The Caddo Commission voted to construct a box around the Confederate Monument in front of the Caddo courthouse in the 500 block of Texas Street. 

The public purposes for this effort was to reduce racial tension, protect the monument until it is moved, and for the Parish to assert its rights as the owner of the land under the monument.

The cost estimated by Parish Adminstrator Dr. Woodrown Wilson for this construction was not to exceed $20,000.

The good news is that the costs, as reported by KEEL Radio, was less than $12 grand. 

No outside construction firm was utilized. The Commission did incur engineering cost for the design of the project and extra labor cost utilizing parish employees.

Dr. Wilson and his staff are to be commended for the timely work on the box and the cost savings effectuated.

The box will be completed once the flag signage for each side (American, State of Louisiana, Parish of Caddo and City of Shreveport) arrives and is installed. These costs are in the total cost of $11,851.

And despite some social media grumbling this was money well spent. Probably the best spent money by the Commission this year and maybe since the monument dispute started.

Consider expenses by the Commission on travel, meetings and conventions:
In  2017 these totaled $19 thousand plus. 
In 2018 they were almost $20 grand.
In 2019, these expenses exceeded $36 thousand.
And in 2020, before the COVIS pandemic hit nationwide, thes expenses were $15,743. 

By these numbers---and others in the Commission budget that are largess--the box is a real bargain.

Hats off to the Commission and the Commission staff for a job well done to date--and will be completed with the sign installation.

Sometimes governments doe work as efficiently as private enterprise! This is an example!