Residentsvoice vexation with property assessments
BY JAMES MINTON
Contributing writer
The West Feliciana Parish Council sided with the parish assessor in aseries of property value disputesSept. 9and could not agree on adopting anew zoningmap.
The council also said it will not appoint any new members to the parish’sPort Commission until the Legislature decideswhetherto abolish the defunct agency Every four years, parishassessors are required to re-evaluate taxable properties and setnew values, but the council met as a Board of Review on Taxes to hear
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challenges from four individuals whoquestionedAssessorRichard Kendrick’snew 2024 values for their property.
Suchsessions are somewhat rare in rural parishes. Kendrick said the nine challenges were the first that were brought to areview board during his 16 years in the Assessor’sOffice.
LeaWilliams,aformerparish police juror,challenged the new fair marketvalues Kendrickassigned to five of her rental proper-
ties,while her son challenged two. The council went through each of thecases individually,with Kendrickexplaining hisreasonsfor the assignedvalues. In each case, thecouncil accepted his determination of thevalue.
Williamssaid Kendrick wasbeing “extremely unfair” in not allowing her to argue on behalf of her son in his two complaints, and said Kendrick’svaluations make it difficult to offer affordable rental houses to people whodonot own
their homes. Kendrick said the owners may appeal their cases to the Louisiana TaxCommission, which will send out acertified appraiser to examine the properties.
Aproperty’sassignedfairmarketvalue determines its assessment; residential property is assessed at 10% of fair market value. Aproperty owner’stax bill is determinedbymultiplyingthe appropriate millage rate by the assessed value.
Because the total assessed value of property increased during this reassessment year,the council was required by law,inone mo-
tion, to lower the tax millages to collect the sameamount of money as last year
State law,however,allowed the council to then cancel that motion by setting the millages at the same rate as last year,thereby collecting moremoney because of the assessment increase.
As aresult to thetwo-step process, the parish government is expected to get $58,563 more for its general fund; $144,157 more for roads, bridges, buildings and parks; $18,010 forhealth, mosquito abatement and the parish coroner;
Winnersnamed fordesigncontest forClinton bicentennial celebration
BY MELINDARAWLS HOWELL
Contributing writer
Paintings by Clinton businessman Billy DeMossand Lilah Gray,aSilliman Institute student, were the winners chosen in the design contest for theofficial artwork on theposterand T-shirt for the upcoming Clinton Bicentennial Celebration on Oct.5
“Artists and designers were encouraged to use their imagination to design abeautiful representationofthe town of Clinton and its rich history,” said Arlene Culpepper, publicistfor thenonprofit organization Clinton Is Home, which is planning the 200th birthday celebration.
Culpepper said “the beautiful rendition of thehistoric East Feliciana Parish courthouse” by DeMoss will be on theofficial posterand alimited number will be sold. Gray’s“depiction of the iconic Clinton water tower” will be on
theofficialT-shirtsand alimitednumber ofthose will also be sold, Culpepper added.
DeMoss, the owner of Frogskin Graphics for 21 years, said when interviewed Sept. 9byphonehebegan painting again recently for the firsttimein about20years. The colorful acrylic on canvas painting of the courthousewas done in about May or June, he said, and it was because of his sisterencouraging himthat he submitted his entry Gray,a 17-year-old high school junior, is thedaughter of Danette andClint Gray,She appeared with family for an interview at The Green Door on Sept 7. The young artist is also acheerleader,Honor Societymember andonthe Campus Ministries Leadership Team at Silliman.She said herother hobbies include reading fantasy and writing. Her favorite artistic efforts are
VoterRegistrationWeekunderway
The winning painting for the poster design, shown here and featuring the historic East Feliciana Parish courthouse, was done by Bill DeMoss.
Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
PHOTOSBYMELINDARAWLS HOWELL
The winning designs for the Clinton Bicentennialposterand T-shit depict the water towerand courthouse. Fromleft areClinton Is Home Vice Chair Heather Halbrook,artist Lilah Gray,Chair Marsha Kemp and publicist Arlene Culpepper
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sketching with charcoal, but said she has done watercolors and recently tried oil painting in addition to acrylics.
As for why she chose to feature the water towerto represent the town of Clinton she said she vividly remembers seeing it the first time she came to Clinton aboutfiveyears ago. She added that althoughthe tower is really rusty and that she prefersrealismin her artwork, she chose the colors to show “the vibrancy of the town” of Clinton today and also its smalltown charm. The mediumshe used is acrylic. She said she had been urged by Vice Chair Heather Halbrook of the Clinton Is Home organization to enter the contest.
Gray shared she alsowon first place with her artat the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools competition in 2023. As for herfuture aftergraduation, she is considering attending college at Southeastern Louisiana University and majoring in accounting.
Plans for the 200th birthday celebration on Oct. 5 willinclude live bands and performances, guest speakers and oral histories, vendors, afood truck roundup and much more organizers reported. It will be held from 2to9 p.m. and further plans will be announced.
Reminiscing, longtime Clinton resident and Clinton Is Home Chair Marsha Kemp expressed some of her concerns about preserving valuablehistorical buildings, papers and other resources.
Aformer librarian, she expressed hope that the oral historyproject with Audubon Regional Library
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would take hold and grow
Chatting continued around the table with businesswoman Halbrook, who is the owner of TheGreen Door and HMercantile, who said her memories are more recentasshe cameto Clinton in 1997. Culpepper,who grew up in Clinton, attended Silliman Institute and graduated from Clinton High School in 1988. She lived in Lafayette but returnedto
Atyson Brown, 17; Amonte Franklin, 19; andSamuelMims, 22,all of St.Francisville, for second-degree murder in theAug. 20,2022, slaying of Jackie Johnson, 18,also of St. Francisville.
The panel also indictedZephaniahGreen, 17, of St. Francisville, for manslaughterin the same case.
D’Aquilla said Johnson,Brown, Franklin and Mims allegedly approached Green at an apartment complex near the intersection of U.S.61and Burnett Road with the intention of robbing him, usingthe pretext that they wanted to buymarijuana from the youth.
Gunfire broke out after the five met, and Johnson wasfatallywounded.Video surveillance later showed Brown,Mims and Franklin carrying Johnson into the West Feliciana Hospital emergencyroom, D’Aquillasaid.
Officers investigating theshooting found marijuana in Green’sapartment and later recovered apistol thatGreen allegedly threw away,the district attorney said.
Although Green andBrown were 15 yearsold when Johnsonwas killed,the grand jury indicted them as adults, the district attorney said.
The grand jury also indictedAngola inmate Jeremy Ricard, 37, for first-degree murder in the death of inmateJosephPhillips, with theindictment noting the victim was older than 65 when he was killed. West FelicianaParish Sheriff Brian Spillman said the attack occurred on Dec. 29, 2022, at Angola Camp C. Ricard is accused of severely beating Phillipsinthe attack, andthe 68-year-old inmate died several days later Phillips was 5feet, 6inches tall and
her hometown in 2020. Other family names of Culpepper’srelatives are Boeneke and Hooge. Culpepper said she recently remarked to her brother and acousin about growing up in Clinton that “we couldn’thave had a better childhood.” For more information about the Clinton Is Home Bicentennial Event, email clintonishome@gmail.com or go to the event’sFacebook page.
weighed only 115 pounds, the sheriff said.
“Ricard was much younger and stronger than Phillips,” Spillman said.
In the other Angola case, the grand jury charged inmates Willie Jones, 46, and Mark R. Thomas, 42, with second-degree murder in thestabbing deathofRobert Clark,45, on April 2when thethree were allowed out of their cells and gotinto afight on their cellblock tier,D’Aquilla said.
The district attorney saidClarkisaccused of starting the fight but turned as if to walk away when Jones and Thomas allegedlystabbed him. Each of theinmates was armed with aprison-made knife, or “shank,” D’Aquilla said.
Clark was originally sent to Angolato serve a75-year sentence for armedrobbery,but he later was sentenced to life in prison in the death of afellow inmate.
Thegrandjury investigated the deathof aCatahoula Correctional Centerinmate, Raymond Huddleston, during an escape attempt but declined to charge the twocorrectional officers involved, Mark Cagle, 56, andJohnnyNelson, 53, D’Aquilla said.
Huddleston, 46, of Baton Rouge, attempted to escape with the prison’svan after faking aseizure and brieflygaining possession of one officer’shandgun, State Policesaid after investigating the May 1incident
The officers, who were en route to court in Baton Rouge with Huddleston and anotherprisoner,stopped at aU.S.61truck stop in West Feliciana Parish south of the Mississippi state line to check on Huddleston. When they opened the rear of the van, Huddleston, who had removed his restraints, attacked the officers and briefly disarmed one of them, State Police said.
The officer managed to retrieve the weapon before Huddleston attempted to flee in thevan. At least one of them fired at Huddleston, and he waspronounced dead at West Feliciana Parish Hospital, according to State Police.
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$22,524 for the parish library; and $9,000 for the parish hospital. Later in the lengthy meeting, council member Justin Metz asked his colleagues to approve arevised zoning map that included changes to the map introduced for consideration in June. Anew zoning map is needed to complete the revised land development code that passed last year Metz’smotion died for lack of asecond after alengthy discussion in which council members and some members of the audience said the changes Metz proposed were not discussed during apublic meeting. One change Metz offered was to eliminate ahistoricdistrictoverlay that was carried over from the current map, but the other changes were not outlined.
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voting rights
n be aresident in the state and parish in which they seek to register and vote n apply at least 20 days before an election if registering online or 30 days before an election if registering in person orbymail.
Citizens with avalid Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana ID card can register online24hours aday,seven days aweek by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/. Louisiana residents can also register in person at theirparish Registrar of Voters Office, when they applyfor or renew their driver’slicense at any Office of Motor Vehicles, or when obtaining services at public assistance agencies and Armed Forces recruitment offices.
Help cleanupClinton
Volunteers are needed to help clean Clinton before the Bicentennial celebration Oct. 5. Work is planned for 7a.m. Sept. 21. Meet at The Green Door at HMercantile, Clinton.
Librarybookclubmeeting
The Jackson Branch of the Audubon Regional Library is hosting abook club starting at 11 a.m. Thursday,Sept. 19, and meeting Oct. 17, Nov.14and Dec. 12. Bring abook you are reading for the discussion and hear about what others are reading. Coffee provided. Be sure to check the schedules at www audubonregional.net and www.wfplibrary org to learn about activities they are hosting.
Council attorney Dannie Garrett said the proposed changes should be voted on individually in ameeting with public input allowed.
Eventually,the council voted 4-1 to submit all proposed changes at aNov.12meeting. Earlier,Metz successfully got the council to hold off appointments to the Port Commission, which asked the Legislature last year to dissolve it because it had no funding and no projects on the drawing board. The commission is asubdivision of the state government, but the Parish Council appoints some of its members. It has four vacant seats. The Legislature created the commission yearsago when parish leaderswerediscussing apossible site for barges to offload containershipments.ParishPresidentKenny Havard said the state is notlikely to provide funds for the agency,given the number of Louisiana deep-water ports that need dredging and other improvements.
Mammograms in thearea
The Woman’sHospital mammography coach is offering 3D mammograms in Clinton and nearby communities. Physician’s orders are required and appointments are strongly encouraged. Call (225) 683-5292 to schedule.
The coach will be at RKM Primary Clinton, 11190 Jackson St., on Sept. 24. Visit womans.org to see the schedule for other communities, including Baker and Zachary
OLLI registration open
Registration for OLLI runs through Oct. 2. Classes are Sept. 23 to Nov.2.Visit OLLI in the Felicianas on Facebook, ce.lsu.edu/ olli or contact ollifelicianasmembership@ gmail.com forinformation.
Save thedate
n Christmas in the Country in St. Francisville is set for Dec. 6-8.
n Yellow Leaf Arts Festival is 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Oct. 26-27 in Parker Park, St. Francisville.
n The Southern Garden Symposium is Oct. 18 at Rosedown in St. Francisville. Speakers are Marianne Willburn and Scott Beuerlein. Visit www.thesoutherngardensymposium.org for details and registration.
n The Feliciana Wildflower Festival will be June 7and the group is seeking applications for vendors and guest speakers. Visit www.facebook.com/FelicianaWildflowerProject for information.
Sendnewsand events for East and West Feliciana parishes to extra@theadvocate. com by noon Friday or call (225) 3880731.
PHOTO BY MELINDARAWLS HOWELL
Lilah Gray shows her winning painting of the old Clinton water tower.The artwork will be featured on the official T-shirts for the upcoming 200th celebration of Clinton’s birthday
