property
manager. While only working just a few hours per week, Ivory has put together
reports from each district in which blighted property needs to be cleaned up.
“When I
became mayor it was stressed to me by the citizens of this community and also
by the council about the blighted property and dilapidated structures
throughout town,” she said. “They said we needed someone that could send out letters
and take pictures, and that person would work directly with the council.”
In the
past, council members have turned in addresses which needed attention and it
was turned over to the Clean City Committee.
The
town has an ordinance in place where letters are sent to the property owners
stating their property needs to be taken care of. If the town has to take care
of it and clean it up, then the cost of the cleanup has been added to property
tax bills.
Ivory’s
sole purpose in this position is to see that these letters are sent out and
keep up with the progress of getting these properties within the corporate
limits of Homer cleaned up. Ivory works closely with Town Clerk Lisa Foster in
getting these letters, sent certified with return receipt, mailed out.
This is
the first time the town has had one person to handle the issue of blighted
property and obnoxious weeds, and right now it’s working, Smith said. When it
stops working, then it will be brought back before the council for discussion.
Amending 2012’s Budget
The
mayor highlighted a few things in this fiscal year’s budget, saying the only
thing adjusted was to move money from one area to areas that needed it.
“Some
areas we didn’t spend money as planned, and some areas were a little bit over,”
she said.
In
recreation, there were a couple of expenditures that were unanticipated with
the Mayfield Pool, including the legal action regarding the contract, and some
expenditures for the baseball teams.
In
hotel/tourism, there were amendments for higher utility costs for the Herbert
S. Ford Museum.
In the
contingency fund, there were no amendments.
There
were amendments to the street funds due to sewer issues that were unexpected
expenses.
In the
enterprise fund, amendments were made to account for lift station and water
well repairs.
In the
police department fund, there were some amendments for overtime in salaries
plus an increase in retirement contributions. Maintenance repairs were
maintained and fuel costs were also down.
No
amendments were made to the fire fund, even though it had to spend some money
during the June storm that caused major damage in Claiborne Parish. While the
money was spent, that money was “subsidized” by insurance, Smith said.
There
were some overages were amended in the general fund to cover expenses for
meetings that were unexpected this year.
There
is no overage in the industrial fund; however, Smith said there is an overage
projected for the 2013 budget because of the approved $80,000 for the
underground water storage tanks.
Ordinance
12-001 (Amending 2012 Budget) was introduced. A workshop and public hearing
will be held on Thursday, December 20, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the 2012
amendments as well as the proposed budget for 2013 and approve them. According
to law, the town must amend their budgets where necessary and adopt a proposed
budget for the following year.
Proposed 2013 Budget
The
mayor briefly highlighted items in the proposed budget for next year, including
that of recreation, which will maintain its current recreational activities.
She
also said they are not anticipating any overages concerning any repairs to the
Mayfield Pool because they were completed in 2011. Recreational salaries will
be reduced, and other expenses will be monitored due to a very tight budget,
the mayor said.
She
highlighted the hotel/tourism fund as well, which will maintain current
activities and festivals throughout the year as well as absorb the increased
costs of utilities for the museum.
In the
contingency fund budget, an increase will be transferred to the general fund to
support police salaries.
The
street fund was decreased to due to a change in the police jury subsidy
procedures. In the past, the police jury allocated a certain amount each year,
but now the town has to submit projects to them and thee police jury decides
how to pay for it, she said. Also, $30,000 has been set aside for street
maintenance.
In the
enterprise fund, there will be an increase in monthly water fees, which will be
discussed in a later meeting. This was approved in October, the mayor said. She
also said a water rate study will be conducted, which will “tell us what we
have to do to increase those fees,” she said. “If we don’t comply with these
water fee (increases), then we’ll lose our grants.
“Approximately
10 years ago, we went before the Bond Commission, and the town agreed that it
would gradually increase the rates yearly,” Smith continued, “and that has not
been done. In order to stay in compliance, we’re going to have to increase the
rates.”
Materials,
chemicals and supplies increased this year, and that increase will carry over
into 2013.
In the
police fund, Smith said, fines from traffic tickets are not coming in as well
as in recent years and overtime continues to be a concern as well as another
increase in retirement. However, she said, the contingency and enterprise funds
will continue to support salaries, which is more than half their budget.
The
fire fund is relatively the same for 2013, and the general fund will also
remain relatively the same.
“Any
added expenses we have there is going to be allocated to matching funds for
grants,” Smith said.
She
also briefly mentioned the last payment in the Monroe settlement, as well as
the increase for travel expenses.
Coming
from the industrial fund will be the aforementioned $80,000 for the underground
water storage tank.
On a
lighter note, the town has received grants for the Homer Municipal Airport.
Also, the industrial fund will maintain its membership fee to the Claiborne
Chamber of Commerce as well as the CDC membership.
It will
also repay $30,000 as required by the auditor for a “mishap” that occurred in
the funding from the previous administration.
Otherwise,
the budget will remain the same as the 2012 budget.
In
other news, the council also adopted:
• the
2013 Holiday Schedule (District 4 Councilwoman Carlette Sanford opposed)
• the
2013 Magistrate Schedule
•
Resolution 12-011 authorizing the mayor to enter into agreement with LADOTD for
improvements to the Homer Municipal Airport. This resolution is to receive state
funding. The last grant received was a federal grant from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA).
Recreation
Recreation
Director Fred Young gave a short report updating the council and the public
regarding all three town parks as well as the Mayfield Pool.
The
Recreation Department continues maintain the Joe Michael Memorial Park, the
Armory Park and Mayfield Park at its current levels. However, Young cited some
concerns from citizens about keeping the grass cut and weeded around the fence
area at the Joe Michael Memorial Park.
At the
Armory Park, the main field is cut and ready for high school baseball, although
they still do not have a liaison from the high school yet.
At
Mayfield Park, they continue to have family gatherings there as well as flag football.
Currently, there are two teams.
At
Mayfield Pool, Young requested the inside be painted again just to make it look
a little better, and to correct an drainage issue in the backwash area. He said
they had to add a lot of chemicals to the pool to keep it up to standard due to
the drainage issue. That work will begin about the third week of January, he
said.
“We
know for a fact that if we correct that drainage -- that’s way, way down -- we
won’t lose so much water in the pool; we won’t have to buy so many chemicals,”
Young said.
Young
also talked about the Homer Golf Course, saying it continues to be a unique
resource that’s open to the public. He mentioned the youth golf program that he
hopes will continue to grow enough to hold a tournament.
He
talked about the peewee football league, saying Haynesville has a great program
and he’d like to see one in Homer. He said that many of the kids in
Haynesville’s league are from Homer.
He said
an interest has been expressed in having a community jazzercise class called
“Spark Your Life, which would be sponsored by the Recreation Department and
take place at Homer City Hall at least two evenings per week.
“I’ve
been in contact with Louisiana Tech, and we hope to get someone to come over
here and do this,” he said. “We have a lot of interest from the citizens that
say they want something like this done under the auspice of the town.”
Flag
football sign up is currently underway. There are two teams in play right now.
In
other news, Lee Wells said all wells except one are operational. He showed a
map depicting the areas the wells and the water treatment plant serves. The
mayor intends to have a walk-through of all the wells and the wastewater
treatment plant so everyone can get an idea of what the town is actually doing
and paying for.
Mayor’s Report
In the
mayor’s report, Smith announced that Balar Engineering will present a water
rate study at the workshop on December 20.
On
December 5, a preconstruction meeting was held regarding the underground water
storage tank. (This is where the $80,000 in the industrial fund will be spent.)
She
also announced that a $150,000 grant was approved and will now go before the
State Bond Commission. Originally, the money was to be used to begin the
renovation of the old fire station garage to turn it into the council chambers.
However, after some discussion and the engineers looking at the city hall roof,
it was decided the funds would be used to replace and repair the roof.
“After
Balar came in, looked at the roof and saw that it’s never been repaired -- and
if it has we don’t know when,” Smith said. “It’s been patched, but it’s never
been fully repaired. That’s what he suggested we do before we get started on
the council chambers.”
A
representative from the USDA was in town Tuesday to look at the improvements
made so the town can get the grant for the police department to purchase new
patrol units. Smith said this project has been ongoing for three years, and
they have done “pretty much” everything USDA told them to do. However, the first
thing they asked about was raising the water rates, she said. She said she has
sent paperwork saying the town is currently working on a water rates study in
order to raise the rates.
In
other news from her report, Smith said Grant Frederick will be in contact with
Young regarding Boy Scouts. Homer already has a Boy Scouts Troop, and Young
said they will contact them to see if they can work in conjunction with the
troop that’s already established.
“What
we want to do is make certain we can be incorporated in that before we
establish something new,” Young emphasized. “I
don’t want anybody to feel that we’re not trying to work with what’s already
here.”
Louisiana
One Call training was held at City Hall on November 15. The classes were
conducted by David Frye, manager of prevention, and Gene Donahue.
“They
came in and explained to us the proper protocol for One Call,” she said. “The
Town of Homer received a fine and that was part of the agreement so that maybe
the fine will be waived.”
The
$3,000 fine was because the town failed to call Louisiana One Call first before
digging in an incident that happened September 16, 2011.
District
3 Councilman Don McCalman, District 5 Councilwoman Patricia Jenkins and Town
Attorney Marcus Patillo were all out due to illness.
The
next meeting of the Homer Town Council will be at 6 p.m. Monday, January 7,
2013 in council chambers located inside City Hall. For questions or more
information, please call their office at 318-927-3555.
