January 2023

0 1 . 2 3 

Louisiana 

MUNICIPAL 

REVIEW 

VOL. 88 

ISSUE 1 

ONE-ON-ONE 

with LMA Executive 

Director John 

Gallagher 

ONE CAO'S 

PERSPECTIVE 

The City of Zachary's 

Mayoral Transition 

Guide 2022-23: CAO 

Chris Calbert on 

reflections, lessons 

learned, and lessons 

shared 

John 

Gallagher

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2022-2023 LMA EXECUTIVE BOARD (non-affiliate, non-advisory) 

2022-2023 LMA EXECUTIVE BOARD (non-affiliate, non-advisory) 

Jennifer Vidrine, LMA President Derrick Johnson, First Vice President Rick Allen, Second Vice President 

Ville Platte Mayor, Cheneyville Mayor, Leesville 

Immediate Past President Michael Chauffe, Mayor, Grosse Tete 

Immediate Past President – Michael Chauffe, Mayor, Grosse Tete 

District Vice President Kim Gaspard, Mayor, Haughton 

District A Vice President – Kim Gaspard, Mayor, Haughton 

District Vice President Ronny Walker, Mayor, Ruston 

District B Vice President – Ronny Walker, Mayor, Ruston 

District C Vice President Jimmy T. Holland, Councilman, Oak Grove 

District District D C Vice Vice President President – Howard Jimmy T. “Keith” Holland, Lewing, Councilman, Mayor, Oak Anacoco Grove 

District E D Vice Vice President – Rich Howard Dupree, “Keith” Mayor, Lewing, Pineville Mayor, Anacoco 

District F E Vice President – Charles Rich Dupree, James, Mayor, Pineville Sunset 

District G F Vice President – Charles Chuck Robichaux, James, Mayor, Mayor, Sunset Rayne 

District H G Vice President – Edwin Chuck “Ed” Robichaux, Reeves, Mayor, Rayne Plaquemine 

District I H Vice President –– Jean Edwin Pelloat, “Ed” Reeves, Mayor, Madisonville 

Mayor, Plaquemine 

District J I Vice President – Rodney Jean Pelloat, Grogan, Mayor, Mayor, Madisonville Patterson 

Page District 2 J Vice President – Rodney Grogan, Mayor, Patterson 

LMA Past President Barney Arceneaux, Mayor, Gonzales 

LMA Past President – Barney Arceneaux, Mayor, Gonzales 

LMA Past President Johnny Berthelot, Councilman, Gonzales 

LMA Past President – Johnny Berthelot, Councilman, Gonzales 

LMA Past President David Butler, Mayor, Woodworth 

LMA Past President – David Butler, Mayor, Woodworth 

LMA Past President David Camardelle, Mayor, Grand Isle 

LMA LMA Past Past President President – Harry David Lewis, Camardelle, Mayor, Mayor, Rayville Grand Isle 

LMA Past President – Jimmy Harry Lewis, Williams, Mayor, Mayor, Rayville Sibley 

Vice LMA President Past President at Large – Jimmy – Dr. Xanthe Williams, Seals, Mayor, Mayor, Sibley Homer 

Vice President at Large – Darnell Dr. Xanthe Waites, Seals, Mayor, Baker Homer 

Vice President (< at 1K) Large – Kevin – Darnell Kately, Waites, Mayor, Mayor, Parks Baker 

Vice President (1K (< 1K) – 2.5K) – Kevin – Gail Kately, Wilking, Mayor, Mayor, Parks Ball 

Vice President (2.5K (1K – – 2.5K) – Julius Gail Wilking, Alsandor, Mayor, Mayor, Ball Opelousas 

Vice President (2.5K – 5K) – Julius LMR Alsandor, | JANUARY Mayor, 2023 Opelousas

C O N T E N T S | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 

DIRECTOR'S VIEWPOINT 

T h e B e s t i s y e t t o c o m e 4 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 

P r e s i d e n t ' s H e a d l i n e 5 

14 

ONE-ON-ONE WITH 

LMA EXECUTIVE 

DIRECTOR JOHN 

GALLAGHER 

C O V E R P H O T O : C L I F F P A L M E R 

GOVERNOR'S COLUMN 

L e t ' s m a k e 2 0 2 3 a g r e a t y e a r f o r 

o u r s t a t e 7 

TREASURY NOTES 

T r e a s u r e r s c h r o d e r h e l p s l a u n c h 

E S G A w a r e n e s s c a m p a i g n 9 

LEGAL BRIEFS 

N e w l y E l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s S u r v i v a l 

k i t 2 3 

TOURISM TALK 

' C e l e b r a t i o n g a t o r ' l i f t s l o u i s i a n a 8 

AG OPINIONS 

o p i n i o n s i s s u e d b y t h e a t t o r n e y 

g e n e r a l a s o f D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 2 9 

LAMATS 

t h e y e a r s c h a n g e , b u t o u r 

c o m m i t m e n t s t a y s t h e s a m e 2 4 

20 

RISK MANAGEMENT, 

INC. 

R M I : O n t h e r i g h t t r a c k 2 6 

CLERKS CORNER 

L o u i s i a n a M u n i c i p a l C l e r k s 

I n s t i t u t e R e c a p 3 0 

REFLECTIONS, 

LESSONS LEARNED, 

AND LESSONS 

SHARED 

S p o t l i g h t i n g T h e C i t y o f 

Z a c h a r y ' s M a y o r a l 

T r a n s i t i o n G u i d e 2 0 2 2 - 2 3 

t h r o u g h O N e C A O ' s 

P e r s p e c t i v e 

l O U I S I A N A M U N I C I P A L R E V I E W E D I T O R I A L S T A F F 

E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f J o h n G a l l a g h e r | j g a l l a g h e r @ l m a . o r g 

M a n a g i n g E d i t o r A n i t a T i l l m a n | a t i l l m a n @ l m a . o r g | A M C o r p I n t e r n a t i o n a l 

E d i t o r C h a r l o t t e S m i t h | c h a r l o t t e @ t e a m a m c o r p . c o m | A M C o r p I n t e r n a t i o n a l 

A d v e r t i s i n g : G i n g e r E p p e s | g e p p e s @ l m a . o r g | L M A C o r p o r a t E r e l a t i o n s 

P u b l i s h e r : L o u i s i a n a m u n i c i p a l a s s o c i a t i o n 

E d i t o r i a l o f f i c e s : L o u i s i a n a M u n i c i p a l A s s o c i a t i o n , 6 7 6 7 P e r k i n s R o a d , P o s t O f f i c e B o x 4 3 2 7 , B a t o n R o u g e , 

Page 3 L A 7 0 8 2 1 - 4 3 2 7 , e d i t o r @ l m a . o r g , w w w . l m a . o r g , ( 2 2 5 ) 3 4 4 - 5 0 0 1 , ( 8 0 0 ) 2 3 4 - 8 2 7 4 LMR , F A X | JANUARY ( 2 2 5 ) 3 4 4 -2023 

3 0 5 7 .

DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT 

2023: The Best is Yet to Come 

Happy New Year! As we 

bid adieu to 2022 and ring 

in 2023, I’m reminded of a 

quote by Benjamin Franklin. 

I believe it speaks volumes, 

and it has stuck with me in 

recent days – 

“Let each New Year find you 

a better person.” 

The energy I’ve seen in the 

staff here at the LMA, and in 

our fervent municipal leaders, 

has me optimistic that 

what’s being brought into 

2023 in terms of being our 

best selves will be nothing 

short of remarkable. There’s 

so much progressive thinking 

and excitement stemming 

from each of you, as 

you look for ways to better 

your communities and work 

towards a common goal of 

creating a Louisiana that’s 

the best it can be. It’s 

heartwarming to see, 

and it allows me to feel a 

continued sense of vigor 

in my support of you all. 

In this month’s Louisiana 

Municipal Review, I tried 

my best to open up to 

each of you about who I 

am and what my objectives 

are as we continue 

another year’s journey 

together. It’s difficult to 

put into words exactly 

what being your Executive 

Director means to 

me, so I hope you each 

read the feature story 

and have a better understanding 

of how much I 

value your faith in me. 

It seems as though we 

only just met in August 

at our 85th Annual Convention 

in Lafayette, but 

here we are, a mere month 

away from meeting again. 

Our Mid-Winter Conference 

will take place February 7-8, 

at the Crowne Plaza in Baton 

Rouge. I’m looking forward 

to seeing not only so many 

familiar faces, but also welcoming 

many new mayors 

and council members who 

will have joined us. The LMA 

is here for all our members, 

and our aim is to welcome 

our newest members, and 

to allow them to gain a full 

understanding of how we, 

and our subsidiaries LaMATS 

and RMI, can best assist on 

their behalf - and to show 

you all how we can do this 

while having a little fun in 

the process. Our Mid-Winter 

Conference is a wonderful 

opportunity for members to 

have open and constructive 

conversations focused on 

what they may be lacking, 

and what they may need, to 

have a productive year. We 

welcome those conversations, 

just as I welcome the 

opportunity to meet with 

each of you. 

A new year brings new 

training opportunities, and 

we certainly have many to 

choose from. 

I encourage our members to 

register for five free regional 

trainings taking place this 

month and during the first 

week of February. The LMA 

is joining forces with the 

Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s 

Office to provide these 

trainings which will focus on 

the Lawrason Act & Municipal 

Official Authority, the 

John Gallagher, 

Executive Director 

Local Government Budget 

Act & Public Bid Law, Public 

Records & Open Meetings, 

Essential Fiscal Best Practices, 

and Managing ARPA 

Funding. These trainings are 

a fountain of information 

for our newest members, 

and they serve as welcome 

refreshers for our veteran 

leaders. 

We’re also proud to be 

joining Strategic Government 

Resources 

(SGR) as co-hosts of the 

2023 Servant Leadership 

Conference. The conference 

will take place 

in Fort Worth, TX, from 

January 26-27. It’s the 

perfect way to invigorate 

yourselves for the 

coming year. 

As we forge into 2023, I’ll 

be channeling my inner 

‘ol Blues Eyes himself. 

“The best is yet to come.” 

I firmly believe that, and 

I look forward to every 

single moment. 

We are #LMAStrong. 

Page 4 

LMR | JANUARY 2023

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR - 

Renew Your Heart and Mind! 

Here we are yet again… 

starting a new year amazed 

at how quickly the last one 

went by, but now ever hopeful 

that in the coming year we 

will realize a renewed sense 

of purpose and happiness. 

For me, I don’t mind the ‘new 

beginning’ we experience 

this time of year. I welcome 

the opportunity to clear the 

air and start anew, to forgive 

and be forgiven. As the saying 

goes, life is too short to 

allow another day to go by 

without making things right 

with your family, friends, and 

colleagues. Given how hectic 

our lives can get in a real 

hurry, let’s cherish what God 

provides us and look for the 

absolute good in others as 

we prepare ourselves for the 

challenges that await us in 

the New Year. 

We have so much to look 

forward to in the coming 

year, like our Mid-Winter 

Conference being held in 

Baton Rouge from February 

7-8, collaborative training 

sessions with the Legislative 

Auditor’s office throughout 

January and early February, 

and a new initiative involving 

a partnership with Southern 

University Law Center 

(SULC). We are grateful to 

SULC Chancellor John Pierre, 

for helping us develop an 

important internship program 

that provides a unique 

opportunity for students to 

learn about local governance 

legislative issues. 

Twenty-five years ago this 

month, the LMA created the 

Louisiana Municipal Advisory 

& Technical Services subsidiary, 

known to most as, 

LaMATS. I am proud of the 

valuable services LaMATS 

has provided over the past 

25 years and am certain the 

Jennifer Vidrine, 

LMA President 

Ville Platte 

cadre of staff and specialized 

consultants will continue to 

‘raise the bar’ even higher 

in the next twenty-five. As 

a past president of LaMATS, 

and a frequent user of their 

programs, I can attest to their 

outstanding customer service 

and attention to detail. I 

encourage every LMA member 

to acquaint themselves 

with what LaMATS has to 

offer, and contact Executive 

Director, Cliff Palmer to discuss 

in greater detail. It’s important 

to note that most of 

LMA President Vidrine is joined by attendees of the new mayor training hosted at Grambling State University. 

Page 5 


the services offered are provided at no 

cost. Please join me in congratulating 

LaMATS on this milestone. 

In closing, I want to thank Grambling 

State University President Rick Gallot 

and his very capable staff for hosting a 

training session for newly elected officials 

at their main campus last month. 

In particular, I am grateful for Deputy 

Chief of Staff Adarian Williams for his 

professionalism, proficiency, and attention 

to detail as the emcee of the event. 

Attendees received information that will 

prove to be very helpful as they begin 

serving their respective communities 

as mayor, council member, or municipal 

clerk. Before leaving GSU, I was able to 

see the university’s newest and most 

impressive addition to their campus – a 

Digital Library - the first in the nation at 

a Historically Black College and University 

(HBCU). This state-of-the-art library 

and student commons area will serve 

the student body and faculty in ways 

only imagined just a few short years ago, 

and certainly help to renew many young 

minds in the new school year. 

With All My Heart, I wish you and yours 

a VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY, PEACEFUL, and 

LOVING NEW YEAR! 

Jennifer 

LMA Honors Retiring Past President 

During the final weeks of Glenn Brasseaux’s 

tenure in public service, he 

received many honors, and LMA is 

especially proud to cement his legacy 

with the unveiling of the Mayor Glenn 

L. Brasseaux Conference Room in our 

new headquarters. On Thursday, December 

15, 2022, we were able to 

surprise the long-serving Carencro 

Mayor and LMA Past President by 

dedicating the conference room in 

his name - just in time for his retire- 

ment. We were thrilled for the opportunity 

to unveil the room in the presence 

of so many who truly admire, love, and 

respect Mayor Brasseaux as a gentleman, 

a true public servant, and a steadfast 

friend. We are eternally grateful for 

his years of service that will remain an 

inspiration to all. 

Carencro Police Chief David Anderson 

was also present to witness the historic 

unveiling. 

Pictured are (from left): Gwen Martin, Carencro City Clerk; Pineville Councilman Nathan 

Martin; Nannette Brasseaux; Carencro City Manager Don Chauvin; Carencro Mayor Glenn 

Brasseaux; LMA President Jennifer Vidrine; LMA Executive Director John Gallagher; LMA 

First Vice President and Cheneyville Mayor Derrick Johnson; LMA Second Vice President 

and Leesville Mayor Rick Allen; and Woodworth Mayor David Butler. 

Mayor Darnell Waites presented Mayor Brasseaux with a plaque 

on behalf of the Louisiana Municipal Black Caucus of Local 

Elected Officials. 

Brasseaux was presented with a proclamation by Roderick Scott 

on behalf of Governor John Bel Edwards. 

Page 6 


GOVERNOR’S COLUMN 

Let’s Make 2023 a Great Year for Our State 

Happy New Year, Louisiana! I 

hope you were able to spend 

some much-needed quality 

time with family and friends 

over the holidays. I look forward 

to another year of serving 

as your Governor, and I 

know that together we can 

make 2023 a great year for 

our state. 

We begin 2023 with yet another 

record-low unemployment 

rate. Our rate is lower 

than the national average 

of 3.7 percent and shows 

just how far we have come 

since the early days of the 

COVID-19 pandemic. I want 

to thank you for all the work 

you’ve done in your municipalities 

in 2022 to support 

our economy and put us in 

the best position for growth. 

I look forward to even more 

progress in the coming 

months. 

While the holidays and the 

start of a new year give us 

many reasons to celebrate, I 

know this season can be difficult 

for many of our citizens. 

Shortly before Thanksgiving, 

I had the privilege of visiting 

the Greater Baton Rouge 

Food Bank and touring their 

operations. The scale of their 

facility and the enthusiasm 

of their employees and volunteers 

were overwhelming. 

This visit served as another 

reminder that food insecurity 

is still a critical issue facing 

Louisiana. The need for 

food banks has never been 

greater, and I encourage all 

those able to give their time, 

money, or volunteer efforts 

to assist our local food banks 

in serving our communities 

most in need. It’s very easy 

to find out how you can help. 

Simply visit www.feedinglouisiana.org. 

I also want to encourage Louisiana’s 

rural communities 

to reach out to the Office of 

Rural Development to find 

out how to take advantage 

of federal funding available 

from the Bipartisan Infrastructure 

Law and Justice40 

initiatives. Louisiana’s rural 

areas are the lifeblood of our 

state, and I have tasked my 

administration with doing 

everything we can to revitalize 

these communities. More 

resources are available now 

LMA Co-Hosts 2023 

Servant Leadership Conference 

The LMA is proud to be joining SGR to 

co-host the 2023 Servant Leadership 

Conference. Join us in Fort Worth, TX, 

from January 26-27, to recharge and 

reinvigorate your drive to respond to 

that noble calling. You will come away 

refreshed and affirmed that you’re doing 

the right thing — even when it feels 

than ever before, and our Office 

of Rural Development is 

here to help access them. For 

more information, visit the 

Office of Rural Development 

page at gov.louisiana.gov. 

Last month, I had the pleasure 

of welcoming French 

President Emmanuel Macron 

to our great state as he visited 

New Orleans. It was the 

first time a French head of 

state has visited New Orleans 

in nearly 50 years. During his 

visit, I signed a memorandum 

of understanding (MOU) to 

expand the strong cultural 

connections between France 

and Louisiana into the realms 

of the economy, energy, and 

the environment. This MOU 

reaffirms Louisiana’s commitment 

to fighting climate 

change and transitioning to 

green energy by enabling 

international cooperation in 

research, technical support, 

and funding that will help 

both France and Louisiana 

move towards a zero-carbon 

future. As part of this agreement, 

France’s Ministry for Europe 

and Foreign Affairs, and 

Expertise France, will sponsor 

impossible. Mark your calendars, plan 

your travels, and take advantage of networking 

with local government leaders! 

To register, view speakers, and see the 

full conference agenda, visit www. 

governmentresource.com/2023-servant-leadership-conference. 

Gov. John Bel Edwards 

an international technical 

expert to be embedded in 

Louisiana Economic Development 

(LED) and the Coastal 

Restoration and Protection 

Authority (CPRA). We look 

forward to this partnership 

and the benefits both France 

and Louisiana will gain from 

collaborating on the critical 

issue of climate change. 

I want to thank you all again 

for the extraordinary work 

you’ve done in your municipalities 

in 2022, and I look 

forward to our continued 

partnership in 2023. 

Happy New Year and God 

Bless. 

Page 7 


TOURISM TALK 

‘Celebration Gator’ 

Lifts Louisiana 

In Louisiana, we celebrate every 

facet of life, and when the 

holidays arrive, we strike up 

the band, light up every gathering 

place, and invite everyone 

to join our traditions and 

festivities. Nowhere on Earth 

has more reasons to celebrate 

than we do, as we are successfully 

reviving our tourism 

industry, welcoming millions 

of sports fans to a number of 

national competitions, and 

adding conventions to the 

calendars at a record pace. 

In an effort to keep Louisiana 

top of mind, and as we continue 

to open our doors back 

up to the world, the Office of 

Tourism sponsored first-class 

attention grabbing holiday 

parade floats on the East and 

West coasts. It has proven to 

be one of the best decisions 

we’ve ever made, yielding 

greater than expected results, 

as travelers and families returned 

for Mardi Gras and festivals 

statewide, and as they 

plan vacations for the next 

year. 

For the second year in a row, 

Louisiana’s “Celebration Gator” 

made a hugely successful 

crawl through the streets of 

New York City in the 96th Annual 

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day 

Parade. According to NBC, 

the live three-hour morning 

special, an afternoon encore, 

plus digital and streaming 

viewership, delivered 27.7 

million viewers with another 

three million estimated along 

the parade route. Pre-parade 

media coverage of the “Celebration 

Gator” over the past 

two years garnered Louisiana 

a reach of 2.4 billion people, 

representing an estimated 

advertising value of $21.8 

million. Those numbers do 

not include the number of 

people treated to a glimpse 

of what to expect leading up 

to the parade as the watchful 

eye of the “Celebration Gator” 

promoted Louisiana on huge 

screens in both Times Square 

and Macy’s on 34th Street in 

New York. 

Riding aboard the “Celebration 

Gator” float, and performing 

this year, was New 

Orleans native and Grammy 

winner, Trombone Shorty and 

The Orleans Avenue Band. 

Trombone Shorty won his first 

Grammy this year and recently 

released his latest album, 

“Lifted.” 

In 2022, we again realized the 

importance of extending the 

hand of friendship, reminding 

people internationally that we 

offer something unique and 

special in every corner of the 

state. This year, Natchitoches, 

Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Tangipahoa, 

and Shreveport 

Tourism Commissions are featured, 

along with twenty-one 

pageant and festival queens 

and a former Shriners Hospital 

patient, on the Rose Parade 

Riverboat float on January 2, 

2023, in Pasadena, California. 

This year’s entertainment is 

country music star and Baskin 

native, Lainey Wilson. 

We value shared experiences 

filled with joy and laughter, 

delicious food, music, and 

memories that become stories 

families cherish and pass 

down through generations. 

Billy Nungesser, 

Lieutenant Governor 

Our investment in Macy’s 

and Rose Parades have set us 

apart from other states and 

have been award-winning 

additions to our state’s reputation 

as the only place where 

we will Feed Your Soul like no 

other state can. We want people 

to know when you are 

here, we treat you like family. 

I want to personally wish you 

and your loved ones a very 

joyous New Year. We look forward 

to continuing to celebrate 

together in 2023. 

Page 8 


TREASURY NOTES 

Treasurer Schroder helps launch ESG awareness campaign 

ESG investing hurts everyone, 

especially citizens of states like 

Louisiana whose livelihoods 

are interconnected with the 

fossil fuels industry. If you’ve 

noticed higher prices at the 

pump or at the grocery store 

checkout, you’ve felt the negative 

impact of ESG investing. 

As chair of the State Financial 

Officers Foundation (SFOF), 

I was able to help launch a 

new educational tool in the 

fight against environmental, 

social and governance (ESG) 

investment practices. The “Our 

Money, Our Values” campaign 

seeks to embolden the public 

to stand up against ESG investing 

that may not align with 

their beliefs or best interests. 

Although the pitfalls of ESG 

investing are discussed often 

in investment circles, all 

American citizens should 

be made aware of how the 

investing of their money is 

being used to push political 

agendas regardless of whether 

or not those investments 

actually reap positive returns. 

In order to help educate, SFOF 

debuted a new website that 

can be found on treasury. 

la.gov, which provides resources 

to everyday Americans, so 

they can better understand 

ESG and how it impacts their 

pocketbooks and livelihoods. 

Environmental measures 

meant to bring about a 

prompt transition to a nation 

that is 100 percent dependent 

on clean energy will raise the 

cost of gasoline, natural gas, 

and heating oil for decades 

to come. These same measures 

will also impact the 

food supply chain, adding 

burdensome costs to farmers 

and ranchers that are passed 

along to consumers. 

ESG investing has infected 

Attorney General’s Opinion 

Dual Officeholding 

Opinion: 22-0093: The provisions of the Dual Officeholding 

and Dual Employment Law do not prohibit a part time 

Crier for the 28th Judicial District Court from serving as a 

member of the Board of Aldermen for the Town of Jena. Recalls 

La. Atty. Gen. Op. No. 80-0126 and 84-518. Released: 

12/5/2022 

Opinion: 22-0086: An employee in the classified civil serviwce 

of the Caddo Parish Fire District No. 7 is prohibited 

from serving as a member of the Board of Aldermen for the 

Village of Mooringsport pursuant to the prohibition of La. 

R.S. 33:2564(A)(5). Released: 12/1/2022 

Elected Official Compensation 

Opinion: 22-0094: The Westwego City Council can, by 

ordinance, fix the compensation of a council member appointed 

Mayor Pro Tempore at an amount over and above 

his pay as a council member. Released: 11/21/2022 

state pension funds and banking 

by prioritizing climate 

change and other social issues, 

not maximizing investors’ returns. 

Our money should not 

be used to push policies that 

don’t align with our values 

and have nothing to do with 

maximizing the value of our 

retirements and pensions. 

In Louisiana state pension 

boards and the state treasurer 

carry a fiduciary responsibility 

to pension holders and citizens. 

To uphold my duty to taxpayers, 

Louisiana has divested 

$800 million from BlackRock. 

My fellow state financial leaders 

from West Virginia, Kentucky, 

South Carolina, Texas, 

Florida, Utah, and Arkansas, 

have all taken similar actions to 

prevent state funds from passing 

through wealth managers 

or banks that prioritize climate 

and social policy in investment 

and business decision-making. 

John Schroder, 

State Treasurer 

This impacts every single 

American and especially every 

Louisianan. Much of our pension 

dollars are now subjected 

to ambiguous and subjective 

ESG standards above financial 

security. ESG has been weaponized 

to bully and destroy 

those that don’t fall in line with 

the progressive political agenda, 

and Louisianans deserve 

to know what’s going on with 

their money. 

Opinion: 22-0110: The elected 

chief of police for the Village of 

Hall Summit may not have his 

pay withheld or reduced for failure 

to perform the duties incumbent 

upon him during his term 

of office. The remedy of mandamus 

is available to the Village of 

Hall Summit regarding a chief of 

police who fails to perform the 

non-discretionary ministerial duties 

of his office. A chief of police 

Jeff Landry, 

who fails to perform a lawfully Attorney General 

required duty or does so in an 

unlawful manner may be subject to 

a malfeasance charge. Released: 11/21/2022 

Public Bid Law 

Opinion: 22-0100: Louisiana Public Bid law does not apply to 

the sale of electricity by the Sabine River Authority. Released: 

11/28/2022 

Page 9 


LMA Mid-Winter Conference Registration Now Open 

Registration is now open for the LMA’s Mid-Winter Conference for Municipal Officials at the Crowne Plaza in 

Baton Rouge from February 7-8, 2023. For more information on accommodations, our refund policy, and to 

register, visit our website at www.lma.org and go to Events. From there, use the calendar feature to take you to 

February, and click on “Mid-Winter Conference for Municipal Officials.” We look forward to seeing you all there. 

Register for 2023 LLA/LMA Collaborative Training 

The LMA is joining forces with the Louisiana Legislative 

Auditor’s Office to provide five free regional 

trainings in January and February of 2023. 

Trainings will include frequently discussed topics 

on municipal operations and ARPA fund management, 

as well as provide deeper insight into fiscal 

best practices. The training is crafted for both new 

municipal officials/employees and veterans alike. 

Though each training is being provided at no cost, 

we ask that you register for the event(s) that you 

will attend. Registration is now open for each training 

day. To register, visit www.lma.org and click on 

the “Events” tab. From there, click on “LLA/LMA 

Collaborative Training,” and the location of your 

choosing. 

We appreciate the continued collaboration with the 

Legislative Auditor’s Office, and we look forward to 

seeing you at one or more of these sessions. 

Page 10 


-REGISTRATION FORM- 

Louisiana Municipal Association 

Mid- Winter Conference for Municipal Officials 

February 7 - 8 , 202 3 

Crowne Plaza Baton Rouge 

4728 Constitution Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 

NAME 

BADGE NAME 

TITLE 

GUEST NAME 

MUNICIPALITY 

ADDRESS 

(STREET OR P.O. BOX) (CITY) (STATE) (ZIP CODE) 

TELEPHONE ( ) FAX ( ) 

EMAIL 

DISCLAIMER 

In registering for and attending this event, I agree to abide by state and local health mandates as well 

as any rules put in place by the Louisiana Municipal Association or event venues. I understand that by 

attending this event in person, it is possible that I may be exposed to coronavirus, and I hereby assume 

that risk. 

Yes, I agree 

No, I do not agree 

ACCOMMODATIONS 

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Crowne 

Plaza Hotel at a rate of $109 Single/Double. 

Please call (225) 925-2244 to make your 

reservation and mention that you are with 

Louisiana Municipal Association’s Mid-Winter 

Conference to secure this special rate. The 

reservation cut-off date is Saturday, January 7, 

2023. Check-in time is 4:00 p.m. and check-out 

time is 11:00 a.m., unless special arrangements 

are made in advance. 

For accommodations, the suggested arrival is 

Tuesday, February 7 and departure on Thursday, 

February 9. Registration will open at 11:00 a.m. 

with the first session beginning at 1:00 p.m. on 

February 7. 

ADVANCE REGISTRATION 

ENDS JANUARY 24 

$135 per delegate/official 

(includes one guest & reception) 

LATE REGISTRATION 

BEGINS JANUARY 25 

$150 per delegate/official 

(includes one guest & reception) 

REGISTER BY MAIL 

Complete this form and return with 

your registration fee payment, in full, 

no later than January 24, 202 3 . 

Make Checks Payable To: 

Louisiana Municipal Association 

Mid- Winter Conference 

P.O. Box 4327 

Baton Rouge, LA 70821 

REGISTER ONLINE 

WWW.LMA.ORG 

REFUNDS 

An administrative fee of $45 will be charged for 

all cancellations of the LMA Mid-Winter 

Conference, including medical emergencies. No 

refunds will be given after Tuesday, January 

24, 2023 (two weeks prior to the start of the 

event). 

Refunds will be issued only if the LMA office 

receives your cancellation request in the form of 

a letter on your official letterhead mailed, 

emailed, faxed, or delivered to our office with 

a postmark date no later than January 24, 

2023. Telephone requests for refunds will not be 

accepted. There will be no exceptions to this 

policy. 

NOTE: The LMA will offer one hour of required 

campaign finance disclosure training on 

Wednesday, February 8, at no additional charge. 

This class will begin at 4:00 p.m. 

HAVE A QUESTION? 

Contact: Nikki Samrow, P.O. Box 4327, Baton Rouge, LA 70821, (225) 344- 5001 Phone, (225) 344- 3057 Fax, nsamrow@lma.org 

Page 11 


Important Dates & Deadlines: The 

2023 Regular Session will convene at 

12:00 noon on Monday, April 10, 2023, 

and will adjourn no later than 6:00 p.m. 

on Thursday, June 8, 2023 (Const. Art. III, 

§2(A)(4)(a)). 

Subject Matter: 

Limited to the following 3 classes of bills: 

Class I: Measure to enact a general appropriation 

bill: enact the comprehensive 

capital budget; make an appropriation; 

levy or authorize a new tax; 

increase an existing tax; levy, authorize, 

increase, decrease, or repeal a fee; dedicate 

revenue; legislate with regard to tax 

exemptions, exclusions, deductions, reductions, 

repeals, or credits; or legislate 

with regard to issuance of bonds. 

Class II: Local bills (those that are constitutionally 

required to be, and have 

been, advertised). 

Class III: Any other subject matter not 

covered by Class I or Class II. 

Note: ALL Class III bills MUST be PRE- 

FILED, and no member may prefile more 

than 5 such bills. There is no limit for 

prefiling Class I or Class II bills, but only 

5 such bills may be introduced after session 

begins (Const. Art. III, §2(A)(4)(b)). 

Prefiling Deadlines: 

2023 Regular Session of the 

Louisiana Legislature Reminders 

• Retirement: Any retirement bill 

(including constitutional amendments 

affecting retirement) that is 

to be prefiled must be REQUESTED 

before 5:00 PM, Wednesday, February 

22, 2023 (House Rule 7.2(F)), 

and PREFILED before 5:00 PM, Friday, 

February 24, 2023 (Const. Art. 

III, §2(A)(2)(c)). 

• Constitutional Amendments: All 

other Constitutional Amendments 

must be REQUESTED before Noon, 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 (House 

Rule 7.2(F)), and PREFILED before 

Noon, Friday, March 31, 2023 (Const. 

Art. XIII, §1(A)). 

• All Other Bills: Any other bill that is 

to be prefiled must be REQUESTED 

before 5:00 PM, Wednesday, March 

29, 2023 (House Rule 7.2(F)), and 

PREFILED before 5:00 PM, Friday, 

March 31, 2023 (Const. Art. III, §2(A) 

(2)(b)). 

Bills for Session Introduction: 

• A member may introduce not more 

than 5 additional bills after session 

begins. Such bills must be RE- 

QUESTED by 6:00 PM, Tuesday, April 

18, 2023, (House Rule 7.6(A)(3)), and 

INTRODUCED by 6:00 PM, Wednesday, 

April 19, 2023, (Const. Art. III, 

§2(A)(2)(a) and (3)(a)). The following 

bills are not subject to this fivebill 

limit: general appropriation bill, 

judicial branch appropriation, legislative 

branch appropriation, capital 

outlay bill, omnibus bond authorization 

bill, supplemental appropriations 

bill, revenue sharing bill, and 

ancillary funds bill. 

Constitutionally Required Advertisement: 

• Retirement Bills including constitutional 

amendments - Publication 

in The Advocate on two separate 

days at least 60 days prior to introduction. 

Notice for a retirement 

bill to be introduced on the first day 

of session must be submitted to The 

Advocate by Thursday, February 2, 

2023. For Session introduction, a retirement 

bill must be submitted to 

The Advocate by Monday, February 

13, 2023 (Const. Art. X, §29(C)). 

• Security Districts: Publication in 

the official journal of the locality on 

three separate days at least 30 days 

prior to introduction. To be safe, for 

first-day introduction, local bills to 

create security districts should be 

requested by Wednesday, February 

8, 2023; thereafter, opportunity to 

publish local notice is dependent 

on circumstances with local newspaper 

(Const. Art. III, §13(B)). 

• Local Bills: Publication in the official 

journal of the locality on two 

separate days at least 30 days prior 

to introduction. To be safe, for firstday 

introduction, local bills should 

be requested by Wednesday, February 

15, 2023; thereafter, opportunity 

to publish local notice is dependent 

on circumstances with local 

newspaper (Const. Art. III, §13(A)). 

• Statutorily Required Advertisement 

of Bills Affecting Compensation 

of Certain Local Officials: 

Publication on two separate days at 

least 30 days prior to introduction 

(Sheriffs (R.S. 13:5521(E)); School 

Board members (R.S. 17:56(D)); 

Registrar of Voters and confidential 

assistants (R.S. 18:55(B) and 59(D)); 

Assessor’s salary or other emolument 

notice and Assessor’s expense 

allowance notice (R.S. 47:1907.1 

and 1908(D)). Deadline for notice 

to parishes and school boards of 

change to assessors’ expense allowance: 

Thursday, March 30, 2023 (R.S. 

47:1908(D)). 

To view specific instructions concerning 

advertising requirements, you may 

download the 2023 Regular Session Information 

Bulletin issued by House Legislative 

Services on September 1, 2022 

at chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://legis.la.gov/ 

legisdocs/23rs/23RS_House_Bulletin.pdf 

For more information, be sure to visit 

the LMA website (Legislative Advocacy 

Section) at www.lma.org or the Louisiana 

State Legislature’s website at www. 

legis.la.gov. 

Page 12 


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Page 13 


A One-on-One 

with LMA 

Executive Director 

John Gallagher 

Page 14 


As an LMA member, 

you’d be hard 

pressed to not 

know who John 

Gallagher is. He’s 

the face of the 

LMA, the Executive Director for 

going on seven years, a Southern 

gentleman with a smile (and time) 

for everyone he meets, a man 

who’s devoted nearly 25-years of 

his life to the organization, and a 

licensed attorney (4th generation) 

in both Louisiana and Texas. But 

just who IS John Gallagher? What 

makes him tick in terms of his passion 

for his LMA Executive Director 

role, along with his passions 

outside of the office? I spoke with 

him recently to find out. 

What are you most proud of 

in terms of leading the LMA? 

As I begin my seventh year as Executive 

Director, I am proud of a number of LMA accomplishments, 

and all seem to focus on teamwork being key to the 

success of any organization. One such defining moment ranks 

highly, and is coincidentally my most challenging, as well. 

On March 13, 2020, our worlds were impacted as a result of 

the COVID-19 pandemic, causing everything to change as 

we knew it. That day, I left 

New Orleans with several of 

our board members to go 

to Washington, DC, for a National 

League of Cities event. 

I remember hearing reports 

about an illness known as 

COVID-19, and four days later 

we returned on one of the last 

flights out before the world 

shut down. Suddenly, personal 

contact was limited, and our country and the world were 

essentially shut down. The LMA relies on personal contact 

and communication to carry out our mission, and our team 

immediately knew we needed to maintain our ability to communicate 

with members and our executive board and state 

and federal officials, and that the use of technology was essential. 

There was a lot of uncertainty and much information 

to give out, seemingly changing hourly. We were also very 

much aware of the technological limitations of many of our 

rural areas due to the lack of broadband and high speed internet 

infrastructure, but we could not leave anyone behind. I 

Front Row: LMA Executive Director John Gallagher and LMA Deputy Director Richard Williams. 

Back Row: RMI General Manager Patrick Cronin and LaMATS Executive Director Cliff Palmer. 

“As I begin my seventh year 

as Executive Director, I am 

proud of a number of LMA 

accomplishments, and all seem to 

focus on teamwork being key to 

the success of any organization.” 

am incredibly proud of how the LMA staff - almost overnight 

- transitioned our organization into a remote operational unit. 

We immediately began video communications with our staff 

and communicating with our officers and the entire executive 

board, state, and federal leaders via Zoom-type video meetings. 

This virtual way of doing business also allowed us to hold 

our convention, Mid-Winter Conference, and our training remotely. 

We never missed a 

beat thanks to the hard work 

of our staff and the support 

and foresight from our executive 

board giving us the 

tools necessary to make this 

transition possible and successful 

even to this day. I’m 

still so impressed at the way 

our staff worked as a team to 

come together and keep our 

organization moving seamlessly through the first year of the 

pandemic. Not only the LMA staff, but the entire staffs of our 

subsidiaries: RMI, Inc. under the leadership of General Manager 

Patrick Cronin and LaMATS, with Executive Director Cliff 

Palmer at the helm. All of that hard work and extra dedication 

culminated at our first live convention in 2021, when then 

LMA President Jimmy Williams, Mayor of Sibley, in what was a 

complete surprise, awarded the LMA President’s Award to the 

staffs of the LMA, LaMATS, and RMI as an expression to their 

dedication and hard work during that time. I will admit I had a 

lump in my throat! 

Page 15 


Gallagher’s office is filled with items telling the stories of his professional accomplishments and his creative endeavours. 

What would be your overall assessment 

of how the LMA best advocates 

for its members? 

The LMA was founded in 1926 as an advocacy 

organization, and 97 years later, 

advocacy is still vital to not only our success, 

but also to our education and service 

opportunities. 

Through our engagement with the 

Louisiana Legislature and our federal 

congressional delegation, we play a 

significant role in shaping critical policy 

affecting municipal government and local 

government in its entirety. The relationships 

we have with other local government 

associations such as the Police 

Jury Association of Louisiana, Louisiana 

Sheriffs Association, Louisiana School 

Boards Association, and the Louisiana 

District Attorneys Association, see us all 

working collectively towards this common 

goal. The use of webinars, podcasts, 

our convention and conferences, 

district meetings, and trainings, gives 

our membership the necessary tools to 

be advocates, which is crucial. Another 

key is having a great relationship with 

our congressional delegation and the 

National League of Cities (NLC) who 

guide us on federal issues. I spent the 

last two years representing the LMA and 

the NLC District 5 on the NLC Executive 

Board. This allowed me the opportunity 

to network with elected officials from 

all over the United States, and to gain 

greater insight into federal issues, allowing 

me to bring that information back 

to our staff and the LMA membership. 

The better equipped our members are, 

the more successful they, and the LMA, 

will be. 

How do you prioritize the many 

factors that come with your role? 

The LMA is contacted every day, numerous 

times a day, with issues from all areas 

including technical assistance questions 

from members, and requests from state 

and federal agencies. We place a priority 

on supporting our membership first. Our 

executive counsel and deputy director, 

along with our membership and IT staff, 

do an excellent job in providing technical 

assistance through helping answer 

questions relating to the operation of a 

municipality, and addressing educational 

needs such as ethics, sexual harassment, 

and cybersecurity. We also hear from outside 

organizations and state and federal 

agencies for assistance. The first thing we 

ask is how does this affect our membership? 

Is it a significant statewide impact 

to all 305 of our members? It is virtually 

impossible to address every issue, including 

strictly local issues, which is why we 

focus on statewide impact as a factor in 

many decisions. 

Page 16 


How do you view the Board in helping 

you achieve your goals? 

I serve at the pleasure of the Louisiana 

Municipal Association Executive Board. 

They rely on me to guide the organization 

on a daily basis and make decisions 

that are in the best interest of the 

organization. Our board is very active, 

and I am blessed that they give me the 

tools and resources necessary to carry 

out their wishes and expectations, 

and to also allow the staff the ability to 

bring suggestions to the board knowing 

they always operate with an open 

mind and more importantly, a forward 

way of thinking. Their guidance and 

that of the LMA Building Committee 

allowed us to purchase and relocate to 

our beautiful new headquarters. Also, 

the board gave support and approval 

to participate in “Small Town Podcast” 

now in its third year and growing in 

listenership, as well as introducing 

in 2023 our own LMA podcast, “From 

the Piney Woods to the Bayous,” recognizing 

the critical need to put the 

spotlight onto, and promoting, our 

rural towns, villages, and midsize cities. 

Most recently, the board has been 

hugely supportive of our collaboration 

with the Police Jury Association of Louisiana 

in the creation of the Louisiana 

Infrastructure Technical Assistance 

Corporation (LITACorp) that will assist 

our rural municipalities and parishes in 

receiving necessary help with consultants 

and grant writers to maximize our 

ability to obtain funds from the Bipartisan 

Infrastructure Law, also known as 

the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 

Act (IIJA), passed in 2021. 

A lot of networking goes into your 

role. How do you best “work the 

room” when it comes to networking? 

Networking is essential to my job as 

Executive Director. When I started with 

the LMA in November of 1999 as staff 

attorney and on the governmental affairs 

team, I remember what my late 

brother Paul, a very respected lobbyist 

for many years at the state capitol told 

me on my first day. He said, “If you aren’t 

around when they make the deal, 

Gallagher with his family; wife Camille and step-daughter Whitney. 

you are going to be the deal.” That rings 

true in so many ways. 

I am proud that this is the mantra of our 

current governmental advocacy team, 

as they are first at the capitol each day 

and among the last to leave. It is also 

important to travel the state to the various 

parish municipal leagues, meeting 

our members and listening to their 

needs, requests, and comments. I take 

all comments and questions seriously. 

Going to our member municipalities 

to see old friends and make new ones 

has always been, and still is, one of my 

favorite parts of my career at the LMA. 

How do you manage a work/life 

balance? 

Managing a work/life balance is very 

important to any person, and it is something 

I work very hard on. I try not to 

take too much of my work home, but 

that can be impossible in my position. 

Being in a commuter marriage - my wife 

Camille is an attorney and lives in Plano, 

Texas - means that my wife and I try to 

see each other on weekends. Making 

the time to talk with her every day, and 

planning our schedule to be together, 

is a priority and has worked well for us 

during the nine years we have been 

together. This also includes time with 

my wonderful step-daughter, Whitney, 

who’s also in Plano, following in the 

family business. 

Having creative outlets is also very important 

to me personally and mentally 

as a diversion from my work responsibilities. 

My undergraduate degree was 

in Public Relations and Advertising. I 

worked for an advertising agency in 

Shreveport for several years before 

moving to Washington, DC. I enjoyed 

the ability to express myself creatively 

and to develop ideas into something 

tangible. I have a love for photography, 

especially landscape and photographing 

the Western and Southwestern 

United States, along with the swamps 

of the Atchafalaya Basin. I have been 

able to venture out into the basin a 

number of times with the noted swamp 

photographer CC Lockwood. That has 

enabled me to capture great landscapes 

and my favorite subject, bald eagles. 

I have been honored to have had 

several western images published in 

Cowboys and Indians Magazine and in a 

Friends of Arizona Highways publication. 

Here is a shameless plug to my website, 

https://desertlight.zenfolio.com/. Another 

unusual hobby that I find very chal- 

Page 17 


Gallagher visits with LMA staff members: Ginger Eppes, Corporate Relations Manager; Penny 

Ambeau-Scott, Membership Services Coordinator; and Nikki Samrow, Events Director. 

lenging and enjoyable is screenwriting. 

I began a project several years ago and 

have worked on it off and on. I am lucky 

to have several friends in the entertainment 

business who give me encouragement 

and mentoring, and I plan to continue 

with this in 2023 with some ideas, 

under the guidance of a producer friend 

of mine and her husband, a well-known 

actor, director, and screenwriter. 

What makes you excited to come 

to work each day? 

There is hardly a dull day at the LMA. 

Every day is different with new challenges 

and expectations which makes it 

exciting to see what is in store. Also, the 

interaction with my “work family” is always 

a pleasure. Just like any family, we 

have our good days and bad days, but 

in the end, we are all in this together. In 

my view, the LMA is like a family, not just 

among the staff, but our leadership and 

members around the state. I am proud 

to say that we have a lot of long-time 

employees with little turnover, and I 

contribute that to the work atmosphere, 

co-workers, and our leadership. 

Is there a notable leader you most 

identify with, and why? 

In 1988 I left my advertising job and 

moved to Washington, DC, and I was 

blessed to be given the opportunity to 

work on the staff of then U.S. Senator 

John Breaux during his first term in the 

U.S. Senate. I worked on regulatory and 

legislative issues, ranging from agriculture, 

commerce, communications, and 

judiciary issues. It was a great experience 

and much of what I learned from 

Senator Breaux I use today in my current 

position. Seeing how he interacted 

with constituents, elected officials, and 

corporate CEOs from all over the country 

has given me the ability to be, in my 

opinion, successful in my career. It was 

an honor to have served the citizens of 

Louisiana for those years and have a 

mentor such as John Breaux. Without 

that, I am not sure where I would be 

today. 

What’s something people would be 

surprised to know about you? 

From an early age, my parents instilled a 

strong work ethic in my siblings and me. 

My father was a longtime Juvenile Court 

Judge in Shreveport and had a very 

strong work ethic. In my summer days of 

high school in the late 1970’s and early 

80’s, sitting at home in front of the TV 

Gallagher’s photography has been published in Cowboys and Indians Magazine and in a 

Friends of Arizona Highways publication. 

Page 18 


“In my view, the LMA 

is like a family, not 

just among the staff, 

but our leadership 

and members around 

the state. I am proud 

to say that we have 

a lot of long-time 

employees with 

little turnover, and 

I contribute that to 

the work atmosphere, 

co-workers, and our 

leadership.” 

was not an option. My maternal grandfather 

was a CPA at Forest Park East 

Cemetery in Shreveport, so, I spent my 

time from 7:30-4:30, Monday through 

Friday, as a gravedigger. My duties not 

only included assisting in preparing the 

ground for interment, but mowing the 

grounds, and on some days, hauling a 

weed eater connected to a generator 

to clean footstones. If the temperature 

reached 105 degrees, we would be dismissed 

30 minutes early! I learned the 

value of hard work and also teamwork, 

as this was essential for the crews to ensure 

that each site was prepared with respect 

and dignity to those in mourning. 

I also have a love for thoroughbred 

horse racing. Not just the betting aspect, 

but the backside - owning and 

breeding. I had considered applying 

to the University of Arizona Racetrack 

Management Program but opted for a 

different route, obviously. I could talk 

about this subject all day but will cut my 

comments short! Camille and I currently 

have micro shares in several horses 

running in Kentucky, New York, and California 

that give us enjoyment when we 

watch them run on TV. We got our first 

winner as co-owners recently with Ros- 

Fun at the races! 

ie’s Alibi, a 2-year-old filly by 2018 Triple 

Crown winner Justify and trained by hall 

of famer Todd Pletcher. We won’t get 

rich, but hopefully just get our small investment 

back or a bit more. That does 

not matter, as long as the horses stay 

healthy and come back from each race 

sound. 

How do you measure your own 

success at work? 

I measure my own success through seeing 

our staff working as a team, and by 

noting their satisfaction of their own 

goals being accomplished, which sets 

us all on the best course for the next 

task. 

Can you describe what you see 

when you look to the future of 

the LMA? 

I am very excited about the future of the 

LMA. We are strong financially and have 

settled into a new headquarters that will 

serve us well for many years. There is still 

a lot to be accomplished. I am very excited 

about the LMA celebrating its 100th 

anniversary in January 2026, which is 

just around the corner. We will begin 

planning for this celebration soon, and 

my goal is to recognize this centennial, 

those men and women who came before 

us, and those that will ensure another 

100 years of the LMA. 

by Charlotte 

Smith 

AMCorp 

International 

Smith is a Senior Communications 

Consultant for AMCorp and is the Editor 

of the Louisiana Municipal Review. 

Contact: charlotte@teamamcorp.com 

Page 19 


Reflections, 

Lessons 

Learned, 

and Lessons 

Shared: 

One CAO’s 

Perspective 

Well, I’ve begun my countdown calendar 

(pop-up sticky notes). All are carefully 

counted in descending order to 

assure an on-time departure following 

the City’s Inaugural event on January 

9, when Zachary welcomes its new administration. 

Our three-term run ends then, and we 

can move on to the next phase of our 

lives. It’s been an experience I’ll remember 

for a long time, having been called 

back into service following my initial 

retirement in September 2019. My own 

replacement as CAO was retiring, and 

a chance encounter with Mayor David 

Amrhein about this same time last year 

resulted in my agreeing to return to my 

old job for the Mayor’s final year in office. 

The front cover of the 2022-2023 City of Zachary Transition Guide. 

I’ve been blessed with three very diverse 

careers and am now on the cusp 

of retiring again from the City of Zachary 

for the second time in four years. 

How ironic is that? Here’s my brief 

history: 32 years in law enforcement, 

11 more as a program writer for DOJ 

and DHS, and my final 10 with the City 

of Zachary. Those earlier professions 

couldn’t have helped prepare me more 

for the CAO role. 

I firmly believe that CAOs aren’t born 

- they’re made! What began for me in 

early January 2011 was a never-ending 

revelation from day one. Kind of like 

the movie “Groundhog Day.” You learn 

to go with the flow but to still be careful 

of the undercurrent of never-ending 

challenges, followed by brief periods 

of calm before the next storm. One 

is always looming near City Hall. 

Over time, I’ve learned that simple 

preparation made where and when 

possible is critical and closely followed 

by essential relationship building as 

you evolve with the CAO role. 

David Amrhein, after being elected 

mayor in 2010, convinced me to join 

his team as his Chief Administrative Officer. 

At the time, I didn’t know if it was 

a blessing or a curse, and realizing that 

I knew so few people in Zachary due to 

Page 20 


Page 21 


years of business travel meant I might 

be able to use that to some advantage. 

“If I didn’t know anybody, I didn’t owe 

anybody.” Without prior exposure in 

this arena, learning municipal government 

through OJT can be a steep and 

challenging curve. 

My first lesson in local municipal government 

was titled Administration. 

A textbook definition follows: Municipal 

governments are organized local 

governments authorized by state constitutions 

and statutes, established to 

provide a general government for a defined 

area, generally corresponding to a 

population center rather than to one set 

of regions into which a parish is divided. 

Confusing? Read on! 

The category includes those governments 

designated as cities, towns, and 

villages based on population figures 

cited by the U. S. Census Bureau’s count. 

Local governments in the United States 

refer to the governmental jurisdictions 

below the level of the state. Most states 

have at least two tiers of local government: 

counties and municipalities. Louisiana 

uses the term “parish,” which the 

U.S. Census Bureau terms “county-equivalents” 

in our state. 

The Chief Administrative Officer is a 

part of the Administration. As with any 

government, and according to Zachary’s 

Home Rule Charter, the mayor administers 

his/her staff and all employees. 

The mayor may also dictate actions 

he/she might take instead of assisting 

himself/herself. This may pose an uncomfortable 

hiccup in a CAO’s stated 

roles, responsibilities, and objectives, 

but at the end of the day, remember 

that your first loyalty rests with the person 

who is the mayor. Otherwise, your 

partnership may become short-lived. 

All CAOs will face this fretful dilemma 

at least once in their career. 

We all know CAO roles are not always 

easily defined/explained, and to some 

extent, at some point in our careers, we 

may have to reinvent our roles and find 

that niche where we can best function 

and do good work. It happened to me. 

Indeed, there remain the expected and 

mandated rules to be followed. Still, 

there are those tangibles we can employ 

daily to help us achieve the best 

possible version of our professional 

selves. 

What we know about our jobs is that 

the CAO is typically appointed and 

serves at the pleasure of the elected 

mayor. His/her role is prominent and 

involves a wide-ranging part of daily 

responsibilities commensurate with 

the CAO role on behalf of, and/or at the 

discretion of, the appointing authority. 

The CAO remains aware of daily activities 

through the individual department 

heads while relying on them to 

accomplish collective goals through 

professionalism and with worker safety 

as their primary concern. 

The CAO’s duty is more about administrative 

oversight than micro-management. 

CAO duties and responsibilities, 

while many and varied, are by no 

means considered all-inclusive within 

the following listing of suggested duties/ 

responsibilities: 

• Daily oversight of employees and 

department operations 

• Coordinate/facilitate meetings 

with department heads only when 

needed and necessary. Don’t 

waste valuable time on trivial matters 

with unnecessary meetings 

of little value or of no importance 

when a memo may otherwise suffice 

• Coordinate/facilitate meetings 

with employees to hear their 

thoughts, ideas, and concerns. No 

one’s time is wasted here 

• Assist your mayor with “stand-in” 

duties, but don’t become an insulator 

• Develop documents, reports, and 

letters, and respond to correspondences, 

etc., as necessary to assist 

the administrative effort 

• Have the administrative authority 

to speak for your mayor 

• Resolve conflict issues between 

department heads, employees, 

and the administration 

• Lessen liability through regularly 

scheduled training, safety compliances, 

and enforcement 

• Coordinate daily with contractual 

service providers as necessary 

• Demonstrate a genuine interest 

in those operations/functions not 

usually encountered or familiar 

with, learn from the experience, 

and continue building a knowledge 

base on all aspects of operations 

where oversight is expected/ 

demanded and where your 

personal knowledge may be enhanced 

through participation 

• Be a good communicator, but a 

better listener 

• Ask questions, assume nothing 

• Delegate rather than relegate 

• Establish daily contact with your 

HR Director to identify, determine, 

and resolve issues before they become 

problems 

• Encourage employees with grievances 

to resolve conflicts among 

themselves by proposing workable 

solutions to issues before you 

are forced to impose your own, so 

no one goes away unhappy 

• Make suggestions regarding disciplinary 

actions as may be required 

• Be firm yet compassionate 

• Recommend termination for more 

severe infractions/violations or for 

those actions which rise to the level 

of dismissal once all remaining 

options for remediation have been 

exhausted 

• Stay involved and available to all 

employees through the required 

“chain of command” where applicable 

• Document, Document, Document! If 

it wasn’t written, it never happened 

by Chris 

Calbert 

City of Zachary 

Calbert serves as CAO, and he can be 

reached by emailing chris.calbert@ 

cityofzachary.org. 

Page 22 


LEGAL BRIEFS 

Newly Elected Officials Survival Kit 

Congratulations to municipal leaders 

who took office on January 1. For veteran 

elected officials, it marks a continuance 

of their good work with our heartfelt 

appreciation for their service. To 

our first-time elected officials, welcome 

to the LMA family! As a newly elected 

mayor, alderman/councilman, or police 

chief, you are charged with becoming 

fluent in a wide array of subjects, which 

seems like a daunting task – but you do 

not have to undertake it alone. 

Since 1926, the LMA has been the unified 

voice of Louisiana’s municipalities, 

executing our threefold mission of education, 

advocacy, and service. Here, 

we will focus on the educational component 

by discussing priority matters 

that newly elected officials should embrace 

as soon as possible after taking 

office, along with the vital resources 

that can help. 

For those assuming office this month, a 

90-day shot clock is running. All newly 

elected officials shall receive one hour 

of training on the Code of Governmental 

Ethics within the first 90 days after 

taking the oath of office, putting the 

deadline around the first part of April 

2023. Thereafter, they must receive at 

least one hour of ethics training each 

calendar year, and at least one hour 

of Campaign Finance Disclosure Act 

training at some point during their 

term (La. R.S. 42:1170(A)(2)). All ethics 

training may be completed online at 

https://www.ethics.la.gov/. 

Imagine municipal operations as a multi-lane 

highway. When all officials are traveling in 

the same direction while staying in their lanes, 

the people’s business will progress smoothly. 

Unfortunately, if anyone veers outside their 

lane, it risks causing a pile-up, paralyzing their 

ability to effectively move forward. 

There are other training mandates outside 

of ethics. La. R.S. 42:343 requires 

that every public servant receive at 

least one hour of training in sexual 

harassment prevention per calendar 

year; La. R.S. 42:1267 mandates that all 

elected officials with access to municipal 

technology systems complete cybersecurity 

training; and La. R.S. 29:726 

demands that municipal officials, designated 

by the parish president as essential 

to emergency preparedness/ 

response, attend emergency management 

training at least annually. Sexual 

harassment prevention and cybersecurity 

training are both available anytime 

for free on our website at https:// 

www.lma.org, whereas emergency 

management training will be provided 

by GOHSEP. 

Almost immediately, newly elected 

officials will begin conferring, prompting 

opportunities to understand their 

respective lanes of authority. Imagine 

municipal operations as a multi-lane 

highway. When all officials are traveling 

in the same direction while staying 

in their lanes, the people’s business 

will progress smoothly. Unfortunately, 

if anyone veers outside their lane, it 

risks causing a pile-up, paralyzing their 

ability to effectively move forward. 

The scope of official authority is determined 

by how a municipality is chartered. 

Under home rule charters, official 

roles and duties are spelled out in 

the charter; same for legislative charters, 

except that if a legislative charter 

is silent on an issue, the provisions of 

the Lawrason Act step in to fill in the 

gap (La. R.S. 33:481). For the 245 municipalities 

chartered under the Lawrason 

Act, lanes of authority are examined in 

multiple publications available for free 

download on our website, including a 

summary by that name. 

This month, municipal officials will engage 

in their first meeting of the council/board 

of aldermen, as the perpetual 

ebb and flow of documents through 

their municipality persists. This necessitates 

understanding Louisiana’s 

Open Meetings Law and Public Records 

Law. Robust summaries of each 

may also be found under the “Publications” 

tab of our website, along with 

many other resources. 

While exploring our site, we encourage 

you to download our “Quick Guide 

for Newly Elected Officials,” which 

contains an abundance of information 

to help you successfully navigate 

these first critical weeks of your term. 

The LMA exists to empower you, so 

please do not hesitate to contact our 

offices, and we hope to see you at our 

Mid-Winter Conference next month. 

by Karen Day 

White 

LMA Executive 

Counsel 

White is a member of the LMA Legislative 

Advocacy Team and can be reached at 

kwhite@lma.org. 

Page 23 


LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ADVISORY AND TECHNICAL SERVICES BUREAU 

The Years Change, 

but Our Commitment Stays the Same 

The Louisiana Municipal Advisory and 

Technical Services Bureau—better 

known as LaMATS—heads into 2023 

with a new logo to celebrate our 25th 

Anniversary of service. Our first quarter-century 

has seen tremendous 

growth, but as they say: The more 

things change, the more 

they stay the same. In 

our case, what stays is 

our continued commitment 

to excellence! 

LaMATS is a wholly 

owned subsidiary of the 

LMA that exists only to 

serve the members. Executive 

Director (and 

LaMATS founder) Cliff 

Palmer has guided the 

agency from its inception 

in 1998 as an efficient 

means to collect 

and distribute revenues 

owed to Louisiana municipalities 

by insurance 

companies licensed to 

operate in the state. 

Starting with just a few 

participating members, 

the LaMATS Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) 

program has become a blockbuster LMA 

benefit serving more than 200 municipalities 

and returning nearly $25 million 

annually to communities statewide. 

Palmer credits LaMATS’s steady growth 

to its stellar Board of Directors, consisting 

of experienced mayors, council persons, 

and municipal clerks, and also to 

the LMA membership itself. 

“Louisiana’s cities, towns and villages 

give LaMATS its mandate,” said Palmer. 

“Their participation, input, and support 

give our services their scope and 

power, multiplying our effectiveness 

to work on behalf of the membership. 

The role of LaMATS is to serve the LMA 

membership, so the input we receive 

from municipal leaders is the best way 

to do that. We’re successful because 

you help us succeed!” 

Today, LaMATS offers a host of valuable 

services. Among them are blight remediation 

& Brownfields assessments, occupational 

license tax collection, millage 

management, local government 

procurement (including electronic bidding, 

cooperative purchasing, and surplus 

sales assistance), drone imaging, 

franchise fee audits, Capital Outlay consultation, 

fleet management, and even a 

half-staff flag notification service. Most 

of these programs/services are at no 

cost to municipalities! We provide an informative 

website, www.lamats.net, that 

allows mayors, council members, clerks, 

and administration employees to access 

an abundance of features in a one-stop 

setting. 

Members gain important information 

from LaMATS to better serve their needs. 

This can be particularly important for incoming 

elected officials. New mayors and 

council members can feel overwhelmed 

with technical details and obscure needs 

they didn’t anticipate. LaMATS has a cadre 

of experienced consultants ready to 

advise and serve in the 

many complex aspects of 

good local government. 

LaMATS is a convener of 

people, a clearinghouse 

of knowledge, and an 

aggregator of resources. 

We’re proud to offer and 

constantly add to our 

many solid and productive 

relationships. So, as 

we approach 2023 and 

what is LaMATS’s 25th 

year, Palmer notes the 

significance of the Silver 

Anniversary. 

“Just as silver gains in 

strength, flexibility, and 

value when combined 

with other precious 

metals, so does LaMATS 

improve as more communities participate 

in our programs and take advantage 

of our services. We’re truly stronger 

together!” 

by Cliff 

Palmer 

LaMATS Executive 

Director 

Palmer leads the Louisiana Municipal 

Advisory and Technical Services Bureau 

(LaMATS) - a subsidiary of LMA. He can 

be reached at cpalmer@lamats.net. 

Page 24 


Page 25 


RISK MANAGEMENT, INC. 

RMI: On the Right Track 

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since 

I took over the helm as General Manager 

at Risk Management, Inc., assuming the 

role from my beloved father, and founding 

General Manager, Jerry Cronin. 

In order to access our new member portal mentioned above, and to 

make online payments, follow the instructions below. 

For nearly 35 years, Jerry laid a solid 

foundation at RMI, enabling me to take 

over his post with a loyal roster of Louisiana 

municipalities. Since becoming the 

General Manager in January of 2021, we 

have initiated changes in nearly all facets 

and departments at RMI to take us 

into the future and well beyond the next 

level. 

My goal for RMI is to provide the best 

service model available in the municipal 

coverage industry in Louisiana, not only 

to bring former members back into the 

LMA coverage funds, but also to share 

our deep appreciation to those fund 

members who stood by RMI and the 

LMA through the thick and thin periods 

of insurance carrier competition. We’ve 

heightened our personal visits by dividing 

our Customer Service Representative 

territories into four quadrants, while 

I took on an aggressive role in making 

an average of approximately 120 annual 

personal visits to current and prospective 

fund members to secure and build 

upon our relationships. Not only has 

this approach enabled RMI to successfully 

bring in 28 new and returning fund 

members, but our enhanced service efforts 

have also enabled us to retain practically 

all of the fund members that were 

in place when I took over. 

While RMI has a solid reputation in the 

industry, several upgrades were able to 

help us meet the challenges we face in 

the future. We’ve completely reengineered 

our website to make it much 

Page 26 


ALWAYS ON 

FOR YOU. 

JOHN M. SCHRODER, SR. 

Louisiana State Treasurer 

LAMP, Inc. President 

Louisiana local government entities trust LAMP to protect their 

principal, deliver solid returns, and ensure same-day access to 

their funds from anywhere. We have guided our clients through 

challenging environments over the past quarter century — and 

we remain ready to serve you now. 

Find out how our consistent, conservative portfolio management 

can help your organization navigate uncertain times. 

THEODORE C. SANDERS, III 

Chief Executive Officer 

LAMP, Inc. 

LOUISIANA ASSET MANAGEMENT POOL 

Call 800-249-LAMP or visit www.lamppool.com to learn more. 

No transaction fees | Same-day access to your entire investment | Rated AAAm by Standard & Poor’s 

You may incur fees associated with wires and/or ACH transactions by your bank, but there will be no fees charged from LAMP for such transactions. A ‘AAAm’ 

rating by S&P Global Ratings is obtained after S&P evaluates a number of factors including credit quality, market price exposure, and management. Ratings are 

subject to change and do not remove credit risk. Investment involves risk including the possible loss of principal. No assurance can be given that the performance 

objectives of a given strategy will be achieved. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any financial and/or investment decision may incur losses. 

Page 27 


easier and more fluid to do business 

with RMI. Users can view our available 

services in detail, add or delete police 

officers and municipal vehicles from 

their current coverages, view basic loss 

information, and pull basic coverage 

certificates online through our newly 

created Member Portal. Additionally, 

fund members now have the ability 

to make premium payments online 

through our ACH payment protocols, 

and the images included in this article 

will show members exactly how to access 

it. Not only have we made our website, 

www.rmila.com, more user friendly, 

but users can also now see the smiling 

faces of our staff and the RMI Board of 

Directors. We’ve also made it easier to 

report claims and contact RMI staff for 

any needs which may arise. 

Because we wanted to make sure we were 

on the right track in providing best in 

class service to current and potential fund 

members, we distributed a satisfaction 

survey in July of this year. We are thrilled 

with the positive feedback we received. 

100% of the fund members who responded 

stated that membership in the LMA 

funds was an excellent value for the premiums 

charged and they would recommend 

RMI to other municipalities. On a 

scale of 1-10, the majority of those participating 

in the survey graded RMI as a 10. 

While we feel that we’re delivering the 

best services possible to our fund members, 

we’re just getting started, and we’re 

confident that RMI’s best days are ahead. 

The future looks extremely positive for 

newly available products and services, 

as well as new growth in the municipal 

sector. We’re celebrating our 35th year 

of providing service to Louisiana municipalities. 

Additionally, we’ve developed 

top-shelf expertise in handling municipal 

risks during our 35-year history because 

that’s the only constituency that we serve, 

meaning our expertise lies in the work we 

do for you. 

It has been my honor to lead the RMI staff 

over the past two years, and I sincerely appreciate 

the RMI Board granting me the 

privilege to serve the municipalities of the 

great state of Louisiana in my role as General 

Manager. Returning to RMI was like a 

homecoming of sorts, as I started out in 

my insurance career as a liability claims 

representative in 1987, before moving 

into the private sector in 1990. 

If you’d like to discuss the services and 

coverage options available to Louisiana 

municipalities, please give me a call at 

800-843-0931, or email me at pcronin@ 

rmila.com. You’ll be glad you did. 

by Patrick 

Cronin 

General Manager, 

RMI 

Cronin leads Risk Management, Inc. (RMI) 

- a subsidiary of LMA. He can be reached at 

pcronin@rmila.com. 

Page 28 


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Page 29 


Clerks Corner 

This Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute 

was held October 23 – 28, 2022, at the 

Embassy Suites in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 

and marked the 46th anniversary of 

the Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute 

(LMCI). 

Out of 139 registrants, 34 were first-time 

attendants, 24 were second year attendants, 

and 11 were in the graduating class 

of the 2022 LMCI. Those graduating were 

Nichole Bonin, Deputy Clerk, Maurice; 

Joey Cooper, Clerk, Albany; Dianne Futch, 

Clerk, Dubberly; Melanie Keyes, Deputy 

Clerk, Gilbert; Eva Kibodeaux, Clerk, 

Welsh; Jennifer McCallie, Deputy Clerk, 

Oak Grove; Danita Nygaard, Deputy Clerk, 

Farmerville; Tammy Page, Deputy Clerk, 

Pineville; Margra Steele, Clerk, Folsom; 

Jennifer Thomas, Deputy Clerk, Opelousas; 

and Joann Stevenson, Police Chief 

Secretary, White Castle. All first, second 

and third year students are required to 

perform skits which they create and perform 

for all other attendees. 

The curriculum began with Orientation 

and Basics of Being a Clerk led by Lora 

Johnson, MMC, LMMC; Meshaun 

Arcenaux, LMMC; 

and Annette Cutrera, LCMC. 

Roxanna Richard, MMC, 

LMMC, Clerk, Gueydan, 

passed on her knowledge 

of “Taking Better Meeting 

Minutes.” Other classes included 

Records Management 

and Fundamentals, Grant Writing, 

Supplemental Pay, Public Records Requests 

and Open Meetings, Occupational 

Licensing, Millages, Property Tax Processes, 

Statewide AUP Procedures, and ARPA 

State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. 

Of special interest to our clerks was the 

“Stump the Attorneys” workshop with 

John Gallagher, LMA Executive Director; 

Richard Williams, LMA Deputy Director; 

and Karen White, LMA Executive Counsel. 

The Round Table discussions, as well 

as the motivational speakers and Yvonne 

Lewis Day’s “The Ultimate Professional: 

Being the Very Best at What You Do,” were 

highly rated in the evaluations. We also 

offered the mandatory annual training on 

Ethics and Cyber Safety. 

Again, this year, the Athenian 

Dialogue was offered 

and facilitated by Janice 

Bates, Athenian Fellow and 

City Clerk, Tipp City, Ohio. 

The book of interest was I 

Love It Here by Clint Pulver. 

All who participated truly 

enjoyed the open dialogue. 

The Gloria King Memorial Scholarship 

and the Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial 

LaMATS Scholarships are offered each 

year to municipalities with a need that 

impacts their ability to attend the Clerks 

Institute. This year, the Gloria King Memorial 

Scholarships were awarded to 

Amanda Anglin, LCMC, Clerk, Hosston; 

Tracee Cloutier, Clerk, Golden Meadow; 

Dianne Futch, Clerk, Dubberly; Geri Ann 

Melder, Clerk, Oakdale; Misty Pee, Clerk, 

Haughton; Talia Randazzo, Deputy Clerk, 

Golden Meadow; and Christine Tidwell, 

Clerk, Leonville. These scholarships were 

CONTINUED PAGE 31 

Page 30 


USDA Offering Two Grants Opportunities 

The USDA is making funding available 

under two separate grants. Eligible entities 

are rural towns, communities, state 

agencies, authorities, nonprofits, federally 

recognized Tribes, public institutions 

of higher education, and non-profit 

cooperatives. 

The Rural Business Development Grant 

program supports business opportunities 

or business enterprise projects in rural 

communities. Applications for these 

grants, including all set-aside funds, 

must be submitted in paper or electronic 

format to the USDA Rural Development 

State Office in the state where the 

project is located by 4:30 p.m. local time 

on February 28. 

For additional information, visit Grants. 

gov or see page 71571 of the November 

23, 2022 Federal Register, or visit https:// 

www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/ 

business-programs/rural-business-development-grants. 

The USDA is also accepting applications 

for grants to establish and operate Agriculture 

Innovation Centers (AIC). Recipients 

must provide matching funds 

of least one-third of the project budget. 

AICs provide technical and business 

development assistance to agricultural 

producers seeking to market or produce 

value-added products. USDA is making 

$8 million available under the Agriculture 

Innovation Center Program. AICs 

may use the grants to provide assistance 

to help agricultural producers develop 

and market value-added products as 

follows: 

• Business development services 

• Market development services 

• Financial advisory services 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30: CLERKS 

funded by the Louisiana Municipal Association 

and the Louisiana Municipal 

Clerks Association. The Mayor Eugene 

Smith Memorial LaMATS Scholarship 

recipients were Teri Ann Black, Clerk, Columbia; 

Barbara Hall, Deputy Clerk, Oil 

City; Taylor Traylor, Clerk, Mooringsport; 

and Lori Winham, Clerk, Ida. 

One of the goals of the Clerks Institute 

is to receive certification, first as an 

LCMC, Louisiana Certified Municipal 

Clerk, and finally as an LMMC, Louisiana 

Master Municipal Clerk. To achieve 

these certifications, clerks must go 

through a series of levels once they enter 

the academy. This year we had two 

individuals in the Entrance Level of the 

Academy, Amie A. Brown, LCMC, Clerk, 

Many; and Emily S. LaCaze, LCMDC, 

Deputy Clerk, Alexandria. 

The highest certification obtained from 

the Clerks Institute is the LMMC, Louisiana 

Master Municipal Clerk. This year we honored 

Monica A. Hamilton, LMMC, Clerk, 

White Castle, for her hard work and perseverance 

in obtaining this classification. 

Congratulations Monica! 

The LMCA wishes to thank all sponsors 

and exhibitors for their continued 

support. 

In closing, we ask you to Save the Date 

for the LMCA Spring Conference will be 

held April 7 – 8, 2023, at the Le Meridien 

Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 

LMCI has been scheduled for October 22 

– 27, 2023, at the Embassy Suites in Baton 

Rouge, Louisiana. 

• Process development services, such 

as engineering, production system 

scale ups, scale production assessments 

and systems development 

• Organizational assistance, including 

legal and technical advisory services 

• Value chain coordination 

• Product development, excluding 

research and development 

• Grants of $5,000 or less to agricultural 

producers for the services listed 

above 

• Center start-up and operation 

Applications for these grants must be 

submitted through Grants.gov no later 

than 11:59 p.m. ET on March 6. 

For more information, see page 74392 

of the December 5, 2022 Federal Register, 

or visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/ 

programs-services/business-programs/ 

agriculture-innovation-center-program. 

Monica Hamilton received the prestigious 

certification of Louisiana Master Municipal 

Clerk. 

by Ginger Eppes 

LMA Corporate Relations Manager 

Eppes serves as LMCA Coordinator and can 

be reached at geppes@lma.org. 

Page 31 


Hometown Happenings: January 2023 

You may think that with the holiday season behind us, the fun of music and food filled events begins to 

settle down a bit. But never you fear, as Louisiana is in full festival mode, and Mardi Gras is right around 

the corner. 

Millennium Park Holiday Lights 

December 9 – January 8, Lake Charles 

visitlakecharles.org/event/millennium-park-holidaylights/44347/ 

Annual Gumbo Cook-Off 

January 28, Opelousas 

thegumbofoundation.org/events 

Battle of New Orleans Commemoration Week 

January 6-8, Chalmette 

https://www.visitstbernard.com/events/battle-neworleans-0 

PRESORT 

STANDARD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

BATON ROUGE, LA 

PERMIT #319 

Page 32

January 2023

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