Haynesville names its interim mayor

MICHELLE BATES, Editor Guardian Journal, 01/24/08

The Town of Haynesville now has an interim mayor.

Sherman Brown, District 4 Claiborne Parish School Board member, was chosen by a vote of 3-2 in a special called meeting held Monday, January 21, to serve as Haynesville’s interim mayor until a special election can be held.

Councilmen Alvin Kendrick, Alfred Buggs and Councilwoman Joyce Major voted in favor of Brown’s appointment. Councilwoman Carla Smith and Councilman Herbert Taylor were the two who voted against appointing Brown for the position.

Brown is a lifelong resident of Haynesville and has served one term as a school board member. He has served the Claiborne Parish School system for 31 years as a teacher, principal, assistant school superintendent and interim school superintendent.

He intends to resign his position as school board member in order to fill the mayoral vacancy left when Haynesville’s mayor, H.U. “Mutt” Slaid passed away last week.

Slaid was buried late Friday afternoon after hundreds gathered at the Claiborne Parish Fair Barn Complex in Haynesville to honor his memory.

Brown said he decided to take the position at the requests of several people in his community, and would not have done so had it not been for the quality and caliber of the citizens who asked him. He said he’d been asked for the last few years and especially last week to take the position.

“I was born here, raised here and if I say no, why should anybody else take it?” Brown said. “The bottom line is this. I took it because it is interim and because of the caliber of people who called. Haynesville and the parish have been good to me.

“This will be a learning experience for me,” he continued, “and I think the town has done will in the absence of the mayor in the last several months.”

Brown is in the process of resigning as a school board member. Once Brown has notified the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office, within 24 hours, the Secretary of State’s Office must notify the school board. The school board then has 10 days to call a special meeting and make an appointment to fill District 4’s vacancy. The Secretary of State will then notify the school board as to when an election will be held to fill the vacancy.
 

Haynesville Celebration of Butterflies

The annual butterfly festival for Louisiana is held Saturday and Sunday in Mid September at the Claiborne Parish Fairgrounds in Haynesville, the Butterfly Capital of Louisiana. The Haynesville Celebration of Butterflies will be a festival focused on nature: butterflies, other insects, butterfly gardening, native plants, herb gardening, conservation, nature craft vendors, and include food, fun, music and the "Little Miss Butterfly Pageant".
 

Claiborne Parish Fair

The Claiborne Parish Fair is is held the last week in September. The fair will have both day time and night time activities. Day time activities will include: School Group Day; Cooking Show with Rand and Nancy Killgore; and Bingo. Night time activities will include: gospel singing, livestock judging and of course games and rides on the Mid-Way.