Norman Craig was selected Wednesday by the Bossier Parish Police Jury to complete the unexpired term of Sonny Cook in District 4. Cook resigned his post last week to care for his wife, who is in bad health.
“I’ve got a lot to learn, I’ll say that,” Craig said after being sworn in. “I’m looking forward to learning as much as a I can.”
Craig has been a member of the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office for the past 11 years, serving as a patrol officer, DARE officer, school resource officer and in special services. He is commanding officer of the Young Marines and was class president of the North Louisiana Criminal Justice Academy’s first class.
He graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in the school of technology and received his Masters of Science, Education from SIU.
Craig said that after graduation he was on his way to Dallas to look for a job when he stopped to visit relatives in Bossier Parish.
“I told my wife I wanted to live here,” he said. “So I took a position working for a company out of Petroleum Tower. I told them I’m going to live here the rest of my life.
“All my children were raised here. They went away to college and came back. They’ve made careers here. I’ve got grandchildren going away to college, and they are coming back to make careers also.”
Craig was one of five individuals who applied to represent District 4. He will serve until November of this year, the next scheduled parish election date.
During Wednesday’s meeting, jury members also:
- Approved an application from Bruce Logan to the Bossier City-Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission to change zoning classification on property off Hwy. 80 east from Residence-Agricultural District to Residential Manufactured Housing Park.
- Approved Bruce Logan’s application to change zoning classification on 1.5 acres from Residence-Agricultural to B-3, General Business district.
- Approved application of Norman Craig for zoning classification change on property from Residence-Agricultural to B-3, General Business district.
- Approved plat of the proposed development of Willow Brook subdivision, Unit 4.
- Approved the site plan for Dollar General, located on lot 4 of Country Forest subdivision, subject to a review by the parish attorney.
- Approved plat of proposed development of Dogwood South subdivision, Unit 19.
- Approved plat of proposed development of St. Charles Court Village subdivision, Unit 8.
- Agreed to proceed to condemnation hearings on three properties in the parish.
- Accepted a report from the jury’s Road/Subdivision Regulations Committee that addressed MPC Unified Development Code changes, caretaker dwellings and guesthouses in subdivisions.
- Agreed to assist the Bossier Parish School Board by helping sponsor the i3 Art Expo planned for May 3-5 at the Bossier Civic Center.
- Adopted a resolution of appreciation to John Dancy, CSRA’s Chief Information Officer.
- Denied a resolution supporting Calumet Lubricants Co., LP (Calumet Princeton Refining, LLC) that would have allowed the company to receive local benefits of the Louisiana Industrial Tax Exemption Program.
- Adopted a resolution authorizing Parish Administrator Bill Altimus to execute all documents in connection with the purchase of Oak Hill Mobile Home Park’s sewer system.
- Approved a pair of change orders for road and drainage improvements.
- Accepted streets and drainage and sewer main extension and improvements in Willow Heights subdivision, Unit 1.
