As a lifelong resident of Natchitoches Parish, I see the importance in voicing concerns and standing up for what is right and fighting against that which is wrong!

Monday, December 16th, I was proud to be along side of many other Natchitoches Parish residents as we voiced our concerns regarding the council failing to pass the budget for the Parish Government for 2025.

Three members of the council continue to stand in the way of letting our parish move forward by their choice to vote NO on the budget needed for the year 2025. Their reason has been that they need $90,000 for “professional services” stating that they want to purchase a software to further their goals, such as , making the meetings available for everyone to be able to see without having to drive to the meetings, also, for writing the agenda etc. First, we have a council clerk that takes care of getting the agenda ready for the monthly meetings. Secondly, we have the Natchitoches Parish Journal that makes the monthly meeting available for us to watch live. We do not need a software, we need a budge passed to move this parish forward in getting our roads repaired.

Also, by them refusing to pass the budget, we stand a chance to lose over four million dollars in grant money, all because they want $90,000 for a computer software, that to my understanding will not even do what they say it will, such as providing live broadcasting of the monthly council meetings.

So, the same three stand that continue to vote NO, are totally just ignoring the four million in grant money just because they want $90,000. Letting $90,000 stand in the way of millions, sounds rather stupid to me.

All present in Monday nights meeting as we voiced our concerns we basically told that we are only a few residents of the parish and did not speak for the rest of the residents in the parish. I brought up a point, where were the people of the parish that DIDN’T want the budget passed, no one in the room spoke up. So, the point is, if all of us there WANT the budget passed and NO ONE was there that said they didn’t. Why not listen to the people that were there?

So at the end of the day the three are basically saying , if we don’t get our way, we aren’t worried about anything else.

The three council members that continue to block this are.

District 1 Parish Council Member: Bobby Braxton
District 2 Parish Council Member: William “Bill” Allen (also the Chairman)
District 4 Parish Council Member: Marty Cheatwood

This is a disgrace to our parish and I am disgusted that these three are actually who we have representing our parish.

I am always proud to take a stand for what is right and fight against that which is wrong and would like to encourage everyone to do the same.

WE THE PEOPLE, will voice our concerns!

I would also like to say THANK YOU to:
District 3 Council Member, Wayne Halm
District 5 Council Member, Mark Kerry

For standing up for what is right and voting YES to pass the budget!

May God Bless All of You and May God Bless Natchitoches Parish!

Justin L. Lester
Former Natchitoches Parish District 4 Council Candidate