(The Center Square) — The Caddo Parish Commission postponed a vote on a resolution approving an allocation of funds for a $500,000 community lighthouse energy project on Thursday.
The North Louisiana Interfaith, a non-partisan coalition, asked the commission to repurpose ARPA project funds given to Galilee Baptist Church. The new recommendation was for a lighthouse project to be constructed at the church.
Despite answers from a panel of coalition members, the commission felt their questions had not be answered well enough to make a decision on allocating these funds. The commission postponed the resolution to the next November meeting.
Lighthouses are effective in providing the necessary resources to all citizens who are experiencing severe weather and power outages.
Each community lighthouse is equipped with a solar and battery storage microgrid. When the main power grid fails, the hub operates independently, providing essential services for the neighborhood until power is restored.
By approving this resolution the commission would’ve dedicated the residual funds and the 50% rebate funds to be used for the next lighthouse project in Caddo.
One lighthouse project is already finished at the Morningstar Baptist church, and another is being worked on at the Highland Center. The center is also a member of the interfaith coalition.
Madison Poche with the Highland Center said the goal would be to have a lighthouse in walking distance or near driving distance of every community in the parish, and the Galilee project would be a step in that direction.
District 8 Commissioner Grace Anne Blake was the first to push back against the many community voices in favor of the initiative, stating that because of the close proximity of the lighthouses being built, she didn’t believe the location met the needs of the entire parish.
She and other commissioners also didn’t like the initial plan of the interfaith for 20 lighthouses to be built across the parish because of the financial implications.
Poche responded by saying that was the dream scenario and they wouldn’t be asking for funds from the commission unless they knew they could get them from outside sources, like in this case.
She also explained that the current locations of the lighthouses are considered the most vulnerable geographically and economically, so they’ve been prioritized in the plan.
District 10 Commissioner Ronald Cothran expressed concerns over agreeing to the fourth lighthouse pending residual and rebate funds that aren’t guaranteed.
Again, Poche responded by saying interfaith would ensure that the monies be collected to guarantee the fourth lighthouse project gets built without having to ask for money directly from the parish funds.
