Charles Jones resigns Avoyelles Parish Police Jury presidency

In a brief but emotional meeting, Charles Jones resigned as president of the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury. Most of the 20-minute special meeting on Monday (Oct. 21) was taken up by jurors and others praising Jones for his hard work as president over the past four years.

Juror Kirby Roy, who was Jones’ vice president, said he has “big shoes to fill” as Jones’ replacement for the next two months. Juror John Earles was elected vice president.

“This is not something I want to do, but something I feel I have to do,” Jones said.

Jones cited “personal and health reasons” for his decision to step down from his leadership position. He plans to continue serving as the District 5 juror, but added, “we will see what the next month or two shows.”

Jones, 74, is a retired U.S. Army colonel who served two combat tours in Vietnam. While in the Army, he was also assigned to U.S. embassy details overseas and for duties at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

When the Marksville native returned home after retiring from the military, he started a second career as a public school teacher. He became principal at Marksville High and eventually retired from that position.

He also served as president of the local NAACP.

ELECTED IN 2008

Jones was elected to the Police Jury in 2008 -- a special election called due to changes in Police Jury districts caused by reapportionment. He was re-elected without opposition to another four-year term this year.

He noted he will finish his duties related to work on closing the 2019 budget and preparing the 2020 budget, which will be adopted in December.

“The only thing I would ask is that I would like to still lead the prayer” at the jury’s meetings. Jurors agreed he should.

“You’ve taught me a lot and I appreciate all you’ve done for this parish,” Police Juror Marsha Wiley said.

Police Juror Mark Borrel said Jones worked hard for the parish as a whole.

“Every district was your district,” Borrel said. Police Juror Henry Moreau said he didn’t mean to disparage the new president, “but it will be hard to replace you. I don’t know how you’ve done it.”

Moreau, who was defeated for re-election, said the next Police Jury should seriously consider hiring a parish administrator to do the work that Jones was doing for free.

“The colonel has the computer skills and other skills that benefitted the parish,” Moreau said. “We need someone full-time to do what he was doing.” Juror Trent Clark said he always appreciated Jones’ directness.

‘NO GRAY AREA’
“There was no gray area,” Clark said. “I learned a lot from you. I just wish there were more like you. You always put the needs of people first.”

Earles said Jones proposed hiring a civil works director to head the parish maintenance program -- a decision many believe to be one of the parish’s best moves in the past several years.

Earles noted that Civil Works Director Kevin Bordelon “has done a lot for this parish, but he comes in second to what Col. Jones has done for this parish.”

“You went beyond the call of duty,” Juror McKinley “Pop” Keller said.

Juror Glenn McKinley said Jones “will go anywhere in this state to handle business for this parish, and he has never brought a bill back to the jury” seeking reimbursement for gas or other expenses.

“He did that for this parish,” McKinley added. Roy said Jones was his principal at Marksville High while Roy was a teacher. He said Jones was always supportive.

“One day we got into an argument,” Roy recalled. “It was Ronald Mayeux’s last day as superintendent. He came to the school, looked at me and said, ‘What did you do now?’”

Roy and Jones have almost always worked together as a leadership team. There have been a few occasions where the two were at odds over an issue, but Roy said they always resolved their differences quickly and continued to work for the best interests of the parish.

“These are big shoes to fill,” Roy said, “but I will do the best I can.” He said he was jury president about 20 years ago, “but things are different now.” For example, the parish has less revenue to provide essential services.

“When I was president, we had 62 employees at the Parish Barn,” he said. “Now we have 32.”

Jones choked with emotion a few times and openly wept. Others also wiped away tears during the meeting.

“I never knew there were so many doctors in Rapides and Avoyelles parishes. I feel like I’ve seen them all,” Jones joked.

“We love you and are praying for you,” District Attorney Charles Riddle said.