Jury chief fires security official

• By MARILYN GOFF
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Aug 20, 2008 - Page: 3B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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CLINTON — The East Feliciana Police Jury president fired parish Homeland Security Director Olin Stubbs Tuesday, naming lawyer and land-surveyor Glen Kent as interim director to serve until Jan 1.

Kent, who will be paid $2,500 per month, takes over immediately.

He had the job for five months prior to the jury’s appointment of Stubbs.

Although Jury President Louis Kent and interim director Glen Kent share the same last name, they are not related.

Louis Kent said his decision to fire Stubbs had not come lightly because he believed Stubbs to have been a valuable employee who held a vital “life or death” position in the parish.

Louis Kent said he had given careful thought to the matter; but decided that “there is no strength in a divided work force,” and he needed to bring closure to the matter. 

For months, jurors have been trying to get Stubbs to meet with them in open session to explain the parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness’ budget, grants, a truck purchase and other issues.

Stubbs’ ouster drew immediate criticism from Slaughter Fire Chief Billy Poche and parish E-911 Commissioner and Clinton firefighter Mark Chevette, who were among the crowd of about 40 people attending the meeting.

Poche said the jury, by dismissing Stubbs, had moved the parish back into the 1970s.

He praised Stubbs, saying he had brought $1.5 million in grant money and other resources into the parish, had strengthened the E-911 system and had brought firefighters and law enforcement authorities together.

Chevette told jurors, “You need to rethink your decision.”

Parish resident Royanne Lane told jurors they are divided and in a “power struggle,” and added, “if you cannot put the personal issues aside step off the job.”

After the meeting, Stubbs said his dismissal not only caught him by surprise, but that it was an unfair decision on the part of Louis Kent.