By Paige Nash
Following the recent passing of Bernard Hudson, the Webster Parish Police Juror for District 5, the Webster Parish Police Jury held a special meeting last Thursday, February 16. The meeting was to appoint Mike Griffith to fill the district 5 seat until the end of the term set to expire on January 7, 2024.
“I appreciate the vote of confidence. I may not know a lot about it, but I have been in business for myself for a long time,” said Griffith. “I will do the best I can do, not just for District 5, but for anybody in the parish. Anything I can do to help, I will, and I promise you I will answer my phone. I will take care of the public.”
This is the third appointment in the last couple of months for a WPPJ seat. In January, the jury voted to replace District 8 juror Nick Cox – recently-elected Minden mayor – with his wife, Cayla and District 12 juror Benjamin “Ed” Jordan with Adam Lee. Jordan resigned from his seat after moving from his district.
The jury voted to approve the appointments to fill the vacancies for the remainder of the term due jury reelection this fall. They serve a term of four years.
WPPJ President Jim Bonsall also made a motion to appoint a committee to study the leash/tether law. The committee appointed includes jurors Steve Ramsey, Adam Lee, Steve Lemmons, Beverly Kennon and Randy Thomas.
The committee will convene at the next regularly scheduled jury meeting in March at 8:30 a.m. before the usual Road and Finance Committees meet at 9 a.m.
“I would like for this committee to meet at 8:30 with David (Robinson) and ask him specifically what we can do that will help with this,” said Bonsall. “I would rather do it this way so that we don’t come in this room and spend 45 minutes talking about the same thing we have been talking about for the last two meetings.”
Robinson serves as the Animal Control Officer for the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office. He often comes to the jury with questions regarding ordinances such as the leash/tether law. In the State of Louisiana, it is illegal to tether an animal in a manner that exposes them to extreme weather conditions. Webster Parish also has a leash law that prohibits pet owners from allowing their animals to roam at large.
The jury meets on the first Tuesday of every month. The next meeting will be on March 7 with committee meetings beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the public meeting being held at 10:30 a.m.