Committee to compile definitive list of parish roads after jurors raise legal and equity concerns

The DeSoto Parish Police Jury road committee directed staff to compile an authoritative list of parish roads and return it for committee review after jurors raised legal, equity and logistics concerns about which roads the parish maintains.

Staff said multiple road lists exist in different offices and that redistricting has complicated the records; the goal is to bring a single, voted list before the jury so staff and foremen know which roads the parish will maintain without separate action. "We would like to have that clear defined list voted on by the jury, adopted by the jury, that that would be the only roads we work on unless y'all take further action in the future," staff said.

Jurors warned the effort could provoke constituent complaints where roads historically received maintenance without formal work orders. One juror noted that roads can become public in several ways and that proper notification is required for abandonment proceedings; legal review will be needed to ensure the parish complies with statutes and avoids improper transfers of public assets.

The committee also discussed related operational topics: whether the parish or the school board pays for bus turnarounds and material for school access (staff said the school board typically reimburses for materials or approves requests), and whether cemetery entrances or internal cemetery roads should be listed as parish responsibilities (staff said a cemetery list exists and can be cross-checked).

Next steps: staff will assemble a consolidated road list, identify ambiguous cases that require legal review or further fact-finding, and return the list to the road committee for consideration. The committee did not vote on a final list during the workshop.