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DeSoto Parish jury fails to approve $15,000 stabilization grant for Pelican community campus
Summary
Lamar Scott of Webcorp asked the DeSoto Parish Police Jury for $15,000 to insure and stabilize the Pelican All Saints Community Campus; after debate the budget amendment to appropriate the funds failed on a 5-5 vote.
Lamar Scott, president of Webcorp, asked the DeSoto Parish Police Jury on Thursday to provide $15,000 to stabilize the Pelican All Saints Community Campus for insurance, utilities and immediate readiness for public use. Scott said Webcorp recently acquired the campus and has paid roughly $14,000 toward the purchase; he described plans for elderly services, youth programming and emergency readiness and said local partnership would improve the organization’s competitiveness for state and federal grants.
The request drew questions from jurors about the organization’s revenue model and previous access to the property. Scott said Webcorp currently operates on member donations, alumni pledges and planned facility rentals; he said the $15,000 request would be a one-time stabilization payment to allow safe public occupancy and to support grant applications that require local government endorsement. "This is a tremendous resource for South DeSoto Parish residents," Scott said, urging the jury to help close a "resource desert" in the Pelican area.
Jurors pressed Scott on why Webcorp had not sought funding earlier, whether ownership rather than a lease made a difference, and whether the organization had a sustainable revenue stream. Legal and staff comments clarified that local endorsement can affect competitiveness for federal and state grants but does not itself provide grant funds.
A motion to amend the 2026 general fund budget to appropriate $15,000 for Webcorp services was moved and seconded. After debate, the motion failed on a tied 5-5 vote. Proponents argued the campus would expand local services and emergency capacity; opponents cited fiscal prudence and noted the organization previously sought funding. The jury did not adopt the appropriation and Webcorp may pursue requests again at budget time.
The administrative committee and jury addressed other business later in the meeting, and Webcorp representatives were told they could return with fuller documentation or alternative proposals.
