3-29-99

The COURTHOUSE DRAMA

On March 20, 1999, The Advocate had an article by Angela Rozas entitled "Ascension Courthouse Renovations in Works".
After Council member Milton Vicknair said a citizen of his district is willing to donate 20 acres to build a new Governmental Building,
instead of remodeling the old one. But, Parish President Tommy Martinez objected, arguing that the Council did not have the money
to take on the project, and something needed to be done immediately.

"If you want to start looking at a new complex, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT THE JUDGES CAN'T WAIT
ANOTHER TWO YEARS TO FIX IT," Martinez said

After reading that, I wrote this POLL for all seventh grade students in Ascension with 2 questions:

1.-The Martinez Plan

2.-Accept the land donation and use the $6Million and build only a COURTHOUSE as the FIRST STARTER building.

I mailed a copy to SIX Judges, Parish President, and 9 Council Members. No letter has come back yet.

Now, this is from the Gonzales Weekly: "HOWEVER, at a MEETING between Judges and SOME COUNCILMEN, the
group apparently reached a CONSENSUS to go FORWARD on the original idea."

How many Councilmen were present? How many Judges?

Now, read and reread this sentence closely 2 or 3 times:

"While the Councilmen debated the issue Thursday, the only comment Martinez made was that he hated to see the Parish
lose $3Million in State assistance". The meeting took place on a Tuesday, the day before the Weekly went to press.

Martinez made plenty of statements in the Advocate article from the previous Thursday.

M.P.Evans is TWO months and a few days older than I am. Never in my life have I heard of M.P. spending money on
something that could not be used for one or maybe 2 years and then spend multimillions on something that is too small upon
completion.

If they do not build a COMPLEX, will M.P. donate the LAND?

COUNCIL PEOPLE and JUDGES, YOU ARE PLAYING THIS FOOTBALL GAME WITH M.P.'S FOOTBALL in an
election year.

Now this last sentence from the Weekly: "State Representative John C. "Juba" Diez said Wednesday that HE had been
assured that the $3Million had been set aside and is 'waiting on us to do something' ".

Now are Mr. Martinez and Mr. Diez living on distant planets? As Mr. Martinez says, we could lose the $3Million.





O. W. Stevens