Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Ouachita Parish Police Juror Scotty Robinson says “it is time” for parish jurors to be given answers to how thousands of dollars were stolen at G, B. Cooley Hospital without officials knowing about it. The District “B” juror appeared to be frustrated during Monday night(Feb.3) regularly scheduled meeting, seeing that no new information has come from hospital officials. Robinson said that jurors should have been given an update on the status of the individual, as well as what hospital officials can tell them. Edward E. Calloway was alleged to have taken funds from G. B. Cooley Hospital Service District, where members appointed by the Police Jury sit on the hospital’s board. Calloway at the time of the alleged theft was the financial director and an accountant. Law enforcement authorities said that Calloway set up an “elaborate scheme of financial maneuvers” that covered several years where he was able to transfer thousands of dollars into personal bank accounts. Robinson told fellow jurors he wants “to know how that much money could go missing”. Robinson said that some, if not all board members need to talk with the police jury, and give an update because information is needed where jury legislation was needed to secure funds through a parish millage. “I don’t care how long this may take, but I want answers”, said Robinson. G. B. Cooley is located in Robinson’s District “B”.

In other business, the OPPJ wants the residents to know just how important a library is to the community. Did you know that on an average day, 1,839 patrons visited one of the 10 branches in the parish? There is more. There were 1,914 visits to library catalogs and databases, 432 uses of computers and wireless access and 2,201 items checked out. According to information supplied by Friends of the Ouachita Parish Library, parish patrons visited the library 632,473 times in 2019, as 58 fairs were supported and attended by the Library. In 2019, patrons attended Library programs 90,799 times, as the Library hosted 4,367 programs throughout the year such as Story Times, computer classes, book clubs, lectures and hobbies. More information can be found by getting a copy of the February 2020 Newsletter from Friends located at the Main Branch at 1200 Stubbs Ave. at 318-327-1490. Make use of your local library. It does a mind good.