Wednesday, September 8, 2021

BULLETIN: As Observations was being posted Tuesday afternoon, we learned that the Tourist Commission at its Tuesday noon meeting voted that Director Chip Davis did not have the authority to fire Assistant Director Linda Curtis-Sparks. Her contract runs through December.

According to one of several who called Observations about the firing, Davis thought he had the authority to do so. It was reported that District Attorney Don Burkett, who serves as Tourist Commission counsel, thought Davis did not have the authority to fire Curtis-Sparks.

Commission President Lauren Moore was out due to COVID; Vice-President Martha Henderson presided at Tuesday’s meeting.

Curtis-Sparks was represented at the meeting by Baton Rouge attorney Alicia Corwin.

According to a post on the web site of the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission, a special called meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 7.  As this Observations press deadline passed before the meeting was held, we will have complete details next week.

But Item V on the agenda read:  “Motion to go into executive session to discuss separation notification presented to Assistant Director and correction of job responsibilities (employee to be given 24 hour notice.)” Then Item VI was “Any action requiring approval if any, following executive session.”

A lot of talk has been floating around about conflict at the Tourist Commission, and the rumor was that all involved wished to keep the matter quiet.

A little background information:  The Tourist Commission was formed by a Legislative Act in 1975 to “provide for the marketing of Sabine Parish.” The key word here is marketing.

Former, longtime Director Linda Curtis-Sparks announced some five months ago that she was retiring and very highly recommended that the Commission hire Chip Davis of Greenville, SC as her replacement. The Many Town Council under former Mayor Ken Freeman took exception to the selection, writing the Commission to say that a local person should have been hired. They pointed out that not only did she go outside the parish to hire someone, but went out of state. There were more than 100 applications turned in for the job.

And in fact, Curtis-Sparks announced Davis would be hired before the Commission even voted on it. I came away from a meeting under the impression that Davis was going to bring a hotel or two to the Toledo Bend area.

Davis started the job May 24, but Curtis-Sparks was just not going to walk away quietly into the night. She got the Commission to hire her as Assistant Director. So, there became a legal question as to whether she could legally stay on as an employee. In addition, her specific job was to complete the Zwolle-Toledo Bend Museum at Zwolle. Information coming in to Observations says Davis was not in favor of the project and put a stop to it, finally firing Curtis-Sparks. According to reports, Chip axed the project and fired Curtis-Sparks without Commission approval.

Observations called Davis to try to make heads or tails out of the matter. He was somewhat reluctant to talk about it but did share a couple of things.

First of all, he said the special meeting was called by Commission President Lauren Moore, and that she prepared the agenda. Secondly, he said Curtis-Sparks’ “term ended Monday.” Reports coming in to Observations say that Davis gave her until 5 p.m. that day to clear out. 

Now the question presents itself: “Will Davis be able to keep his job?” Some are not happy. In his employment contract, which is for a year, it states: “If at any time, in the opinion of the Board, the Executive Director should fail to fulfill his obligations under this Agreement the Board may take action to remove the Executive Director pursuant to La. R.S. 33:4574.” So, the question becomes, “Can Chip change out the Commission before the Commission changes him out?” In reading the contract, it seems to us the Commission can. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Someone commented, “Chip was supposed to provide hotels in Sabine Parish, but all he did was give Linda a pink slip.”

In another matter related to that office, Patricia Rains of the Facebook Page “Transparency in Sabine” is looking into the Commission spending $82,000 to study architectural structures in Sabine Parish. And the question Rains has is how did such a large expense “provide for the marketing of Sabine Parish”?

As Sir Walter Scott said in 1808:  “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”

My wife Laurie mentioned a thought recently that I think is a very good, reasonable idea.

The old Post Office building in downtown Many has been vacant for years. It is a beautiful, stately old building that is owned by Sabine Bank and Trust Co. The proposal is that the Library Board purchase the building and remodel it as a state-of-the-art library. Not only would we have, in essence, a new building, but we would save a very historic downtown structure.

A big plus is that the Library would still be located in the downtown area and that’s where it needs to be. Seems there would be plenty of room in the building for the needs of the Library. And there would be adequate parking. 

The wonderful thing is that remodeling this building would cost a lot less than $5 million, and I’m all for saving the taxpayers money. As a side note, I’m all for our Library, but I’m also all for being kind to the taxpayers.

Former Sabine Parish Tax Assessor Conrad Cathey has sent a letter to members of the Police Jury, Library Board and District Attorney Don Burkett concerning the 5.05 mill tax renewal for the Library which will be on the ballot Oct. 9. He asked the group to provide more information before the election.

He wrote:  “First, on average, how many people visit the library each month? Of those, how many visit to check out books or do research and how many visit to use the internet? Also, please provide the same information for each of the branch library locations. What is the cost of operation including rent, personnel, supplies and other expenses for each?”

Cathey continued, “Next, it has been said that the library plans to build a new library since they have over $5 million in available funds, and what is the cost of the new library? If the money the library currently has and money from the renewal tax designed to be spent on a new library, why is the renewal tax not designated as a tax to build and maintain a library instead of calling it a renewal for operation? If you recall, the library board asked for a tax to build a library, which was turned down by the voters. Should not the voters know what the money will be spent for?”

He said, “Sabine is in the process of reappraisal of business property, which has the prospect of increasing taxes considerably. Has the additional tax revenue been taken into account?” And in closing he wrote, “I ask that the public be provided the above information and that the tax be put off until we have a better understanding of what the library truly plans to do and what tax amount that 5.05 mills will actually bring in.”

It was announced last week that on June 30, the Library Board signed an agreement with Coco & Co. of Simmesport as architect for a new library in Many on the corner of Church St. and West Alabama Ave.

Patricia Rains of the Facebook page “Transparency in Sabine” has also been asking questions about the tax renewal. I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from her.

Sales Tax Collector Nolan Rivers has released the August report for Sabine Parish. Total collections were $2,368,955.34, representing an increase in $152,493.60 over last year. The Village of Florien, School District #34 and the Sabine Tourist Commission all showed a decrease in collections.

We are sad to report one person was killed and another flown to a Shreveport hospital with serious injuries as a result of an 8 a.m. crash last Wednesday, Sept. 1 on Hwy. 171 north of Many Walmart. The wreck claimed the life of 36-year-old Clinton Jenkins of Mansfield, who was driving.

Louisiana State Police Troop E investigated the crash and according to their report, a 2021 Kia driven by Jenkins was traveling northbound on Hwy. 171 when, for reasons still under investigation, it left the roadway and struck a culvert. Jenkins, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle. His passenger, who was restrained, suffered moderate injuries and was airlifted to a Shreveport hospital.

A toxicology sample has been submitted for analysis, and the wreck remains under investigation.

We encourage all persons to faithfully use their seatbelts as wearing a restraint can greatly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a crash.

There have been at least a couple other local wrecks in the last week. We caution all to drive carefully.

My father used to always say the safest way to drive is to keep a close eye on the driver of the car behind the car in front of you.   

We had a nice call last week from Tom Walker who lives near Robeline and is known far and wide as “Mr. Family Farm and Garden.” He told us he enjoys reading Observations and noted that when we wrote about the tremendous amount of time it is taking the new bridge on Hwy. 120 between Robeline and Marthaville to be completed, that work started on it again. But, it is still not finished.

Some few months ago I had the pleasure of meeting Carl Derrick, a native of Converse, who now lives in Bossier City. And an interesting man he is.

He was graduated from Converse High in 1963, when the late W. G. Simmons, father of Attorney Ken Simmons, was principal. As a part of graduation, each student was to respond with what they planned to do after high school. As the question was asked of each as they were handed diplomas, the answers were “I’ll get a job in the oil field” or “I’m going to trade school” or “I’m going to college.” As Carl was handed his diploma, he responded, “I’ll go to Northwestern and major in Electronic Technology.” Said he, “I’m really not sure where that came from. Maybe because I’d dabbled in building a HeathKit radio and had a reverberator on the back speaker of a car radio.” Nevertheless, that’s exactly what he did.

He relates, “That major lasted for two years until poor study habits, an overloaded college social life and advanced mathematics all combined to make necessary a change in my major curriculum, something that required a little less effort on my part.” His new pick was Business Administration.

Carl continued, “Vietnam was heating up and my desire to apply myself to studies was cooling off. The two collided the end of the 1966 Spring Semester. In the mail came that infamous letter, ‘Greetings, you are ordered to appear…’ Yep! I had to show up in Shreveport for an induction physical. That same day, I walked into a recruiter’s office for the US Air Force, talked with him and made arrangements to take their battery of aptitude tests.”

“A few days later, I got a letter from the Air Force recruiter,” he recalled. “I had managed to score in the very highest profile in the electronics portion of the test and was told if enlisted I could practically pick my career field. After one more meeting with the recruiter, I signed his papers enlisting for four years and headed to a career in electronics. When I got my letter for induction for the Army, the Air Force guy told me to appear, except to get in the Air Force recruiter’s line. Everything was set, so I did. Next point of importance I remember is stepping off that bus at Lackland AFB in San Antonio about 1 a.m. greeted by stifling heat and some mean-faced guys that thought they were dealing with a bunch of deaf boys. They would get right in your face and holler at you while sputtering spitballs all over you. The only think they really wanted to hear from you was, ‘Sir, yes, sir.’ They must have been deaf, too, because they expected you to holler back.”

As a career, Carl chose Electronic Cryptographic Equipment Repair Technician. “I didn’t have a clue what Cryptographic meant, I just knew those who were allowed to apply for it had to be hot stuff, and it sounded really cool,” he stated.

After nine months in tech school, Carl had a top security clearance and was assigned to Kelly AFB, just across the street from Lackland AFB. He relates, “That was a God thing, I just didn’t realize it. Assigned to a traveling unit responsible for installing top secret crypto equipment in such locations as the Cheyenne Mountain NORAD Headquarters, the Pentagon, Andrews AFB and other high-profile Air Force and government locations. This work allowed us the privilege of flying on commercial airlines, wearing civilian clothes and living in hotels for months at a time. Needless to say, ‘I loved my job!’ Just a young Converse kid, 20 years old in a dream job straight out of the movies.”

During the summer of 1966, after becoming very familiar with his duties, boredom overtook him. “I found myself standing in front of a personnel officer’s desk signing a volunteer form for duty in Vietnam,” he recalled. “I remember well what he said, ‘Son, I guess you know what this means?’  I answered, ‘Yes sir,’ and went my way.”

A short time later, Carl was on a special mission in Ankara, Turkey. He explained, “After about a month there, one day my supervisor pulled me aside to let me know I was being called back to the states to attend a special Army school before reporting to my new assignment at Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam. I got my wish, except what was this business about an Army school at Ft. Monmouth, NJ in the dead of winter?” He survived New Jersey in the winter and all went well.

Carl reported to Phan Rang AB on the coast of the South China Sea in central Vietnam on Feb. 28, 1969. It was the one-year anniversary of the Tet Offensive. He continues, “Things were very, very lively during that time. During 1969 Phan Rang received more incoming rocket and mortar rounds than any other AB in Vietnam. After a one-year tour of duty I returned to the states, was discharged from the Air Force and yes, she waited for me. I married Frances Welch, a Mansfield girl I had met while hanging out at Webb’s Drive-In a couple of years earlier. That was the ‘in’ place for the teenage crowd back then.”

He continued, “We have been married for 51 years and have a daughter, Amy Everage, who followed in her grandmother’s footsteps and became an elementary teacher.” They have two grandsons, Reed Everage, 10, and Coleman Everage, 7.

Carl retired from a career in real estate having held a Louisiana Notary Commission, Louisiana Real Estate Salesman and Louisiana Real Estate Brokers license. He ended that career with 14 years of service and employment with United Title of Louisiana as their Senior Title Administrator. “I truly loved my work and all my United Title Family,” he stated.

In closing he said, “I’ve encountered good people along life’s way, been God blessed, and hope that somehow along that path, seeds of honesty and integrity I’ve attempted to sow have fallen on fertile ground.”

Signs Along Life’s Highway

Saw this vehicle parked at a service station near West Monroe recently. The signs say it all.

Many residents were notified by letter from Mayor Robert Hable that before Nov. 1, all water accounts in arrears will need to be brought current and that partial payments would no longer be allowed. The Town Council took the action at its Aug. 17 meeting.

He wrote:  “Beyond Nov. 1, if your past due bill is more than $50, your water will be disconnected until the bill is brought current and all past due charges are paid in full. Also, any account that is past due by 31 days will be sent to a collection agency that will charge the customer 30% of your bill as their fee to collect the debt.”

Persons with question may call Lisa King in the water department at 256-4011.

The Many High Powerlifting Team recently received their State Championship rings to commemorate winning the championship back in March of this year. The team has worked hard under the able direction of Coach Jesse Curtis, and we are happy to see them presented these tangible reminders of their hard work and victory.

Early on Sept. 3, Sabine Deputy Dylan Alford, Sergeant Donald Williams, and Deputy Colton Branam, shown above, left Sabine Parish headed to the Lockport area in LaFourche Parish.

These deputies have volunteered to help in Hurricane Ida recovery efforts in Southeast Louisiana. These deputies will stay for a few days assisting the LaFourche Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Several of our Deputies have graduated from the LaFourche Sheriff’s Regional P.O.S.T. Academy in Thibodaux during this past year. Sheriff Aaron Mitchell said he is fortunate for the opportunity to help Sheriff Craig Webre and his department.

Sheriff Mitchell commends these Deputies for taking time away from their families to help others in need. Sheriff Mitchell said several Sabine Parish Deputies will be going to South Louisiana over the next several weeks.

(Thanks to Det. Wade Seegers for the above report.)

In other news, Richard McLarin, Law Enforcement Specialist, representing The Evans Group, traveled from Georgia to Many on Friday to demonstrate SureFire suppressors and Trijicon optics to Sheriff Aaron Mitchell and his CID Staff.

McLarin met with Sheriff Mitchell, P.O.S.T. Firearms Instructor Coby Lang, Detectives and Narcotics Agents at the Sabine Parish Firearms Range.

McLarin is retired military and law enforcement and has vast knowledge of weapons and optics.

McLarin brought several Trijicon ACOG and Reflex/Red Dot Sights for law enforcement rifles and pistols. McLarin also brought SureFire suppressors for 5.56mm and 7.62x51mm rifles. These optics and suppressors were installed on Springfield Saint rifles. Sheriff Mitchell and his staff were given the opportunity to test-fire all these weapons.

“In today’s age of law enforcement, accuracy, durability, and safety are a must in law enforcement weapons,” the SPSO explained.

Sheriff Mitchell thanked McLarin for his time and expertise in presenting optic and suppressor options for his department’s weapons.

(Thanks to Det. Wade Seegers for the above information.)

The Sabine Parish Library has announced their “Storytime” schedule starting this Monday, Sept. 13, for children age Birth to 10 Years.

The sessions, “Step into Storytime,” “Book Buddies,” and “Creative Kids,” introduces age-appropriate elements of stories such as songs, rhymes, puppets, art, experiments, special projects and more to cultivate the love of books and learning.

Please see the program details below and make plans for your youngsters to take advantage of this opportunity.

The Sabine Parish Library is located at 705 Main St. in Many. Interested persons may call (318) 256-4150 for more information.

Observations sends our heartiest congratulations to longtime friend Nan Arthur, who has been selected Principal of the new Magnolia Bend Academy Many Campus.

Arthur brings to the job an extensive education and youth enrichment background. The private Magnolia Bend Academy, based in Coushatta, LA, is set to begin classes this Monday, Sept. 13, with over 40 students at their new Many campus, located at First Baptist Church on Main St.

“I’m looking forward to working with Sabine Parish in another capacity,” Arthur remarked to Observations.

Since November 2012, she has served eight years as Sabine Parish 4-H Agent, coming to that position with 17 years’ experience in education.

During her teaching career at Hornbeck High School, Florien High School and Many Junior High, Arthur taught 7^th and 8^th Grade English Literature Arts, Journey to Careers, Spanish I and II, English III, English I and Louisiana History.

She was graduated from Northwestern State University in 1989 with a Batchelor’s in Journalism and minor in English. She obtained her Master of Education from NSU in 1996. She also has an additional Plus 30 in Spanish Education (University of Louisiana Monroe, 2004) and Specialization in Volunteer Development (Louisiana State University, 2017.)

We cannot think of a finer candidate for this position. Nan is married to Ricky Arthur of Florien, LA. They have two sons, Peyton and Connor. Peyton is an Agriculture teacher/FFA sponsor at Winnfield Senior High School, and Connor is a student at NSU in the Radiological Sciences program.

“After eight rewarding years of leading our parish 4-H program, I am looking forward to this new opportunity to lead our youth,” Arthur said.

We were sad yet proud to see the 13 soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan being honored at Steamboat Bill’s restaurant in DeRidder recently. The name and rank of each military member was posted on the back of each stool.

Lots of establishments across the country chose to set up 13 drinks on empty bars or tables to honor the 11 Marines, one Navy member and one Army soldier who died along with over 100 Afghans on Aug. 26 when two suicide bombers, claimed by the Islamic State terror group, set off explosive belts at the Kabul airport’s gate.

May we always remember and honor these and others who made the ultimate sacrifice so we may enjoy the freedoms this great nation affords.

-30-