The Tangi Times
June 5, 2026
Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1
Board of Commissioners
Regular Meeting
April 9, 2026
5:00 p.m.
The Board of Commissioners of Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 met this 9th day of April, 2026, in regular session. Those present were Chairman E. Ray Glasgow, Vice-Chairman Robbie Lee, Commissioners Jeff McKneely and Ray Cutrer, Secretary Agnes Prevost, and Fire Chief J. D. Stevens. Absent was Commissioner Reginald Foster. Assistant Chief Jason King was also in attendance.
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A motion was made by Mr. McKneely, seconded by Mr. Lee and carried that the Board dispense with the reading of the minutes of the March 12, 2026, regular meeting of the Board and accept them as prepared.
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Mr. Lee made a motion to approve payment of current bills in the amount of $68,739.02. Mr. McKneely seconded the motion and it so carried.
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After review of the financial statement, a motion was made by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mr. Cutrer and carried that the financial statement for the month of March, 2026, be accepted.
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The following Resolution was offered by Mr. Jeff McKneely and seconded by Mr. Ray Cutrer:
RESOLUTION NO. 01-26
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COMMITTED FUND BALANCE
FOR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL OUTLAY AND PERSONNEL PLAN
WHEREAS, Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 (hereinafter “Fire District 1”) has developed a 5-year Capital Outlay and Personnel Plan (hereinafter “Plan”) to ensure the safety and operational efficiency of Fire District 1; and
WHEREAS, Committed Fund Balances are defined as amounts that can only be used for specific purposes based on constraints imposed by formal action of the government’s highest level of decision-making authority; and
WHEREAS, the designation of committed funds is binding on governmental agencies unless or until it takes another formal action to modify or remove said designation; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners serves as the highest level of decision-making authority for Fire District 1; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners desires to formally establish a Committed Fund Balance to fund the projects and personnel requirements outlined in the Plan to ensure these resources are used only for their established and specific purposes:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RSOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1:
SECTION 1. TERM. The 5-Year Capital Outlay and Personnel Plan shall be
for a term of five years, commencing April 9, 2026, and ending April 9, 2031.
SECTION 2. COMMITMENT OF FUNDS. The Board of Commissioners
hereby formally commits a total of Five Million Eight Hundred Sixty Thousand
Dollars ($5,860,000.00) of Fire District 1’s funds as its Committed Fund Balance
for the specific purpose of funding the 5-Year Capital Outlay and Personnel Plan.
SECTION 3. ALLOCATION OF COMMITTED FUND BALANCE. The
Committed Fund Balance shall be allocated across the following project components
over the five-year period:
New Fire Station: $1,500,000.00
Training Facility: $1,800,000.00
Engine 135: $ 700,000.00
SCBA Replacement: $ 500,000.00
New Manpower (3FF): $1,300,000.00
Bunker Gear (24 sets): 60,000.00
SECTION 4. EXPENDITURE SCHEDULE. The anticipated annual draw from
this Committed Fund Balance shall follow the projected annual totals:
Year 1: $ 560,000.00
Year 2: $1,055,000.00
Year 3: $2,010,000.00
Year 4: $1,115,000.00
Year 5: $1,120,000.00
SECTION 5. COMPLIANCE WITH FISCAL REPORTING. This commitment
is created before the Fire District’s fiscal year-end to ensure proper reporting in the
year-end balance sheet. While the specific constraint is established herein, the exact amount subject to the constraint may be determined in the subsequent period.
The foregoing resolution was read in full, the roll was called on the adoption thereof, and the resolution was adopted by the following votes:
YEAS: 4 (E. Ray Glasgow, Robbie Lee, Jeff McKneely, Ray Cutrer)
NAYS: None
ABSTAINED: None
ABSENT: 1 (Reginald Foster)
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Fire Chief Stevens made known to the Board that opening of bids for the construction of the training facility has been moved from April 16, 2026, to April 29, 2026.
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Chief Stevens requested that the Board approve the purchase of a ¾ ton pickup for use by the Chief, with the current Chief vehicle, 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe, to be used for Fire Prevention and investigations.
Mr. Cutrer inquired as to the date for the exam for the Fire Prevention Officer position and how many applicants there are.
Assistant Chief King answered that the exam is scheduled for May 20 and that there are four applicants for the position, which is competitive.
Discussion then returned to the purchase of the truck, wherein Mr. McKneely asked if the truck would be purchased under state contract.
Chief Stevens answered that it depends on what kind of truck, as there are some that are not on state contract; further that if the truck is under $70,000, price quotes would be obtained and if it is over $70,000, the procedure would be to obtain sealed bids.
A motion was made by Mr. McKneely, seconded by Mr. Lee and carried that state law is adhered to for the purchase of a new ¾ ton pickup truck for the Chief’s use, with the current Chief vehicle, a 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe, to be used in Fire Prevention.
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Mr. Cutrer stated that he did not receive a commissioner per diem check for the February meeting and that he was not listed as being present for the meeting and that he should have been. He made known that in January he was sworn in and that he missed the January meeting but was present for the February meeting. He stated that as a matter of record, he would like to be paid the per diem check for the February meeting and requested that the minutes be amended for the February 12, 2026, meeting of the Fire Board to reflect that he was present at said meeting.
Mr. McKneely made a motion that the minutes of the February 12, 2026, meeting be amended to reflect that Mr. Cutrer was present for said meeting, making him eligible to receive the per diem commissioner check. The motion was seconded by Mr. Lee and carried.
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Mr. Cutrer then made known that he had read in the newspaper the advertisement for bids for the construction of the new training facility. He questioned why the facility is being named after the late Fire Chief Bruce Cutrer.
Chief Stevens made known that the project was begun by Chief Cutrer and was the last project he was working on before his death.
Mr. Cutrer stated that Bruce Cutrer already has a facility named after him, being Fire Station 2 on Campo Lane; further that he disagrees with two facilities being named after the same individual when there have been so many other people who have been important to the fire department. He added that his take on it is that the facility does not have to be named after anyone, that the name could be Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 Regional Training Center.
Assistant Chief King clarified that the planning for the facility was outsourced to someone to set up our Capital Outlay project, and he took it upon himself to name the project in order to get it through the legislature. He further explained that the name is a project name and that it is his understanding that naming the facility would need to come before the Fire Board.
Mr. McKneely added that it is also possible that Parish government would have to approve the name.
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There being no further business to come before the Board, a motion was made by Mr. McKneely, seconded by Mr. Lee and carried that the meeting be adjourned.
E. Ray Glasgow Agnes Prevost
Chairman Secretary-Treasurer
Cost of notice: $159.50
Miscellaneous Notices