The Evangeline Parish Police Jury, Monday,  re appointed their officers and employees for another year. Bryan Vidrine was named President for another term in office while Ryan Ardoin was selected as Vice-President. The jury also voted to continue meeting on the same day each month: the second Monday at 6:00pm.

   The jury agreed to revise its holiday schedule by dropping time off for All Saints Day and to shorten the three day Christmas and New Year holiday break down to two days. Parish employees will now be going back to work on the day after Christmas and New Year.

    In other business, the police jury referred to their legal advisor a request from the Evangeline Parish Recreation Board to help pay half the  $30,000 salary of a new director for the new one million dollar recreational facility off Lithcote road. Dr. Tommy Fontenot, a member of the board, said the park will be ready for the baseball and softball season in March. The City of Ville Platte has already agreed to pay $15,000 or half of the salary for the new full time director. Dr. Tommy said the director will be in charge of the park and will rent the park to high school groups and alumni for fund raisers.

    Nick LeBas, board member,  said “We have a first class facility. Our goal is to have the facility be able to be self sustaining and generate all the money it needs.”

     Basile Juror Kenny Burgess said “If we give $15,000 to Ville Platte,  are we going to be fair and offer the same amount to recreation groups in Basile, Mamou and Pine Prairie?

    The jury agreed to have  only Ville Platte area Ward One jurors spend $15,000 from their budget to the new Ville Platte facility if they can legally do so. Legal Advisor Greg Vidrine is expected to have an answer in time for next month’s police jury meeting.

     In other action the police jury:

--approved appointing Nina David to replace Julia Fontenot on the parish library board;

--appointed Rob Eastin to replace Bryan Vidrine on the Acadiana Area Health Service Board;

--approved the purchase of an excavator for police juror Rocky Rider in District one;

--approved moving the voting precinct from the Turkey Creek Town Hall to the civic center;

--appointed Basile Fire Chief Greg Savoy to replace Mike Stockwell on the Parish Emergency Management Advisory Committee;

--and approved a liquor license for Russell Gautreaux for the Blue Junction store in Point Blue.