Police Jury committee backs off ‘GPS everything’ edict Tuesday

One Police Jury committee has toned down its “GPS-everything” attitude and another has decided to get rid of the modular building that once held parish prisoners.

During committee meetings Tuesday night, the Finance Committee decided that only those parish vehicles that require license plates will be equipped with GPS monitoring devices.

The Buildings and Grounds Committee decided the modular building at the parish jail is not worth repairing and should be declared surplus.

Both of those recommendations, along with others, will be forwarded to the full Police Jury for consideration at the April 8 meeting.

When purchasing new trucks for the parish road crews last month, jurors decided that every piece of parish-owned equipment should be equipped with a GPS monitoring device.

That attitude was strengthened when Juror Julie Borill, Finance Committee chair, reported that she had been told by a constituent that a piece of equipment had been spotted “parked for about three hours” when it was supposed to be working.

“But how many reports like that do we get?” asked David Savoy, police jury president and ex officio member of all committees.

“That’s one,” he said, referencing Borill’s. “I can understand (installing a GPS device) on a vehicle that’s going home with someone, but our barn managers can keep up with the equipment.”

Had the “GPS-everything” edict prevailed, the jury would have had to purchase 34 units at an estimated cost of $269 apiece and pay an additional $59 installation fee for each.

The fee to purchase and install the units would have been an estimated $11,152.

The parish currently pays $26.95 monthly to monitor each of the GPS units on the 19 vehicles that have the devices — a total of $512.05 each month.

That fee would have increased to $1,428.35 eac month— or $17,140.20 annually — if the department’s remaining 34 vehicles and equipment were to have the monitors installed.

Parish Road Supervisor Michael “Pee Wee” Schexnider said he was not certain “right off the top of my head” as to exactly how many licensed vehicles currently do not have GPS monitors.

However, after a quick review of the list of vehicles and equipment, it appears that only about 17 — instead of 34 — new monitors will be needed.

Earlier during Tuesday night’s session, the Buildings and Grounds Committee voted to recommend that the parish get rid of the modular building at the Acadia Parish Jail.

Richard “Dickie” Latiolais, secretary-treasuer, said the structure had once been used to house prisoners. Since completion of the “new” jail facility, the structure is no longer needed.

A.J. “Fatty” Broussard, committee chairman, reiterated that the structure was no longer in use, adding, “It’s deteriorated beyond repair.”

Engineers’ estimates to repair the building range from $260,000 to $277,000, depending upon the type of roof.

On Robert Guidry’s motion, the committee will recommend that the full jury declare the building surplus.

In other action, the Road and Bridge Commiteee will recommend that the full jury:

• hold public hearings to set 30 mph speed limits on Puma Road, Lexington Road and Cutless Road.

• approve Royal Engineering of Lafayette’s proposal for engineering services associated with bridge and road repair and replacement work funded under the  Louisiana Public Assistance Program through the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

• hold a public hearing to consider installing a three-way stop sign at the intersection of Airport Road and South Avenue F.