The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury on Thursday named Tony Stelly, of District 10, as its president for 2022. Anthony Bartie, of District 9, was named vice president.

Stelly replaces District 5 Police Juror Brian Abshire, who served as last year’s president. Bartie replaces Guy Brame of District 8 as vice president. Before handing the gavel over to Stelly, Abshire thanked his fellow police jurors and parish staff for their support over 2021.

“It’s been a wild ride, but we’ve had fun,” he said.

The Police Jury also named Kelly Fontenot as parish treasurer. Former finance director/treasurer Tammy Bufkin retired in late 2021 after more than 30 years of service.

Later in the meeting, police jurors took action on bids submitted for hurricane-related repairs to various libraries in the parish. They included Carnegie, Central, Moss Bluff, DeQuincy, Maplewood, Starks, Hayes and Westlake libraries.

Brame asked parish staff about progress at Harbor’s Edge Pavilion at Prien Lake Park, which has remained closed since Hurricane Laura’s August 2020 landfall. Dean Kelly, parish facility management director, said the project has been complex because crews have had to figure out how to repair the facility without taking off the entire roof structure and losing more of the building.

“I hope it’s on the front burner,” Brame said of the pavilion. “That’s a facility that gets reused.”

Brame said residents continue to use the boat launch at Israel LaFleur Park, even though it is in disrepair. Kelly said the project is close to going out for bids.

Kelly also spoke of plans for the old Epps Memorial Library being demolished and the new facility on North Simmons Street being demolished and rebuilt.