The LaSalle Parish Police Jury appointed Johonna Fowler, widow of District 5 Juror June Fowler, to fill his unexpired term until a special election can be held in March, during the Jury’s monthly meeting held Monday night, November 8.

June Fowler, 74, passed away November 4 after being re-elected during the October 14 election for his second term as Juror. During that election, he received 79% of the vote.

Johonna Fowler, who was appointed by a unanimous vote Monday night, will serve as the District 5 Juror until the special election is held March 23, 2024. That election will elect someone to fill the unexpired term of June Fowler, which expires in January 2028.

Qualifying for the March 23, 2024 election will be held December 13-15, 2023, at the La-Salle Parish Clerk of Court’s Office in Jena. Those wishing to qualify must live in District 5, which encompasses most of the Town of Jena.

Should a runoff election be needed, that election date was set for April 27, 2024.

In addition to the appointment and calling the special election, the Jury unanimously adopted Resolution #2023-014 regarding the former District 5 Juror, which states in part: “WHEREAS, the LaSalle Parish Police Jury does hereby express their appreciation, and gratitude; and WHEREAS, the Jury recognizes the excellent and dedicated service that Mr. Robert “June” Fowler has rendered the Parish during his term of office, and WHEREAS, “June”, will be truly missed by the Jurors, Staff and employees.

BE IT RESOLVED, that the LaSalle Parish Police Jury on behalf of the entire membership, staff, employees extend unanimous vote of appreciation to Mr. Robert “June” Fowler…” In other business, the Jury voted to introduce their 2024 Budget and to call a public hearing on the proposed budget for December 11, 2023, at 5:45 p.m. at the LaSalle Parish Police Jury meeting room in the LaSalle Parish Courthouse.

The proposed budget shows total parish revenue of $6,257,958.00 with total parish expenditures at $6,257,958.00. Federal WIA revenue that is managed by the Jury totals $2,000,000.00 with total federal WIA expenditures totaling $2,000,000.00.

All of this brings the total budget that is overseen by the LaSalle Parish Police Jury to $8,257,958.00. The complete budget is available for public inspection at the LaSalle Parish Police Jury’s Office.

Prior to the start of the meeting, a public hearing was held to receive written or oral comments concerning the Jury’s intention to delete a portion of Joseph Loop in District 7, from the Jury Road System.

The portion under consideration was from the “right fork from Tingle Road down to Joseph Loop 500 feet west.”

No one spoke in favor or against the deletion and during the regular meeting the Jury unanimously voted to remove that portion from the road system.

Also at the meeting, the Jury voted to: -Approve the budget-to-actual comparisons on the General Fund; -Approve the Superintendent’s October deletions and November additions schedule of work; -Approve transferring $43,500.00 from the General Fund to the Criminal Court Fund; -Approved the advertising for 2024 road supplies/materials, including fill dirt, pit run, fill sand, maintenance gravel, lime stone, asphalt, kol-mix, hot-mix, fuel, motor oil and lubricants, tires, grader blades, metal culverts, plastic culverts and various types of rock; -Adopt the three-year Capital Improvement Plan; -Approved placing Marcus Todd on the parttime worklist; and -Approved the hiring of James McFarlen as a full-time truck driver.