By T. Scott Boatright
The Lincoln Parish Police Jury held a Property Assessment Board of Review as it held its September meeting Tuesday night at the Lincoln Parish Courthouse.
And it was a fairly quick Board of Review public hearing session.
“I’m pleased to announce that we didn’t have any appeals this year,” Lincoln Parish Tax Assessor Billy Mac McBride told the LPPJ.
The LPPJ then closed the public hearing and passed motions to certify its assessment list to the Louisiana Tax Commission.
Also on the meeting agenda was a motion to discuss bids for renovations at the Lincoln Parish Library, but that agenda item was tabled after Parish Administrator Courtney Hall told the jurors that what he called a development came up Tuesday with one of the bidders that needed to be investigated further.
The LPPJ adopted four resolutions during the meeting, the first being the adoption of a resolution expressing condolences on the death of former juror Charles J. Owens III.
Also adopted was a resolution amending Resolution 26-27 calling for a special election to clarify certain provisions thereof.
“This goes back to the alcohol referendum that we called for December,” Hall said. “What we are doing here is based on our bond attorney and legal counsel’s recommendation, we need to clarify within the resolution all the jurisdictions that are going to be affected by this particular referendum. Those have been added to the referendum.
“Specifically it says the unincorporated areas in the district, the incorporated areas in Choudrant, which is located in the district, and the portion of incorporated areas in Downsville, which is located in the district.”
The LPPJ also adopted a resolution authorizing Hall to execute a division order with Nadel & Gussman Ruston LLC, certifying that the Police Jury has an interest in a producing well.
“We have to verify what our interest in that well is and this provides clarity,” Hall said. “In order for me to execute that, I need permission.”
Also adopted was a resolution authorizing the filing of an application with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and authorizing LPPJ President Glenn Scriber to execute any documents relative thereto.
“We do this annually to apply for funding,” Hall said.
Before the actual LPPJ meeting was held Tuesday, the Finance Committee heard funding requests for the 2027 budget, with no entity that received funding for 2026 asking for an increase next year except for the District Attorney’s Office.
Cary Brown, who is running unopposed to become the next D.A., requested an additional $210,500 over the $300,000 Brown said the District Attorney’s Office is receiving for 2026.
Brown said increased health insurance costs are part of the issue his office is facing and asked if the D.A.’s Office could possibly be added to the parish’s health care insurance plan.
“This request is built to expand our capacity in the areas that will help reduce case backlogs, pretrial detainee time delays and jail overflow costs,” Brown said. “What we’re asking for, if you were to grant this request, is to first, be able to hire one more assistant D.A. Secondly, we want to hire a full-time investigator who will serve as a liaison to the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Ruston Police Department.
“We need a full-time Victims Witness Coordinator, and lastly if that money is granted, we’re going to hire another full-time paralegal.”
