The Washington Parish Council held its regular meeting on Monday, December 12 at Council Chambers in the Washington Parish Courthouse. The agenda began with the adoption of the 2023 annual Operating Budget and the Capital Outlay Budget for Washington Parish Government and an ordinance approving the contract for disaster debris monitoring and management services.
The next item was to discuss and take appropriate action concerning an Industrial Tax Exemption Program Application for Bogalusa West PVI, LLC. On November 14 the council voted not to grant tax exemption to a similar project, Sunlight Road LLC. Both projects involve the placement of solar panels in the parish. Unlike the Sunlight Road project which would utilize agriculture land, the Bogalusa West project proposed using 2800 acres of Weyerhaeuser-owned timberland that is wetland in an area off Highway 21 between Bogalusa and Varnado. Project representative Chris Berry reiterated to the council that unlike Sunlight Road, Bogalusa West would utilize timberland and not be seen, smelled, or heard in the forested area. He gave a thorough presentation on the merits of being granted an ITEP and was followed by Rod Northway of Savion Inc. who also urged the council to consider the tax benefits to the parish.
Councilman Reginald McMasters took issue with the fact that the project would bring no permanent jobs to the parish and spoke of his responsibility to the people who would likely lose work because of the project, especially those directly related to the timber industry. During public participation, five citizens gave factual and impassioned reasons for refusing the ITEP with Wilson LeGraize posing the question, "How do they operate in other states where they don't get [these] incentives?" Parish Government Attorney Wayne Kuhn addressed the council prior to voting by explaining exactly what an ITEP is and expressed that it is not about jobs anymore. He urged the council to consider other taxes that will apply with ITEP. After nearly two hours of information and rebuttals by community members and the representatives on-hand for Bogalusa West LLC, the council ultimately voted 6-1 to not grant the ITEP for the project. Within days after the vote, representatives of Bogalusa West announced that the project is pulling out of the parish and will not be built here.
The council then moved to other business which included the adoptions of appointments to several boards. John Seal and Letisha Desmares were appointed to the Washington Parish Fire District No. 1 Board of Directors with terms to expire December 31, 2024. Evelyn Brazil-Hall, Ella Bickham, and Mark Irvine were appointed to the Washington Parish Tourism Commission for three-year terms ending December 31, 2025. Vance Rogers was appointed to a four-year term to the Washington Parish Planning Commission Board of Directors for District 7, and Robert Michel was appointed to a three-year term to the Planning Commission Board for District 5. Charles Brooks, Avant Vernon, and Jim Miller were appointed to the Mt. Hermon Water Board for two-year terms to expire on December 31, 2024. The final appointments were Perry Talley, Robert Kimbrell, Timothy Slocum, and Charles Wise to the Washington Parish Fire District No. 7 for two-year terms expiring on December 31, 2024. The council also adopted resolutions to authorize the Parish President to sign intergovernmental agreements to assist the Village of Varnado, the City of Bogalusa, the Town of Franklinton, and the Village of Angie with skilled labor and mechanized equipment towards driving, parking area, road rehabilitation, drainage, and flood control.
Parish President Richard Thomas declared that according to the National Weather Service, Washington Parish is Storm Ready. Bobbie Jo Breland, Director of Washington Parish Homeland Security & Emergency Management, presented the official letter to the council that stated, "Washington Parish has received the "Storm Ready Achievement" by the National Weather Service of New Orleans/Baton Rouge Forecast Office. The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has taken the proactive approach to improve local emergency response operations and public awareness in efforts to mitigate the impacts of hazardous weather. This recognition will help with the Parish's Community Rating System and may lower National Flood Insurance Programs. Lauren Nash, Warning Weather Coordination Meteorologist from the National Weather Service of New Orleans/Baton Rouge, will be presenting the award (sign) on December 19 at the Washington Parish EOC on Dollar Road at 1:00 p.m. Louisiana has 64 parishes and Washington Parish is one out of 24 parishes that have been recognized by The National Weather Service.
President Thomas also expressed how pleased he is with the renewal of the Washington Parish Criminal and Civil Justice System Sales Tax Proposition for the Parish. Voters approved the renewal in the December 10 election. This tax provides for necessary funding for the Parish's Criminal and Civil Justice System dedicated to maintaining the Parish offices of the District Attorney, District Judges, Coroner and Clerk of Court and funding the operations of the Parish Jail by providing courthouse security, bailiffs, inmate transport and providing administrative office space for the Washington Parish Sheriff.
President Thomas also explained just how far the parish has come financially since he entered office with only a $92 fund balance.
Kenneth Wheat presented the November work reports in the absence of Donnell Merritt, Transportation Supervisor, and is pleased that the department has a new home at the previous location of Magee Feed in Franklinton. The crews have worked hard and deserve this "new" facility, he said. They were previously housed behind the Sheriff's office and often had to temporarily relocate because of Bogue Chitto floodwaters. They now have a secure facility for equipment and a place for training and meetings.
President Thomas ended the meeting by reminding everyone that the Parish Government offices will be closed for Christmas on Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26, 2022.
