One simple way to look at it, which nobody wants to: We all have a use-by date and nobody likes that.
But the thing I wa...
Repair cost the snake in the garden
By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
Capitol news bureau
Published: Jul 6, 2006
FLORIEN — Once one man’s oasis, Hodges Gardens in the rolling hills of Sabine Parish has become a “millstone” to the foundation that runs it.
The retreat lost more than half-a-million dollars last year. It costs $1 million a year to run. It needs millions in repairs.
Soon, the sparsely attended tourist attraction will become the state’s problem.
The A.J. and Nona Trigg Hodges Foundation is donating the gardens to the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism after months of negotiation.
The foundation will keep thousands of acres of surrounding timberland as well as the oil, gas and timber rights that have been keeping the gardens in the black.
The state will get the gardens, a lake and a family home that needs at least $2 million in repairs.
Speaker of the House Joe Salter, D-Florien, sponsored the legislation that empowers the state to accept the donation.
The gardens are a few miles from Salter’s Florien home. His sister’s sister-in-law runs the gift shop.
Salter said his relative only recently began working for the gardens. He said family ties did not factor into his support for the donation.
He acknowledged that the state could end up losing money every year on Hodges Gardens. However, he argues that the people residing in and visiting his district are entitled to government services.
“Most of the park operations in the state probably don’t cash-flow,” Salter said. “I look at it like it’s a service.”
The state has set aside $1.5 million, including startup costs, for the gardens. Officials believe it will cost about $1 million a year to run the attraction, including six more employees.
The property has the potential to become “the crown jewel of the state park system,” said one of the descendants of Hodges Gardens’ founder, A.J. Hodges Sr.
The state is better suited to at least break even on the gardens because of its advertising and management resources, said Andrew Jackson Hodges IV, a Baton Rouge lawyer and Hodges’ great-grandson.
Hodges admits that the gardens are being given away because no one is willing to buy them.
In the rolling hills of Sabine Parish, the garden in the forest is midway between Shreveport and Lake Charles on U.S. 71. The highway once was a main thoroughfare. The construction of Interstate 49 took away much of the traffic and visitors.
On a recent sunny, midweek summer afternoon, most of the activity on the highway was related to construction work on the roadway. There was not a vacationing family in sight.
Visitor traffic is so slow that a sign on the snug gatehouse directs guests to honk to alert the attendant to their presence.
“In this day and age, people are more interested in quick, fast, glitzy entertainment,” Hodges said. “A stroll through the park is old times.”
A hidden paradise
Andrew Jackson Hodges Sr. did not originally intend to invite the world into his gardens.
The Shreveport oilman developed an interest in forestry after making his mark in oil and gas exploration. He bought more than 100,000 acres of timberland in Sabine and Vernon parishes, beginning in the 1940s.
Hodges focused on reforestation. He planted nearly 40,000 acres of pine seedlings and stumbled across an abandoned stone quarry.
The quarry became Hodges Gardens.
Hodges fashioned the quarry into a 225-acre, man-made lake surrounded by flower gardens, fountains and foot bridges. He built a 13,000-square-foot island home. An 8-foot fence topped with barbed wire encircled his little piece of paradise.
This was Hodges’ retirement retreat. He could fish, play his clarinet and entertain family and friends.
“He built the lake so he could fish,” his great-grandson Andrew Jackson Hodges IV said. “He built the house so the Hodges family could get together for holidays.”
All of the activity worried the locals, according to Andrew Hodges IV. They speculated that Hodges was conducting secret military operations or maybe even building nuclear bombs.
“The only way to dispel (the talk) was to open the gates and let them in,” said Len Musick, general manager for Hodges Gardens.
The gates opened in 1956. Andrew Jackson Hodges Sr. died 10 years later. Upon his death, the A.J. and Nona Trigg Hodges Foundation, run mostly by his descendants, assumed ownership of the gardens and the surrounding property.
Long in decline
At one time the foundation’s holdings included a hotel and golf course across the highway from the gardens’ entrance. Those were sold long ago.
The gardens hit their peak, according to Musick, in 1978 with 78,000 visitors. Last year visitors turned into the gates 35,000 times to enjoy the lush beauty.
By comparison, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx draws about 500,000 visits a year.
Musick traces the decline in visitors to I-49 luring motorists away from U.S. 71.
However, the remote location was a drawback even in A.J. Hodges Sr.’s day. Hodges put in an airstrip for friends who wanted to fly in rather than make the drive from Shreveport.
A few years ago, the foundation built cabins and an RV park to encourage visitors to stay overnight. The foundation also looked into fixing the sprawling island home.
The house features a fish-fry room, seven bathrooms, eight bedrooms, an elevator, music room and movie screen.
An engineer determined five years ago that the structure itself was sound, Musick said.
However, the wiring needs to be replaced and water damage resulted from a tree toppling through the roof, Musick said.
A state report had a different interpretation of the engineer’s findings.
“The largest liability is the island home,” the state’s report says. “This structure has been neglected for many years and is unsafe. Public access would be difficult to monitor, so immediate action would need to be taken.”
The state cannot afford $2 million to restore the home, said Angele Davis, secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
Davis hopes to persuade a private investor to turn the island home into a corporate retreat or conference center.
Broken and beautiful
Time and the weather have taken their toll on the gardens.
Close to the center of the lake is another island, Flag Island, now blocked off to visitors.
Steep steps once led to a fountain at the top of the island. The wind whipped the water into the air, prompting Hodges to fill in the fountain and create a monument to the Louisiana Purchase.
But he poured the plaza surface on top of dirt. The dirt shifted, riddling a floor map of the states in the purchase with cracks and cavities.
Hurricane Rita tattered the flags of the Louisiana Purchase states that once framed the monument. Only two flags remain, their fabric twisted in knots that the staff has been unable to unravel. Several of the benches surrounding the monument lean backward.
A small section of the monument floor has been redone. An expert laid in a sample of new flooring and gave an estimate for replacing the entire surface. The foundation rejected the repairs because of the cost, Musick said.
It was cheaper just to close the island to the public.
The greenhouses and arboretum need attention. Rita battered the outdoor stage where sunrise service is held at Easter.
The plants are in good condition. The grass is kept mowed. A three-person garden staff tries to keep the weeds in check. An overlook allowing a view of Texas is breathtaking. Deer scamper through the woods. Ducks are at home in the lake. The overall setting is serene.
Taking a different direction
The beauty of the place has not made the gardens self-sufficient.
Eventually, the foundation decided to sever the gardens from the money-making forests, Musick said. The idea was to “get rid of the millstone,” he said.
It is costing nearly $1 million a year to run the gardens with a bare-bones staff of 20 employees. From Sept. 1, 2003, to Aug. 31, 2004, the gardens generated about $335,000 in income. Money from the nonprofit corporation’s other holdings fills the gap.
The foundation — established by A.J. Hodges Sr. and directed by some of his descendants — wants to pump money into scholarships and other philanthropic pursuits, Musick and Hodges’ great-grandson said.
The state initially wanted the foundation to donate 4,700 acres and keep the mineral and timber rights. The foundation agreed to donate about 800 acres — essentially the gardens — while retaining the mineral and timber rights and the surrounding property.
The state was the ideal candidate for the exquisite but expensive enterprise, Musick said.
“The state is in the business of losing money,” he said.
Story originally published in The Advocate
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related posts:
here comes jackass joe salter...again. this time with house bill 731. salter's amendment "repeals two-thirds vote requirement for legislative approval of imposition or increase in certain fees." louisiana constitution article VII section 2..1. now this guy is governor blanco's hand picked speaker of the louisiana state house of representatives and we have to ask is this the best the governor can do? and to the people of house district 24 we have to ask is this the best you can do in electing someone to represent you in baton rouge?
====governor blanco's handpicked speaker of the house joe salter authors and introduces house bill 649.
house bill 649 seeks to "cow" those of us who would challenge our property tax assessments by punishing those who would file suit against their parish assessors by casting the loser with among other things court costs and legal fees.
our louisiana state representatives who think this is a good idea:
meanwhile salter clone la representative jack d smith (d) franklin, authors and introduces house bill 1366 in which "...costs and fines are deemed to be civil money judgements in the same manner as provided for orders for restitution..."
La. State Representative Jack D. Smith (D) Franklin
so lets say your dog gets loose and impregnates your neighbors slutty bitch and you get taken to court. your neighbor wins lets say a $1,000 (788 EUR) judgement. now a thousand dollars is a thousand dollars but most people can come up with that amount. lets suppose the plaintiff's court costs and attorney fee's run $10,000 (louisiana lawyers wouldnt dare pad their fees now would they? no of course not) so the result of this legislation is that they can come after you and take your car your house, bank account etc to satisfy the total judgement which includes the attorney fees and court costs.
oh and lets not forget la state representative rick farrar (d) pineville house bill 18 (we blogged about here) which extends the length of time for filing a lawsuit from one year to two years.====message from JOHN KENNEDYThe House once again deferred consideration on SB 14 this morning. On a technical note, if the bill is not heard by 6:00 PM today, it will require a 2/3rd vote to even bring up for debate after 6:00 PM. We'll keep you posted. Thanks! JK
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screen grab from legis house chamber video feed
the louisiana state house of representatives comes into session
screen grab from legis video feedmessage from JOHN KENNEDY
SB14 will sit on the calendar until the end of the session, so it could come up at any time...
--END--====only about 100 hours remain in what is one of the worst legislatures in louisiana's history...then its onward to the fall elections...louisiana's jungle primary is on saturday 20 october 2007 and the runoff will be on saturday 17 november 2007.====
new orleans times-picayune sunday 24 june 2007 editorial on sb14:EDITORIAL: Revenge isn't sweet
House members should reject a bill that would water down the authority of the state treasurer over the State Bond Commission, thereby making it easier for lawmakers to push boondoggles and pet projects.
Senate Bill 14 would create an executive committee of the Bond Commission, consisting of the Senate president, House speaker and state treasurer. That panel would set the agenda for the commission, a power that the treasurer, as chairman, now enjoys. It would also allow a majority of the full commission to put items on the agenda via written requests.
Senate President Donald Hines, sponsor of the bill, has reason to be unhappy with Mr. Kennedy. The treasurer fought efforts to use state bonds to build a syrup mill in Sen. Hines' district -- a mill that would have benefited the senator's son-in-law, who is a sugar cane farmer.
Sen. Hines has insisted that this bill has nothing to do with the syrup mill and is simply a matter of good public policy. But no one should be fooled. This is a political maneuver, and Mr. Kennedy shouldn't be punished for defeating an ill-conceived project. Moreover, his hands shouldn't be tied so that he can't fight the next one.
There was talk of amending this bill to require a unanimous vote of the executive committee -- an effort to prevent the two legislative members of the executive committee from ganging up on the treasurer. But it would be far better to kill this measure than try to make it slightly less deplorable.
If the House doesn't have the good sense to reject it, Gov. Kathleen Blanco should veto it.
link
message from JOHN KENNEDYwst... note: the louisiana house of representatives convemes at
Its been passed over on the house calendar, meaning the votes weren’t there. But its not over till its over.
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6. Senate Bills on Third Reading and Final Passage
Regular
SB14 HINES BONDS - Provides for the chairmanship and an executive committee of the State Bond Commission. (1/14/08)
message from JOHN KENNEDY
SB 14 HAS BEEN DEFERRED FOR TODAY
But it is still technically alive and on the calendar...
…still can be brought up at any time.
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www.legis.state.la.usmessage from JOHN KENNEDY
SB 14, (the Hines Bond Commission bill) may be voted on by the House within the next few hours.
--END--
billy chandler - constituent office 318.992.0887 - telephone
israel curtis - 318.487.5417 - telephone
charlie dewitt - 318.484.2216 - macarthur drive office
rick farrar - 318.484.2210 - telephone
see also legislative alert!!! by treasury sec'y john kennedy
and also central la politics blog: state treasurer asks for your help
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====**updated 6:26 pm cdt thursday 07 june 2007**
sec'y kennedy and state senator "doc" hines appeared on wwl.com's garland robinette "think tank" show today.
here is a link to the .mp3 audio file of todays show
after-interview caller "randy from uptown" (talking about senator hines): "was that a commercial for legislative term limits? you just kind of repackaged it? the longer he talked (hines) the better kennedy looked. i've never met a worse advocate for his position, he basically threw the temper-tantrum that kennedy accused him of having thats why hes doing this"
garland robinette: "two things were amazing, number one he (hines) never did answer the question. one of his biggest things is, kennedy has to be taken out of this position because he selectively stops people from getting their agenda on the board." "randy from uptown" "GOOD!"====----ORIGINAL POST----sb14 is a bill filed for revenge against state treasurer john kennedy by senator "doc" hines and representative joe salter.
last year senator hines and agricultural commissioner bob odom (who recently the state supreme court reinstated theft, bribery and money laundering charges against) wanted to squander $135 million [100.2 eur] taxpayer dollars on a syrup mill that was to be located in senator hines district. according to sec'y kennedy who did "two financial studies indicated that the mill would go bankrupt." also senator hines son-in-law had a "vested interest" in the syrup mill. so sec'y kennedy kept it off the state bond commission agenda.
so in typical louisiana corrupt fashion senator hines and his sidekick state representative joe salter filed sb14 which would take away most of sec'y kennedy's power and authority at the state bond commission. this is despite the fact that the state bond commission eventually overrode sec'y kennedy and added the syrup mill to the agenda and it was (after a public outcry) eventually killed.
this vividly illustrates the fact that louisiana politicians are more interested in corruption than in honesty and morals. louisiana politicians arent interested in creating a better louisiana because they dont know how. after all, you cant make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. indeed, all they know is corruption because they are corruption. 
click link to view from the legislatures website
disgustingly, our own senator joe mcpherson voted for corruption and the good ol' boy network.====By MARSHA SHULER
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: Jun 6, 2007 - Page: 7a
Senate President Don Hines on Tuesday backed off his attempt to oust state Treasurer John Kennedy as permanent chairman of the state Bond Commission.
But the bill the Senate approved on a 25-9 vote would still give the Legislature’s top leaders majority control of what projects end up on the commission’s agenda.
And the Senate added another twist, deciding a majority of the Bond Commission members could place an item on the agenda with a week’s written notice.
The bill now heads to the House for debate.
“It’s only 50 percent as bad as it was but it’s still bad,” Kennedy said after the vote. “It just politicizes the Bond Commission.”
The Bond Commission oversees borrowing for projects using public money.
Kennedy added: “I don’t think most people are fooled about what this is about. This is Doc’s payback for me not supporting his sugar mill.”
Hines is a physician and his nickname is “Doc.”
Kennedy kept a Bunkie syrup mill project — pushed by Hines and Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom — off the Bond Commission agenda.
The two-year dispute ended when the commission rejected the $135 million project in November.
As Senate Bill 14 came up, Hines asked senators to strip the provision that would have rotated the chairmanship of the Bond Commission among the state treasurer, the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate.
Hines said he was taking the step in response to senators’ reluctance to embrace the idea because of “news media and conservative talk radio” questioning “of the motivation of this bill.”
Hines said the executive committee that he proposed is needed because of “the arrogant and arbitrary manner,” in which Kennedy decides what the bond commission should hear.
Kennedy’s approach is “not in the best interest of the people of this state,” he said.
Other people have complained about Kennedy’s treatment of projects, Hines said.
“People should be able to make applications to the Bond Commission and not be hassled,” Hines said.
Kennedy said backers of the Bunkie mill project would not submit required paperwork. The commission overrode his decision and added the project to the agenda.
Hines’ son-in-law had a vested interest in the project and two financial studies indicated the mill would go bankrupt, Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he had no objection to the amendment offered by Sen. Reggie Dupré, D-Houma, which allowed a majority of the Bond Commission members to place an item on the agenda by filing a written request with the treasurer.
Under Dupré’s change, the item would have to be in compliance with commission rules and regulations.
Dupré originally offered an amendment that would have eliminated Hines’ executive committee but it was withdrawn.====
last month we blogged about la speaker of the house of representatives joe salter's ridiculous house bill 259 see salter's spidery windshield scheme. bonehead salter's plan is to require windshield repair people to have to register with and pay a you guessed it a fee to the state. well recently the full house voted on salter's bill and below are the members of the la house of representatives who are for unneeded and oppressive fees, regulations and beurecracy:
**updated** 10:00 am cst thursday 09 february 2006
rick farrar 318 484 2210 called rep farrar's office to say that we opposed hb 12 and sb 16 the voter fraud bills - his secretary said "thank you and i will email the representative to let him know."
joe mcpherson 318 484 2211 called sen mcpherson's office left a message on his machine to please vote no to hb 12 and sb 16.
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today around 4:25 pm the louisiana house of representatives governmental affairs committee passed house bill 12 which enables "voter fraud" by allowing displaced citizens to register to vote by mail and vote by mail without proving who they are. there is no need to change the voting laws in our state as there are already adequate absentee voting laws in place. oh sure representative jefferson-bullock the bills sponsor and who we might add is the daughter of u s representative william "dollar bill" jefferson (himself being investigated for corruption) stressed that this is just a "one time only" allowance its still a precedent and an uneeded one at that.
we will just have to get out our bud nippers and contact our representative and senators and nip this in the bud when it hits the house and senate floor.
louisiana state representatives that support voter fraud are:
arnold - yes
bruneau - yes
lafonta - yes
pitre - yes
lancaster - yes
jefferson-bullock - yes
voting no:
montgomery - no
smiley - no
absent or not voting:
salter
dorsey
gallot
.mp3 audio of the house committee roll call vote here: http://freewebs.com/lurgis
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tags:
Charles D. Lancaster, Jr Richard Rick Gallot, Jr. Jeffery Jeff J. Arnold Emile Peppi Bruneau Juan A. LaFontaJalila Jefferson-Bullock Billy Wayne Montgomery Loulan J. Pitre, Jr. M.J. Mert Smiley, Jr. Joe R. Salter Yvonne Dorsey louisiana legislature louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee rick farrar joe mcpherson
