News & Stats
Service program to get boost
Weeding, cutting grass, painting, picking up litter.
Those are some of the jobs officials plan to assign to people who have been ordered to perform community service in St. John the Baptist Parish.
After years of poor or no oversight of the program and people showing up to carry out their hours at the library, the parish's recycling center or not at all, District Attorney Tom Daley plans to revitalize community service procedures
Daley said he started the community service program almost 18 years ago as a parish judge and at one time the participants performed manual labor with the roads and bridges department. However, once a key supervisor retired, the program lost consistency and eventually faltered, Daley said.
After talking with Parish President Bill Hubbard, Daley decided the parish needed to revamp the program.
"It didn't die," said Daley. "It just needed a shot in the arm."
Since last month, Daley said his office has been looking back to 2007 to see who has fulfilled their community service hours.
"We'll ask them to come in and comply," he said.
Maj. Mike Tregre, a spokesman for the district attorney's office, said the program will provide St. John with more than 400 hours of service a month.
The parish is gathering tools, such as lawnmowers, and safety vests and a van for the Saturday program, said parish spokesman Buddy Boe. The parish's special project coordinator Mark Howard is running the program. We're turning it into a productive work force for the community," Boe said. "They broke a variety of laws and they owe the community."
Daley said about 15 people will be working community service hours a month.
And if people do not comply with their court-ordered community service hours, Daley said, they could face a judge or even jail.
Hubbard said the program will help the parish work force, by giving St. John free labor.
His message to people who have to serve their old community service hours?
"Go buy a pair of gloves," Hubbard said. "They're going to need 'em."