Friday, May 1, 2020
Sales tax collections in Sabine Parish for April were down by $349,530.86 over April of 2019. This amounted to $131,712.96 less for the School Board, $65,243.24 less for the Police Jury, $40,035.79 less for the Town of Many and $48,932.81 less for the Sheriff’s Department. The total amount of sales tax collected during April was $2,254,940.69, according to Tax Collector Nolan Rivers. Nevertheless, even though it was a lower amount collected compared to collections a year ago, taxes collected during April were still more than the $1,847,889.90 collected in March.
The closing of so many businesses in Sabine Parish is reflected in this lower number. It’s a good thing that the big pipeline is bringing a lot of revenue to Sabine or the reduced amount of collections would be a lot worse. It’s past time to get Sabine back working.
The report issued by the Sales Tax Commission follows:
Another proclamation to address the COVID-19 virus has been issued and becomes effective today, May 1, according to Many Mayor Ken Freeman. The proclamation was issued by the Town of Many and Sabine Parish Police Jury and also signed by Fisher Mayor Susan Slay, Pleasant Hill Mayor Glenn Arnold and Florien Mayor Eddie Jones Jr.
Mayor Freeman commented, “After Gov. John Bel Edwards extended the state’s proclamation to May 15, we felt we should coordinate our efforts so at least the Parish and Town were on the same page and following the same rules set down by the Governor.”
The Mayor reported that the Towns of Zwolle, Converse and Noble would not sign the new proclamation because they were not invited to attend the meeting. District Attorney Don Burkett, who has been so active in keeping the public abreast of happenings, also was apparently not invited to the meeting. The Mayor explained, “The reason they were not included was because the Police Jury and Town of Many were the only governing authorities to declare a State of Emergency. If we offended anyone in our attempt to coordinate the Governor’s orders so that all were on the same page, certainly we apologize and if they do not wish to sign, they do not have to. The joint order stands.”
Proclamation Orders & Violation Consequences
Mandatory
We do hereby order:
(1). All individuals exhibiting a health condition that is symptomatic of the COVID-19 virus to isolate themselves from the public until tested for the virus and to remain isolated until the results are returned negative or until the symptoms subside.
(2). All individuals who have been in contact with a person that has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus shall stay isolated from the public for a period of fourteen (14) days after the last contact with the infected person or until the affected individual has been tested and the results have returned negative.
(3). All individuals who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus must stay isolated from the public for a period of fourteen (14) days from the time of the test or until a doctor has declared them no longer contagious.
(4). All employees of a business who have contact with the public must wear a mask.
(5). To prevent cross contamination, employees at checkout counter(s) shall not wear gloves but must sanitize hands and counter(s) after each customer.
(6). Businesses providing shopping carts must sanitize those carts between each use.
(7). Public parks in the Town of Many will remain closed until May 15, 2020
(8). No public gatherings to include churches, theater, public meetings and bars until further notice from the Governor.
Business Operations
We do hereby order:
(1). All businesses are responsible for maintaining the social distance rule of six (6) foot spacing between individuals, even in passing. This spacing applies between customers and between customers and employees. Families may enter establishment and may shop together as a family as long as six (6) foot social distancing between the family unit and the customer is maintained.
(2). Customers must maintain social distancing in the checkout line.
(3). When a business is stocking inventory items, the aisle being stocked must be closed or the stocker must wear a protective mask.
(4). A customer shall not approach nearer than six (6) foot to a checker that is not protected by a plexiglass shield between the checker and the customer. In absence of a shield, procedures controlling social distancing must be in place.
(5). The social distance rule of six (6) foot spacing between individuals is to be maintained at the business entrance.
(6). Social distancing between both customers and employees must be maintained in self-checkout areas. Self-checkout equipment must be sanitized between each use.
(7). Unless accompanying a family member, only one person is to be allowed in the restroom.
(8). Many City Hall lobby will remain closed to the public until further notice but employees will continue to work inside.
(9). The Town of Many will not have any regular public council meetings, committee meetings, Mayor’s court or any activities at the Many Community Center until further notice.
(10). Parish and City services will continue with same six (6) foot social distancing rules.
(11.) Many Police Department and city crews will use masks, gloves as needed and sanitizing wipes. City crews will have no face-to-face contact with the public until May 31, 2020.
Suggestions
Flexibility will be given to the business to establish its own procedures. Some suggested rules are as follows:
(1). Have a “greeter” at the door advising every customer who enters the business of social distancing rules. The customer should be advised that if they violate the rules they will be asked to leave.
(2). Customer traffic should flow through the aisles in one direction. No two customers should pass within six (6) feet of each other.
(3). Each department, such as meat, dairy, deli, etc., where a defined aisle may not exist, will be governed by the same rules as an aisle. All customers must practice social distancing of six (6) feet.
(4). Merchants should maintain customer flow in such a manner so that six (6) foot social distancing can be practiced.
(5). We encourage everyone to wear masks while in public.
(6). We encourage all businesses to provide some kind of screen separating employees from customers.
(7). We encourage all employers to take the temperature of all employees as they punch in for work. Should the employee have a temperature of 100.4 or greater, that employee will be asked to go to the doctor or self-isolate and not be allowed to come back to work until they become non-symptomatic for two (2) days or tested negative.
Orders that are being lifted by the Parish and the Town of Many
(1). Vacation rentals for the Parish.
(2). Town of Many emergency curfew will expire on May 4, 2020.
(3). The suspension of water disconnects for the Town of Many. Disconnection for past due water bills will be enforced starting May 4, 2020.
(4). The suspension of all payments to the Town of Many, including but not limited to, water, fines, fees, licenses and taxes. Payments will be due on their regular due date starting May 4, 2020.
(5). The suspension of late fees. Late fees will be added to any bill that becomes delinquent May 4, 2020.
Violations of the Order
A. The Sabine Parish Police Jury and the Town of Many shall revoke the business license of any business that violates this order, and
B. Parties that violate this order will be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500.00 and/or six (6) months in jail.
The Town of Many’s posting on social media of the new Proclamation drew strong response from area residents. A sampling of their comments follow:
Jason Hippler: “I’m pretty much just going to go ahead and break it down for folks…..based on proven science and statistics, this will go down as the greatest over-reaction in our Country’s history. I won’t be changing how I live my life….not now, or ever.”
John Starks responding to Jason Hippler: “Good for you realizing that this is a crisis for government to try and take control of our freedoms.”
John Starks: “I agree, Ken, so the people that are worried – I agree – should stay home; the people that aren’t worried should be able to come and go without the threat of jail time.”
Jason Hippler: “Ken, we won’t have a problem as long as the government doesn’t infringe on my rights…. I didn’t survive 7 combat deployments to lose my freedoms at home. I further assure you that I am respectful enough of other people’s rights not to infringe on theirs. But I refuse to sit idle any longer while lesser men assert their perceived power and cripple this great nation based on nothing more than fear. Data from vetted sources is refuting the models; we need to open up.”
Jason Hippler: [Quoting] “’Private fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance. And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery, and to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering.
‘Then begins, indeed, the bellum omnium in omnia, which some philosophers observing to be so general in this world, have mistaken it for the natural, instead of the abusive state of man.
‘And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.’
-Thomas Jefferson”
Janet Gastinel Elam: “Very few have been following the rules! I hardly think they will now because of a proclamation! Get ready for a bigger surge of the virus!!!!”
Ann Jones: “Why, if the governor is saying May 15, does this order not expire until May 30?”
Town of Many: “The Police Jury and the Town of Many set our expiration day [for] 30 days rather than 15 days because we do not know what the Governor will do in 15 days. If he extends his order in 15 days, our citizens will already be accustomed to following his order. Should he remove his order in 15 days, so will we…. Ken”
Jeff Williams: “You can post all of the rules, regulations and orders all you want. But, the FACT is, most merchants in town and surrounding areas, are simply not following, or enforcing, all of these. It is sporadic at the very best. It is different from store to store, and location to location.”
Town of Many: “In the Joint Proclamation, it is now clear what the rules are, and the penalties are for not following these rules. We have asked the Police and Sheriff to enforce. Ken”
Lani Hilton: “Again you can say all you want, PEOPLE ARE NOT AND HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWING THIS. Have you been in town at all during this? I have not seen enforcement of any of this.”
Dewayne Harrell: “How are you going to enforce the 6-ft. rule? That is the stupidest thing I have heard.”
Kenneth Trahan: “Fix the roads in Ward 2!!! People like to do everything else but the job they were elected for.”
Responses to Kenneth Trahan:
John Starks: “No, they are buying ball fields.”
Tracey Nelson Baldi: “Yes!!!! Little Flock Rd. is ATROCIOUS!!!”
Kenneth Trahan: “I know it’s terrible!! Yet the ones who are responsible are busy making up a plethora of new ‘rules’ to follow.
“I have seen a lot of work done in Florien. A couple of new blacktop roads, and work done to the front half of Prospect. I believe that is Ward 1, so work can be done, it’s just not. Well, at least ‘til election time comes around.”
John Starks: “[Work has been done in Ward 1] Because Bo Stewart is on top of his game. He’s the only one that voted against buying a ball field.”
SABINE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
Sabine DA Don Burkett is keeping all up to date on the Coronavirus. His information posted just after noon today is shared here:
“May 1: The State reports 17 [cases]/1 [death] for Sabine, but there are at least 27 positive tests now and 1 death. Caddo has 1579/113, Bossier has 287/17, Rapides 270/10, DeSoto 194/11, Red River 29/5, Natchitoches 86/4, and Vernon 26/2. I suspect at least some of these are under-reported by the State, like Sabine. Statewide hospitalizations have gone up from 1601 to 1607 and [use of] vents have dropped 1 to 230. Overnight deaths rose from 60 to 65 to a total of 1927 dead in Louisiana. Out of 28,711 statewide cases, 17,303 are classified as recovered. Hope everyone has a safe weekend,” said Burkett.
Bo Chevallier, former Many attorney and Assistant District Attorney, who now resides in the Ozarks of Arkansas, put the following on Facebook Wednesday of last week:
“Got a call from a friend there in Sabine Parish an hour ago. He had had this mysterious NON-flu in February. He got an antibody test yesterday, and sure enough, he has COVID-19 antibodies…”
Several responded, sharing suspicions they, too, might have had the virus.
Kathy Wright Brunson: “My granddaughter and her family were all extremely sick in February also – she thinks it was corona.”
Polly Snell: “I think a lot of people are like that.”
Amy Mason Higgins: “My husband and I were very sick in February. I had to leave work one day.”
Janene Peyton Hamner: “My husband was sicker than he has ever been in January and February. We are pretty sure he had it.”
Evelyn Bush: “My husband was sick at the end of February. I been telling him I think he had it.”
It is worth noting that Gov. John Bel Edwards has approved religious gatherings in Louisiana, as long as they follow a set of rules released by the State today. The rules include:
– Gatherings must be held outdoors with or without tents.
– Tents must be open on all sides, meet NFPA 101 Life Safety Codes and have a minimum 7’6″ headroom.
– “Crowd managers” i.e. ushers, staff or leadership, are to be on hand to strictly enforce social distancing (households may sit together), assign seating to attendees, manage movement of people throughout the service to be sure 6-foot distance is maintained at all times including during entry and exit, call for emergency evacuation if needed, and be in charge of calling 911 in case of an emergency.
– Crowd managers are to wear face masks, and there is to be one manager for every 50 people
– Must have a fire extinguisher within 75 feet.
– Human contact should be minimized.
– It is encouraged that persons age 65 or older and those with chronic health conditions be asked not to attend.
Actually, that last requirement covers most of the regular church-goers we know. So, on that front the devout are out.
On the other hand, this allowance could be the start of a good, old-fashioned tent revival like we used to have every summer when I was just a lad in Marthaville.
That is all for this relatively quiet Friday. Hope you and yours have a pleasant weekend. As always, thanks for reading. To save, send or print today’s column, click on the appropriate icon below. To share an idea for a future article, call or write me at (318) 332-8653 or robertrgentry@gmail.com. I love to hear from you. To see older Observations, follow the page links below and visit our Facebook page.
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