In a short special session January 23, the Winnfield City Council covered a lot of ground as they took action on the Louisiana Political Museum renovation project and the $1 million Main Street sidewalk project.

During Regular session the prior week, the council heard from State Rep. Jack McFarland and museum Director Shonna Moss on $1.2 million in state funding dedicated to a major renovation of the museum housed in the old L&A depot at 499 East Main Street and the adjacent commercial building.  But for the plan to move forward, the buildings must be donated to the state.

The council introduced Ordinance No. 1 of 2025 that would make that donation of the depot.  But according to state law, the council must wait 30 days before approving that ordinance.  And City Attorney Clay Carroll confirmed that there is no way to hurry that process.  “The donation must be made by ordinance and that requires the 30 days.”

Apparently once the donation is made to the state, there’s another 60-day waiting period.  Museum officials showed some concern over the timeline as related to the state monies.  The adjacent Youth Shop/Girlfriend building is owned by “Friends of the Museum” which has also agreed to the donation.

The city also agreed to cooperate with the State of Louisiana on a federal aid “Downtown Winnfield Sidewalk Project” which has been described as a “$1 Million project.”  Discussion at the table indicated this had been viewed as stretching from the Methodist Church eastward to the railroad tracks but Mayor Gerald Hamms told members he hopes to see that expanded from one end of Main to the other.

The plan has been in discussion for a year and a half, said Hamms, “and it’s time to move forward.”  Costs to the city could be around $50,000.  Included would be lighting, wheelchair access and “a sidewalk wide enough that people could walk from one end to the other without having to get in the middle of the street.”