Housing authority awards new security contract

By: TONY MARKS Editor At the meeting of the Ville Platte Housing Authority, held Tuesday, September, 26, Chairman Arthur Sampson reported Chief of Police Al Perry Thomas has not yet signed an agreement to let the city marshal’s office work security. The announcement prompted board members to terminate the security contract with the police department and enter into a new contract with the city marshal’s office. Deputy Michael Shaw, who resigned from the police department on August 16, for personal reasons, was in attendance at the board meeting and acknowledged the city marshal’s office has the ability to perform fingerprint testing and background checks. “We have all of the same capabilities and functions of the police department and the sheriff’s department,” said Deputy Shaw. One of the sticking points, however, was the amount of detail pay for deputy marshals who work security. As Deputy Shaw stated, the current contract with the city is for $20 an hour in detail pay. But, no other detail in the parish or in a surrounding parish pays less than $40 an hour. “You’re wanting us to move crowds, run vehicles, deal with fights, and all of that stuff in a high crime area,” the deputy said. “Crime is up 32% in Ville Platte in the last year and a half. We’ve had 10 murders this year. I hate to say it, but what you’re asking for $20 an hour is not logical.” Sampson then said HUD (Housing and Urban Development) has funds available through a grant program for security. “I know $40 an hour sounds high,” Deputy Shaw commented, “but it’s an investment. When you cut your crime rate down and get to move some of the things that are going on here out, you’re building more income because you’re bringing people in because they don’t have stabbings at their front door. It pays for itself in the long run.” Vice Chairman David Ortego pointed out the board paid $25 thousand for security last year and that total would double with the new detail pay. “You’re looking at taxpayer money to double a cost,” Ortego said. “We do have some financial responsibility to the taxpayers.” The board approved Ortego’s motion to pay $30 an hour and to revisit in six months. After six months, the board can review and increase the pay to $35 an hour. Then, after 12 months, the matter can be reviewed again to increase the pay to $40 an hour.