Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1
Board of Commissioners
Regular Meeting
March 12, 2026
5:00 p.m.
The Board of Commissioners of Tangipahoa Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 met this 12 th
day of March, 2026, in regular session. Those present were Chairman E. Ray Glasgow, Vice-
Chairman Robbie Lee, Commissioners Jeff McKneely and Ray Cutrer, Secretary Agnes Prevost,
and Fire Chief J. D. Stevens. Absent was Commissioner Reginald Foster. Assistant Chief Jason
King and Chief of Fire Prevention C. J. Pardue were also in attendance.
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A motion was made by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mr. Cutrer and carried that the Board dispense with
the reading of the minutes of the February 12, 2026, regular meeting of the Board and accept
them as prepared.
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Mr. McKneely made a motion to approve payment of current bills in the amount of $83,550.43.
Mr. Lee seconded the motion and it so carried.
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After review of the financial statement, a motion was made by Mr. McKneely, seconded by Mr.
Cutrer and carried that the financial statement for the month of February, 2026, be accepted.
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The Chairman made known that the next item on the agenda is auditor proposals.
Mr. McKneely made known that he had reviewed the two proposals received for the 2025 audit,
one from RICHARD CPA’S and the other from Hannis T. Bourgeous, and noticed that the
proposal from RICHARD CPA’S included a more definitive fee to be charged for the audit. He
suggested that the Board accept the proposal from RICHARD CPA’S.
A motion was made by Mr. Lee, seconded by Mr. Cutrer and carried that the proposal from
RICHARD CPA’S for the 2025 audit be accepted and that the Board approve the engagement
letters for the 2025 audit of the financial statements and for the Agreed Upon Procedures.
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Fire Chief Stevens made known to the Board that the bids for the classrooms and administrative
office for the training center will be received on April 15, 2026.
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Chief Stevens then presented a 5 year Capital Outlay and Personnel Plan to the Board, and
requested that the Board commit the Fire District’s fund balance so that the funds can only be
used for specific purposes as outlined in the 5 year plan; further that the committed amount can
only be uncommitted by passing another resolution to remove the constraints. Chief Stevens also
made known that the committed funds must be created or completed before the end of the Fire
District’s fiscal year end.
Some discussion took place on commitment of the fund balance and on grants that the Fire
District is applying for.
Mr. McKneely made a motion to commit an estimated $5.86M of the Fire District’s fund balance
for the 5-year Capital Outlay and Personnel Plan. Mr. Cutrer seconded the motion and it so
carried.
Mr. McKneely requested that a resolution be prepared and presented at the next meeting of the
Board for commitment of the funds.
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Mr. Cutrer made known to the Board that he had looked into the benefits of having a training
facility as far as the number of points that the Fire District can gain for PIAL ratings and that he
had discovered that the number of points given for training is 9 points and that having a training
facility would gain only 35% of the 9 points. He stated that he is against the construction of the
facility as he does not feel it is beneficial to the department.
Mr. Lee made known that construction of the training facility is not just for the purpose of
obtaining a better fire rating.
Chief Stevens added that any number of points can make a difference in ratings; further that the
Fire District pays overtime for its employees to train somewhere else, and the training center
would allow employees to train while they are on duty.
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Mr. Cutrer then questioned paying overtime in lieu of giving K-time to employees for training
and made known that according to Civil Service, employees can earn comp time rather than
overtime pay for training when the employee is off duty.
Chief Stevens made known that once it is agreed upon by the Fire District and the employee that
a choice is given for overtime pay or K-time, both parties must agree to undo it.
Mr. McKneely, reading from an online publication, added that in accordance with a federal
lawsuit, Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority (1985), dealing with the Fair
Labor Standards Act, public employers can provide comp time rather than overtime pay when
comp time can be used, if there is a prior agreement, policy, contract or employee understanding.
He added that it is his understanding that the policy was put in place when the employee was
given a choice of comp time or pay; therefore, both parties, the employer and the employee,
would have to agree to undo it.
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Discussion then returned to the training center in that it will be a regional facility and that it will
generate some funding; further that the state is paying for 75% of the construction. It was also
noted that several employees of the Fire District are already certified training instructors and
therefore are qualified to do in-house training.
Assistant Chief King stated that Fire District 1 is already a testing site, so the testing by LSU can
be done at the fire station after training classes are completed.
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Mr. Cutrer referred to the schedule of the second fire inspector that the Fire District plans on
putting into place. He presented another option, for the department to have one fire inspector per
shift and that the inspectors work 24-hour shifts, doing inspections during the day and working at
the fire station at night. He explained that he had spoken to an administrator at St. Tammany
Parish Fire District No. 1, who told him that St. Tammany has been doing this for 30 years and
has two inspectors per shift, receiving the benefits of fire prevention and inspections in addition
to having on duty personnel for nighttime and weekends. Mr. Cutrer suggested that instead of
having the new inspector work four 8-hour days and one 24-hour shift, that the Board consider
having one inspector per shift, and that the inspectors work 24-hour shifts.
Chief of Fire Prevention C. J. Pardue stated that Property Insurance allows him to operate in a
dual role, which means he gets all his fire department training as a floor man plus his continuing
education for fire prevention, such as inspections and investigations, giving the Fire District
credit for a dual role. Chief Pardue made known that the new inspector, if he gets his training
hours, will also operate in a dual role; therefore, once the department gets above one or two
people in the Fire Prevention Bureau, credit is given for only inspector.
After more discussion, Chief Pardue stated that he would reach out to St. Tammany next week
and get a breakdown on everything
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Mr. Cutrer then questioned why three of the department vehicles are unmarked. He stated that in
accordance with law, vehicles must be marked unless being used for law enforcement purposes.
Chief Stevens replied that marked vehicles place personnel in a vulnerable situation when they
are doing arson investigations.
Assistant Chief King made known that both he and Chief Pardue are police certified and on
occasion can be involved with law enforcement.
Mr. McKneely commented that investigations are a part of law enforcement and that when
personnel are investigating fire scenes in marked vehicles, they can be placed in a jeopardizing
situation.
Mr. Lee commented that it just takes one person triggered by the emblem on a vehicle at a
questionable fire scene that could put personnel in harm’s way.
Mr. Cutrer made known his opinion that the vehicles should be recognizable by the public.
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There being no further business to come before the Board, a motion was made by Mr. McKneely,
seconded by Mr. Lee and carried that the meeting be adjourned.
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E. Ray Glasgow Agnes Prevost
Chairman Secretary-Treasurer