December 2023

12.23 

Louisiana 

MUNICIPAL 

REVIEW 

VOL. 88 

ISSUE 12

A Quarter-Century of Municipal 

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Derrick Johnson, LMA President Rick Allen, First Vice President Ray Bourque, Second Vice President 

Mayor, Cheneyville Mayor, Leesville Mayor, Broussard 

Page 2 

Immediate Past President Michael Chauffe, Grosse Tete 

Immediate Past President – Michael Chauffe, 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 Vice President Staci A. Mitchell, Mayor, West Monroe 

District 

District 

C 

D 

Vice 

Vice 

President 

President 

– Staci 

Howard 

A. Mitchell, 

“Keith” Lewing, 

Mayor, 

Mayor, 

West Monroe 

Anacoco 

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

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

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

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

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

Mayor, Plaquemine 

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

District 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 

– David 

Harry 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 – Julius Williams, Alsandor, Mayor, Mayor, Sibley Opelousas 

Vice President at Large – Belinda Julius Alsandor, Constant, Mayor, Opelousas Gretna 

Vice President at Large – Kevin Belinda Kately, Constant, Mayor, Mayor, Parks Gretna 

Vice President at Large – David Kevin Kately, Toups, Mayor, Parks Addis 

Vice President at Large – Darnell David Toups, Waites, Mayor, Mayor, Addis Baker 

Vice President at Large – Darnell Waites, Mayor, Baker 

LMR | DECEMBER 2023

LMR | DECEMBER 2023 Page 3

DIRECTOR’S VIEWPOINT 

Yuletide and Good Cheer 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll eas of our state 

say it again, I do so love has had serious 

impacts. 

this time of year! It does 

my heart Thornton, good Musso, to gather &Bellemin One group 

with family and friends and of friends 

spend quality time together 

in a slower-paced fashion. 

As we approach the Christmas 

season, I’m reminded of 

a quote by Brigham Young. 

“Love the giver more than 

the gift.” I find that such a 

beautiful sentiment and 

one that reminds us all to 

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slow down and take in what 

matters most. It’s far too 

easy to become inundated 

and overwhelmed with the 

commercialization of Christmas, 

and far more difficult 

to find peace in the season. 

My Christmas wish for you 

all this year is that the season 

brings with it a balance 

so that peace becomes the 

easier of the two to find. 

WATER TREATMENT CONSULTANTS 

This month’s edition of our 

magazine is an exciting one, 

as we profile the final days 

of Governor John Bel Edwards 

and his administration. 

Governor Edwards has 

been a staunch supporter 

of the LMA and its mission, 

and we thank him for that. 

Charlotte Smith managed 

to find some time with Governor 

Edwards to uncover 

what the view of municipal 

government has been like 

from the 4 th floor of our Capitol 

Building throughout the 

last eight years. I think you’ll 

find his insight on how municipalities 

can better prime 

themselves for more secure 

outcomes, both helpful and 

enlightening. 

As we know, the recent burn 

ban still affecting many ar- 

wasn’t sure 

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if they’d be 

able to continue 

a cultural 

tradition in the 

heart of Ascension 

Parish, but with a little luck 

and a lot of pluck, they’re 

carrying on. The Laiche and 

Duplessis families build incredible 

wooden structures 

over the Christmas break 

each year, in an effort to 

ring in the New Year in a literal 

blaze of glory. Charlotte 

talked with them about 

their plans for this year, and 

how carrying on heritage 

through cultural creativity is 

lighting the way. 

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ins and outs of application 

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plans Texas communities 

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reminds us that anything is 

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planning of our own. 

As we bid a fond farewell 

to 2023 and enjoy the holiday 

season, I sincerely hope 

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each of you finds enough 

joy and peace to carry it 

with you into 2024. May you 

spend some downtime with 

people near and dear to you, 

and may it be exactly what 

you need. May the spirit of 

the season stay with you. 

And “May your days be merry 

and bright.” 

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707693_Thornton.indd 1 

LMR | DECEMBER 2023 

8/21/14 8:33 PM

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

2023 - A Very Good Year 

Can you believe it’s already 

December? 2023 has flown 

by, but we’re leaving the 

year by looking forward, and 

I’m excited by what 2024 has 

in store. There are so many of 

our municipal leaders doing 

such incredible work, that 

I think inspiration will be 

leading the charge. 

We’ve been working diligently 

the last few months to get 

our house in order. Our budget 

has been a concern, so 

tackling that has been a priority. 

I’m happy to announce 

that the board worked diligently 

with John and other 

LMA staff members to cut 

some costs and save some 

dollars. So far we’ve saved 

$200,000 and we’ve even 

cleared over $100,000 for 

our annual convention for 

the first time. Those numbers 

are nothing short of a 

step in the right direction, 

and it now means we’ll be 

in the black as an organization 

for the first time in 13 

years. The hope is that this is 

a sign of things to come, and 

that all of us, as members of 

the LMA, will benefit from a 

healthy budget. 

For those of you already 

planning ahead to our annual 

Mid-Winter Conference 

from the 27 - 28 of February, 

we’ll be moving away from 

Baton Rouge in an effort to 

provide a more centralized 

location. In 2024, we’ll head 

to the Paragon Casino in 

Marksville. We’ll be offering 

more activities than in previous 

years, including our new 

LMA Leadership Institute 

which will begin during this 

conference. We’re excited 

about the knowledge that 

can be gained from this program, 

and you can feel free 

to reach out to me if you’d 

Attorney General’s Opinions 

Dual Officeholding 

Opinion: 23-0110:The provisions 

of the Dual Officeholding 

and Dual Employment 

Law do not prohibit a member 

of the Rapides Parish 

School Board from serving 

as a member of the Louisiana 

State Board of Dentistry. Released: 

11/15/2023 

Opinion: 23-0114: The provisions 

of the Dual Officeholding 

and Dual Employment 

Law do not prohibit a 

Louisiana State Senate Aide 

from serving as a contract 

consultant for the Louisiana 

Airport Managers and Associates. 

Released: 11/6/2023 

Legislative Charters 

Opinion: 23-0099: The 

amendment to the City of 

St. Martinville’s Legislative 

Charter is consistent with the 

constitutions and laws of the 

United States and Louisiana. 


Opinion: 23-0103: The 

amendment to the City of 

St. Plaquemine’s Legislative 

Charter is consistent with the 

constitutions and laws of the 

United States and Louisiana. 


Coroner’s Fees 

Opinion: 23-0040A: Because 

disposition of human 

like further information. I’m 

looking forward to seeing 

many of you and connecting 

with you. So, if you’ve got 

something on your mind, I’d 

like to hear it. Your support 

in my role as LMA President 

means the world to me, so 

doing right by you is of the 

utmost importance. 

Governor-elect Jeff Landry 

recently announced his Local 

and Municipal Government 

Transition Team, and 

it’s an honor to be included 

in what I feel is a very prestigious 

group. I’m looking 

forward to assisting with a 

smooth transition and to 

sharing my insight and perspective 

from the view of a 

small town mayor. Too often 

our smaller communities are 

left out or overshadowed in 

crucial and critical conversations, 

so speaking out on 

behalf of so many smaller 

remains (i.e., cremation) is 

not part of a coroner’s investigation, 

the costs incurred 

by coroners for authorizing 

cremations is not part of the 

costs of a coroner’s investigation. 

The costs of cremation 

permits are operational 

expenses of coroners’ offices 

for which relevant local governments 

are responsible. 


Firefighter Vacation Leave 

Opinion: 23-0067: The population 

requirements of La. 

R.S. 33:1961 do not apply to 

La. R.S. 33:1996; recalling, to 

the extent inconsistent with 

this opinion, La. Atty. Gen. 

Derrick Johnson, Sr. 

LMA President 

Cheneyville 

municipalities is a privilege 

I’m not taking lightly. 

In closing, I hope everyone 

has a wonderful holiday season. 

It’s such a special time 

of year, and I’m looking forward 

to some quality time 

spent with my family and 

friends. I wish you all the 

merriest Christmas possible, 

and I’ll see you next year! 

Jeff Landry 

Attorney General 

Op. Nos. 78-4, 78-4A, 78-66, 

78-259, 88-42, 00-266, 00- 

370, 09-0224, 12-0063. Released: 

10/26/2023 


GOVERNOR’S COLUMN 

Thank You for the Extraordinary Work You’ve Done 

December is here, and I 

hope you all had a wonderful 

Thanksgiving full of food, 

family, and football. As I enter 

the last holiday season of 

my administration, I’m taking 

time to reflect and give 

thanks. It’s been nearly eight 

years since I was first inaugurated, 

becoming the 56th 

governor of the state of Louisiana, 

and I’m so grateful for 

where we stand today. 

You may remember back in 

my first inaugural address, I 

promised there was no challenge 

we would not meet. 

Little did we know how often 

that statement would 

be tested. It took a whole lot 

more gumbo and gumption 

than we expected, but we 

have met every challenge. 

When I took office in 2016, 

the state had a $1 billion 

dollar budget deficit to close 

out that fiscal year and a $2 

billion deficit for the following 

year. It took numerous 

special sessions and a lot of 

bipartisanship, but we were 

able to navigate a balanced 

approach with no gimmicks 

and no one-time money 

spent on recurring expenditures. 

We came in facing a $2 

billion deficit, and we will be 

leaving more than $2 billion 

in the bank for the next governor 

and legislature. 

We’ve gone from a state that 

was disinvesting in higher 

education more than anywhere 

else in the country to a 

state making historic investments 

in higher education. 

With my first act as governor, 

we’ve expanded Medicaid to 

more than 500,000 working 

Louisianans and reduced the 

uninsured rate to below the 

national average. We’ve consistently 

hit record-breaking 

low unemployment records, 

with 30 consecutive months 

of job growth adding nearly 

280,000 jobs since the worst 

of the pandemic. 

In recent good news, I announced 

last month that all 

state employees will have 

access to 6 weeks of 100% 

paid parental leave starting 

January 1, 2024. Paid parental 

leave means better 

outcomes for every family 

member, allowing parents to 

bond with their child without 

the financial stress of sacrificing 

their income, savings 

or paid sick days. By joining 

the 32 other states with paid 

parental leave policies, we 

are positioning ourselves to 

both attract and retain top 

talent in-state. I believe this 

policy is pro-life, and I hope 

to see the legislature adopt it 

statewide in the near future. 

In January, Louisiana will 

begin a new chapter under 

a new administration. 

First Lady Donna and I were 

happy to visit with Governor-Elect 

Jeff Landry and his 

wife Sharon at the mansion 

as they prepare to take on 

the demanding, rewarding 

roles of governor and first 

lady. There are many unique 

aspects to serving as Louisiana’s 

First Family, and we 

want to be a resource to 

Jeff and Sharon as they go 

through the process we went 

through eight years ago. As I 

have said repeatedly, my administration 

is committed to 

a smooth and efficient transition 

of power on behalf of 

the people of Louisiana. 

I want to close by thanking 

John Bel Edwards 

Governor 

you again for the extraordinary 

work you’ve done in 

your municipalities this year 

and for the past eight years 

of my administration. Donna 

and I pray that you all have 

a safe and peaceful holiday 

season, a Merry Christmas, 

and a Happy New Year. God 

Bless you and your families. 

Page 6 


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Insure Louisiana Incentive Program and Louisiana Fortify Homes 

Program Both on Track to Achieve or Exceed Department Goals 

In earlier columns, I introduced 

two major programs 

the Louisiana Department of 

Insurance (LDI) initiated this 

year in an effort to address 

our ongoing crisis in the 

property insurance market. 

The Insure Louisiana Incentive 

Program, which began 

in April, and the Louisiana 

Fortify Homes Program, 

which began in October, 

have been operational long 

enough now for me to provide 

a comprehensive update 

on where we are with 

both programs, and I am 

glad to report that they are 

both working as intended. 

During the first application 

period in February, the Incentive 

Program attracted 

seven insurance companies 

and issued about $37.5 million 

of the $45 million in 

available grant funds. Based 

on the amount of grant funding 

we issued, those insurers 

are expected to write at least 

70,000 new policies by the 

end of their first year in the 

program. 

September 30 was the halfway 

point of the program’s 

first year. Considering the 

difficulty of writing new 

business during hurricane 

season, I anticipated that the 

incentive companies would 

have written about 25,000 

policies by now — a little 

less than half of that 70,000. 

But after reviewing the latest 

Incentive Program report, it 

appears I should have had 

higher expectations. 

As of September 30, incentive 

companies have written over 

35,500 new policies worth 

$106.5 million in premiums. 

Those policies are heavily 

concentrated in coastal Louisiana, 

with the top five parishes 

being Jefferson, Terrebonne, 

St. Tammany, 

Orleans, and Lafayette. 

These 

numbers don’t 

include about 

8,000 additional 

policies 

requested by 

an incentive 

company and authorized 

for take-out 

from Louisiana Citizens, 

which is currently overloaded 

with about 120,000 personal 

lines policies. 

September 30 also marked 

the closing of the Incentive 

Program’s second application 

period, during which we accepted 

several new grant requests 

— including one from 

a new insurance company 

— that will likely exhaust the 

final $13 million in the program 

fund. 

I am pleased with the results 

at the program’s halfway 

point and am optimistic we 

will continue to see the program 

grow, especially now 

that we have exited the 2023 

hurricane season. 

Our other major program, 

the Louisiana Fortify Homes 

Program, is also off to a fast 

start. We accepted a total 

of about 1,500 grant applicants, 

all Louisiana Citizens 

policyholders, into the program 

during application 

periods on October 

2 and October 16. 

On November 

6, we opened 

a third round 

to all Louisiana 

homeowners 

and accepted 

another 750 into 

the program. The final 

750 applicants will be 

selected on November 27. 

The Fortify Program grants 

up to $10,000 for homeowners 

to upgrade their roofs to 

the FORTIFIED Roof standard 

set by the Insurance Institute 

for Business & Home Safety. 

FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction 

and re-roofing program 

designed to strengthen 

homes against specific types 

of severe weather such as 

high winds, hail, hurricanes, 

and tornadoes. 

Our Fortify Program staff, 

as well as the program-approved 

contractors and evaluators, 

have been busy, but 

the grant process is working 

as intended. In fact, construction 

has already been completed 

on several projects, 

and we are well on our way to 

having 3,000 new FORTIFIED 

I am pleased with the results at 

the program’s halfway point and 

am optimistic we will continue to 

see the program grow. 

Jim Donelon 

Commissioner, Louisiana 

Department of Insurance 

roofs across Louisiana. 

Even more promising than 

the 3,000 new roofs is the attention 

the program is bringing 

to the importance of 

building stronger. Alabama’s 

FORTIFIED program has been 

around for several years and 

has issued over 6,000 grants, 

but, more importantly, their 

program has encouraged 

close to 40,000 other Alabama 

residents to upgrade 

their homes to the FORITIFED 

standard on their own. 

In addition to providing protection 

from powerful hurricane 

winds, FORTIFIED roofs 

come with an approximate 

25% reduction in homeowners’ 

policy premiums and 

about a 7% increase in the 

value of a home. 

I truly believe the Incentive 

Program will accelerate our 

market’s recovery from the 

effects of hurricanes Laura 

and Ida, and that the Fortify 

Program will demonstrate 

how Louisiana can thrive despite 

our exposure to more 

frequent and more powerful 

hurricane landfalls. 

Page 8 


A Fourth Floor Retrospective 

with Governor John Bel Edwards 

By Charlotte Smith 

As Governor John Bel Edwards and his administration’s time comes to a close, the LMA felt 

it important to find out what advice he could offer both the organization and our municipal 

leaders. Governor Edwards held nothing back in his responses, all in the hope of propelling 

Louisiana into a successful future. 

Governor Edwards, you’ve had the honor of viewing 

everything from the 4th floor for the last eight years. 

What’s the overall view of the LMA and municipal 

government from there? 

Well, first of all, Charlotte, thank you for the question. As you 

know, I was in the legislature for eight years, and so my relationship 

with municipal government, mayors, aldermen, and 

council people, started long before I was elected governor. 

And I worked with the Louisiana Municipal Association and 

various members before I became governor. We worked very 

hard together to make sure that when I came in, we were able 

to stabilize our fiscal situation despite that $2 billion deficit 

and do it in a way that didn’t try to achieve a balanced budget 

on the backs of local government. That included school 

boards, police juries, parish government, sheriffs, and certainly 


it included the Louisiana Municipal Association 

as well. The relationships that 

I had as a legislator, and new ones that 

were created when I was running for 

governor, really helped in that regard. 

So, my view from the 4 th floor over the 

last eight years of the Louisiana Municipal 

Association and municipal government 

in general has been very positive. 

I know the LMA is a very large organization, 

and that members come from all 

across the state geographically, so they 

have different political 

views and that 

sort of stuff, but on 

those things that are 

important to municipal 

governments, 

there isn’t a lot of division 

among members. 

I think you all 

(LMA) do a good 

job, especially under 

John Gallagher’s 

leadership, of bringing 

people together 

and speaking with 

one voice. I’ve seen 

that time and time 

again over the last 

eight years. And quite frankly, I’ve always 

viewed municipal governments as partners 

who help achieve stability and economic 

growth with record investments; 

especially in things like infrastructure, 

for example, and increases in supplemental 

pay for law enforcement officers 

and firefighters, and changes made to 

the Industrial Tax Exemption Program 

(ITEP) for local government. There are 

so many things that show a partnership, 

like helping you all (LMA) to have the 

technical expertise and funding to apply 

for grants under the infrastructure bill, 

and then having the funding necessary 

to meet the match. That would not have 

happened but for the work of the LMA 

and the staff led by John. 

Take a look at LITACorp. We created that 

with the LMA and the Police Jury Association. 

Both organizations have very similar 

concerns and needs, so working together 

to create that entity dedicated to securing 

funding is important. The money that 

went into LITACorp came from the state. 

That’s a really good example of what I 

was talking about – the really good results 

achieved by the LMA and its members 

when they speak with one voice and 

make their needs and issues known to the 

legislature, to me, and to my cabinet officials 

across state government. 

Single voices are, of course, important, 

and they hold a tremendous 

amount of weight, but why 

is a unified municipal voice also 

important? 

Money is never without limits, right? At 

the end of the day, there’s always going 

to be resource allocation decisions 

made where there are more possible 

ways to spend the money than you can 

actually do. If it’s investments that you 

need, if it’s a change in law in terms of 

how governments operate, if it’s funding 

for infrastructure, if it’s the amount 

of a federal grant that we might hold 

onto at the state level and send the rest 

down to locals, the truth is there’s no 

end on the issues to which this might 

apply. So, it’s really important that the 

LMA speak with one voice. That’s easier 

to accomplish with the staff, the current 

executive director there, and the officers. 

It’s a little harder when you’re trying 

to get all of your villages, towns, and 

cities to have their mayors and so forth 

involved and keeping them on script. 

But, when there’s a resource allocation 

decision to be made, some legislators 

and other leaders, if they detect that 

there’s not full agreement among all of 

local government, then they say, ‘Okay, 

that’s not really important to them, and 

over here we have this other group or 

this other need, and there’s no difference 

of opinion as to what we should 

do. So, maybe we shouldn’t give anything 

to municipal government. Maybe 

we should just give more to some competing 

interest out there, instead.’ 

I would actually go beyond a unified 

municipal voice and tell you that any 

time you all (LMA) can work with other 

groups, for example 

maybe the 

Police Jury Association, 

maybe the 

Sheriffs’ Association, 

the School Boards 

Association, whatever 

it might be, if 

you can get them to 

agree with you and 

to lend their voice to 

the effort, it makes a 

tremendous difference. 

So, it’s not just 

within the LMA, but 

it’s all the other local 

governments, higher 

education institutions, 

or hospitals, there’s no limit on 

who your partners can be because this 

is a numbers game in Baton Rouge. The 

more people you have engaged, and 

from the broadest possible spectrum of 

the state, the more likely you’re going 

to be successful. 

That unified voice is really important 

because if a difference of opinion 

among leaders is detected on a particular 

issue, then it becomes much harder 

for the LMA to be successful no matter 

how hard John Gallagher and his staff, 

and the officers of the LMA, are working 

here in Baton Rouge. It just becomes really 

hard for them. 

Louisiana is seeing a number of 

new mayors, many of whom don’t 

have a background steeped in 

the political landscape. What tips 

do you have for municipal leaders 

looking to form relationships 

with local and state-wide elected 

officials? 

Page 10 


I’d have to say to do your very best to 

create a personal relationship where 

they know who you are, what town or 

village or city you represent, and the 

types of issues that are going to be important 

to you that you’re going to want 

to talk to them about when they come 

up. Basically, long before you ask any 

elected official to do something for you 

– or not to do something for you – create 

that personal relationship, and don’t 

make an ask the first time if you can 

possibly avoid that. You’ll be much better 

received when you do then, in fact, 

make a request of an elected official. 

Then I would tell you that there are too 

many mayors and officials out there 

to where the governor can’t afford to 

have meetings with each. But, at every 

legislative session, there are going 

to be opportunities to work with your 

state senators and representatives. And 

see if you can have meetings with the 

governor, or maybe with state-wide 

elected officials as well, as a group or a 

region. Maybe all the mayors in a particular 

senate district, for example, can 

come together, and then the governor 

can carve time out and meet. There are 

some senators and representatives who 

do that routinely, and others never do 

it. For those who do it, there’s a lot more 

face time that has helped in getting to 

know many mayors’ names. I’ve gotten 

to know many on a personal basis. 

I knew what was important to them, 

and then as the capital outlay requests 

come in and the money’s available, it 

makes a difference. You obviously can’t 

have individual meetings because there 

just simply isn’t enough time. That’s the 

advice I would give on having an effective 

relationship with your state-wide 

elected officials and state legislators. 

What’s something you feel municipalities 

could be improving upon 

in order to be better heard within 

the walls of the Capitol building? 

I know that this makes a tremendous difference, 

and I’m not saying that you all 

(LMA) don’t do a good job, I just believe 

it can be improved upon on a municipal 

level, and by all local governmental organizations. 

Quite often if there’s something 

important, mayors, for example, 

will visit in the legislator’s district about 

something, but when it comes time for 

that legislator to vote, whether it’s in 

committee or on the floor, the mayors 

are not here. And I know that most of 

your mayors are part-time, and they have 

full-time jobs, so it can be really hard. But, 

to the degree possible, it always makes 

a difference after you’ve made a request 

of your legislator on a bill, on an appropriation, 

on a capital outlay project, you 

name it, to be in the building and visible 

when the votes are taken. That makes 

just a tremendous difference, and I’ve 

seen that time and time again. 

And then the other side of that coin is 

equally important. So, you all have a 

wonderful staff at the LMA. John Gallagher’s 

been around, and he knows what 

he’s doing. He’s got relationships with 

everybody that matters in Baton Rouge, 

but at the end of the day, it’s a whole lot 

easier for him to do his job if his members 

are showing up and they’re sticking 

to the script. They should be talking to 

their legislators and helping him to lobby 

- especially on those issues that are 

most important. I don’t know that you’d 

need to be here on every bill and every 

matter, but on those critically important 

issues, just having people in the building, 

beyond the officers and staff of the LMA, 

would be really helpful to John. And this 

is not advice I’d give just to members of 

the LMA. This applies to the Police Jury 

Association, Sheriffs’ Association, School 

Boards Association, I mean you name it. 

I do think that would be helpful. 

Louisiana’s municipalities are leaving 

a lot of money on the table in 

terms of grants that may be available 

to them. What advice would 

you give them on how to better 

prepare for the securing of funds? 

You’re right, Charlotte. That’s always 

a challenge because you have a lot of 

other municipalities – towns and villages 

in particular – who lack the staff 

to prepare a grant application, and to 

even really know what grants are available. 

So, you’ve got to be able to have 

someone tell you what’s available, help 

you to fashion a competitive application 

to earn the funding, and then you’ve got 

to be in a position to meet whatever local 

match obligation may be attached to 

the grant should you be successful. 

I would just encourage everyone to take 

advantage of every opportunity they 

have, especially during the next few 

years. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 


just turned two years old, but 

it’s a five-year program, so 

for the next few years you’re 

going to continue to have 

unprecedented investments 

in all types of infrastructure 

to include water and sewer; 

to include roads, bridges, 

and highways - broadband, 

you name it - lead pipes. So 

just making sure that you are 

plugged into the LMA is paramount. 

That you’re reading 

those emails, you’re reading 

those newsletters – so that 

you know how to take advantage 

of the funding we have 

made available specifically for 

these purposes. I mean, I think 

that is critically important. 

Louisiana’s small towns 

and villages in particular 

are always struggling 

with not having enough 

in terms of infrastructure, 

or with their diminishing 

populations, among other 

factors. Their needs 

are often overshadowed 

by the needs and voices 

of larger, better-funded 

municipalities. How can 

they interact with state 

government to feel more 

supported? 

One way is something I mentioned 

earlier. You can have 

the mayors of these small 

villages and towns come 

together and ask their legislators 

for a meeting to talk 

about whatever issue may be 

important to them. It may be 

addressing crime. It may be 

some infrastructure or economic 

development issue. 

They may be worried about 

a hospital staying open, or 

they may need a hospital or 

different medical service. If 

you’ve got a village of, let’s say 

300 people, that’s very significant. 

But if you’ve now got 

four mayors together, all of a 

sudden you may have 3500 

people, and you’re going to 

get a better reception and 

more time and opportunities 

to express yourself. And then 

after you meet with your legislators, 

ask them to arrange 

a meeting with the governor, 

the Division of Administration, 

or with the cabinet secretaries 

– it depends on what 

the issue is. So, joining together, 

I think, really does help. 

Also, quite often the mayors 

of these municipalities know 

what the state government 

is looking for. So, for example, 

you may have several 

small villages in close proximity 

to one another. There 

may be funding available to 

consolidate their water or 

sewer systems, and they may 

be successful if they agree 

to consolidation, whereas 

they may not be successful 

if they apply individually. 

On top of that, it’s going to 

be very important that if the 

state or federal government, 

and oftentimes it’s both, invest 

in a municipality, let’s 

say it’s a water system that’s 

going to be several million 

dollars, they know that there 

is going to be a viable effort 

made to pay to maintain that 

system once it’s put in. That 

requires things that can be 

very difficult. For example, 

the water rates may have to 

go up in order to properly 

maintain the system, which 

may be a requirement of actually 

getting the funding 

in the first place. But that’s 

something they can do, and I 

understand how hard that is, 

trust me, I do. But at the end 

of the day, we’ve got a lot of 

infrastructure out there that 

is really old, and it is failing. 

We’re investing more than we 

ever have to try and replace 

it, but the municipalities that 

are doing the types of things 

I’m talking about are the ones 

who seem to be getting more 

of those opportunities. So, I 

would just put that out there 

for consideration. 

As this administration 

comes to a close, what 

is it you feel municipalities 

still don’t know that 

could work in their favor 

if they did? 

You know, Charlotte, I guess 

I would refer to all the things 

that I have said. But I do want 

them to know that their voice 

is very powerful, but they 

have to show up to be heard, 

so show up in numbers. When 

they and their colleagues 

from other municipalities 

across the state are saying 

the same thing, it really has a 

tremendous and positive impact 

on decision-makers. So, 

I would just ask them not to 

lose sight of that. 

I always look at local government 

leaders as my partners 

in serving the State of Louisiana 

because every constituent 

of a mayor – every 

constituent of a town council 

person, for example – is also 

a constituent of the governor. 

You know, if you show up, 

and you’ve got a good idea 

about how the governor, or 

how the legislature, can better 

serve your municipality, 

Page 12 


then you are working in partnership 

with those people so they can be better 

public servants themselves. So, that’s 

something we also take very seriously. 

As often as possible, when you have an 

issue, come with something you believe 

is a solution as well. Put both of those 

things before the decision-maker, and I 

think you’ll see a lot more success. 

And then lastly, because I know that 

some members are more active than 

others in coming to meetings and going 

to conferences – and by the way, Charlotte, 

I’ve always enjoyed speaking at 

the LMA conferences, so I thank you all 

at the LMA for that – but some are more 

active than others. I just want to say on 

the record that John Gallagher and his 

staff at the LMA do a wonderful job representing 

the interests of all of the municipalities 

across this state. And they do 

a good job at maintaining a good relationship 

with me, the governors before 

me, and I assume the governors that 

are going to come after me, and also in 

working where they can with other local 

governmental organizations. John and 

his staff are really, really good. And I say 

that because there may be some members, 

especially newly elected members, 

who just don’t have the visibility within 

the LMA. From my perspective, use the 

LMA as a resource, because John Gallagher 

is among the best who actually 

work in the State Capitol, advancing the 

interests of his organization. 

And finally, Governor Edwards, as 

it’s nearing Christmas, what would 

be your Christmas wish for both 

the LMA and our many Louisiana 

local governments? 

My Christmas wish is really that our state 

continues to move forward and continues 

to make progress. I am genuinely inspired 

by the goodness and the decency 

of the people of Louisiana, and their 

resilience in the face of challenge after 

challenge. And yet despite all of that, all 

the challenges, we’re going to close this 

year out with the lowest unemployment 

rate ever measured, more money in our 

banks than ever before, and we have an 

economic development forecast that’s 

one of the rosiest ever. We’re going forward 

with tens of billions of dollars in 

projects that are going to have a positive 

impact all over the State of Louisiana. 

So, let’s remember over the holiday 

period, which is also as I’m closing out 

my term as governor, to be thankful. 

But to also be more resolute and determined 

to continue to work together and 

make a positive difference. That would 

be my Christmas wish to the LMA and its 

member municipalities. 

On behalf of the Louisiana Municipal 

Association, we thank Governor Edwards 

for his candor and his time. 

Inauguration Flags Needed 

Governor-Elect Jeff Landry’s inauguration planning 

team is seeking assistance in procuring the use of 

American flags for his inauguration ceremony on January 

8. Municipalities are invited to loan flags and 

flagpoles to be used for decor for the occasion. Here 

are the instructions for those who wish to participate: 

Flagpole dimensions: 1.5” inches x 21 ft. 

Flag dimensions: 3 ft x 5 ft. 

All flags and flagpoles must be dropped off at the 

grounds of the Capitol building by December 29 at 

noon. Please label all flags with the name and phone 

number of your municipality. Following the ceremony, 

municipalities may pick up flags and flagpoles on 

January 10 at the Capitol. 

If you have any questions, or want to participate in the 

inauguration through flag and flagpole donations, 

please email Keli Ourso at keli@oursoconsulting.com. 


A New Year’s Bonne Fire 

Halfway down Hwy. 74 in 

Gonzales, across from Hebert 

Steel, sits a 150-yearold 

home that exudes 

Southern charm, and I’ve often 

admired it as I’ve driven 

by. After meeting the family 

who lives there, I could write 

a story solely on the history 

of the home itself, but it’s 

what’s behind the home that 

sets the tone of this piece. 

I first met the Duplessis and 

Laiche families in December 

of 2012, when I wrote an article 

on a cultural tradition 

they partake in annually as 

a way of ringing in the New 

Year. I was concerned the 

state-wide burn ban would 

impact them this year, so I 

reached out to Cody Duplessis 

and Courtney Laiche. 

It turns out they’d had the 

thought the tradition may 

go by the wayside, as well. 

Each weekend in December, 

Cody Duplessis (left) and Courtney Laiche (right) 

the Laiche and Duplessis 

families join together with 

friends and volunteers, and 

they create impressive bonfires 

for an entire community 

to enjoy. The land they 

build these structures on is 

immense. Green grass and 

open fields span many an 

acre. And smack dab in the 

middle, for the past twenty-five 

years, they’ve built 

willow wood structures as 

a way of seeing in the New 

Year in their own personal 

blaze of glory. Knowing 

that tradition will continue 

this year brings me a sort of 

peace. That’s just the thing 

needed to see in the newness 

of another year. 

“We’ve never had to postpone 

our bonfire before,” 

said Cody Duplessis. “It 

wouldn’t have been the 

same if we had to this year, 

so we’re happy that didn’t 

Page 14 


happen. It would have been 

disappointing.” 

“We’d have still built it, but 

we would have had to wait 

until the ban was lifted to set 

it ablaze,” added Courtney 

Laiche. “That wouldn’t have 

had the same feel, and we do 

this for the community. We 

would have lost their interaction 

were we to burn it after 

New Year’s Eve.” 

“I mean we are in Louisiana, 

so we were holding out hope 

that it’d rain eventually. It always 

does,” quipped Duplessis. 

When I first met with members 

of both families thirteen 

years ago, they were putting 

the finishing touches on an 

enormous space shuttle; 

an homage to the final year 

of the NASA flights. It was 

a chilly afternoon, which 

somehow made what I was 

witnessing all the more spe- 


cial. Family and friends were bundled 

up, hot cocoa in hand, joining together 

as they began completing something 

truly built out of love. Beaming from 

ear to ear, Courtney Laiche told me 

how it’s a special project for them all. 

He said just being in each other’s company 

at this time of year is something 

not only important but heartwarming 

to them all. 

Twenty-five years ago, the families 

started their New Year’s Eve tradition 

with only a small brush pile. The following 

year, they found themselves 

building a 42 ft. tall tee-pee. Each year 

since, the theme has changed, and the 

structures have taken on scales they 

once only dreamed of. 

Chad Duplessis does most of the 

sketching, and ideas have come from 

all over. Among the designs have been 

a carousel, a custom Winnebago (complete 

with a carved-out Play Station 

3, television, and steering wheel), a 

50 ft. x 30 ft. Tiger Stadium, the Sunshine 

Bridge, a jambalaya pot, and that 

space shuttle I mentioned earlier. This 

year, it’ll be a giant chainsaw as a salute 

to builders across the state. The 

goal is a structure some 25 feet wide 

by 12 feet high, but as often happens 

when this group gets together, things 

get bigger and bolder. 

The most meaningful structure and 

perhaps the group’s favorite, according 

to Duplessis, was a tribute to a 

cousin, Luke Villar, who was murdered 

in a store robbery. Luke was a musician 

and a beacon of light to those who 

knew him. 

“We built a guitar and an amp as a tribute 

to him,” he said. “It was something 

Page 16 


we needed to do; to look 

out at the fire and share in 

memories of him as we also 

let part of him go. Ashes to 

ashes and all that. It meant 

a lot.” 

The pride in their craftsmanship 

has been apparent for 

two and a half decades, and 

the tradition is continuing 

on through younger members 

of both families. Harri 

Tran (24), Alexander Pugh 

(19), Ethan Pugh (16), Jacob 

Duplessis (16), Andrew Laiche 

(5), and Audrey Laiche 

(4) aim to carry on the proverbial 

torch of culture and 

creativity. 

sauce piquant, free to any 

and everyone who happens 

by (but they wouldn’t 

say no to any other holiday 

delights people feel like 

bringing), and they remind 

each other of the many cars 

they’ve heard screeching to 

a halt along Hwy. 74 when 

the lighting begins on New 

Year’s Eve at 8:00. 

There’s a huge fireworks 

display in a separate area, 

and the bonfire lighting 

is carried out under the 

strictest of safety measures 

including barricaded areas, 

plenty of on-site help to supervise 

every aspect of the 

burn, and tons of water on 

standby. 

What makes the bonfires 

an even greater spectacle 

is that anyone is welcome 

to stop by. The more the 

merrier. They tell me that 

each year, visitor numbers 

grow in size, and it’s not unusual 

for 200 or even 300 

people to view the bonfire. 

They cook a gumbo and a 


Thirteen years ago, as I prepared to 

leave this welcoming, kind group of 

people, I found myself saying I’d be 

back one day, if only to experience 

some holiday magic. The thought of 

seeing a new year in with this new 

group of friends, sharing in something 

they have such passion for, 

just seemed right in some small way. 

I spent a good few years doing just 

that, and it wasn’t simply a sight to 

behold, but it also made me proud to 

be in a community within a state so in 

tune with the importance of cultural 

traditions. 

The future looks brighter when we 

can come together and celebrate our 

uniqueness. It’s something Louisiana 

and her people do so well – especially 

when those people are lighting the 

way for us all. 

You can follow the group on the Laissez 

les Bon Temps Brûler Facebook page. 

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 or 

call 225.650.3281. 

LMA Proud Co-Host of 2024 SGR Conference 

Local government leaders have never faced more challenges 

than they do right now. Whether it’s caused 

by too much turmoil or too few resources, the task 

of delivering excellent customer service, building a 

great team, and accomplishing any forward progress 

towards a common goal is becoming an increasingly 

complicated challenge. 

Rediscover and reinvigorate the reason why you chose 

to respond to this noble calling by making plans now 

to join us in Dallas from January 25 - 26 for SGR’s Servant 

Leadership Conference! 

For more information, visit www.slcgovernmentresource. 

com, and click on Events. 

Page 18 


REFUSE TO SURRENDER 

How an Underdog 

City Applied for 

a $10 Million 

Federal 

Grant 

Louisiana’s villages and small towns struggle with infrastructure 

issues. There is money available, but sometimes 

applying requires a Herculean effort. Our neighbors 

in Texas have found a way to take down Goliath 

and put together a $10 million dollar application for federal 

funding. The story below lays out the blueprint for how 

Killeen, Texas, did it, and how you can do it, too. 

Across the southeast, from Texas to Virginia, cities and towns 

overflow with ideas, hopes, needs, and dreams. Unfortunately, 

most find themselves wrestling with the realities of fragile 

infrastructure, an affordable housing crisis, population fluctuations, 

and little capacity to access the pots of federal funding 

at the end of the rainbow that can help bring needed relief to 

communities. Even preparing to apply for a federal grant may 

seem daunting at best, impossible at worst. While the promise 

of federal aid exists at historic levels, for those who have never 

applied for a federal grant, where do you start? What does it 

take to apply for these large funding pots and make the promise 

of a better community a reality? 

Let us look deep in the heart of Texas – Killeen to be exact. 

With a population of a little over 160,000 residents, this city 

sits about seventy miles north of Austin and adjacent to Fort 

Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) military base, which is the primary 

driver of the city’s economy. For 10 years, Killeen has 

seen rapid population increases driven by the presence of 

military families. This steady growth over the last decade and 

disinvestment in North Killeen has led to a lack of sufficient resources 

to support neighborhood revitalization. The city had 

the opportunity to apply for a $10 million “Pathways to Removing 

Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing)” grant. If awarded, 

this grant will fund the implementation of a 10-year comprehensive 

housing strategy to address local housing needs 

by increasing affordable, energy-efficient housing through 

owner-occupied rehabilitation, rental housing development/ 

preservation fund, anti-displacement strategies, equitable access, 

and blight mitigation and demolition. 

Start with identifying partners. Separated by only 

a few miles, the City of Killeen and Fort Cavazos recognized that 

while maintaining separate housing portfolios, their interdependence 

made a more compelling case for federal grant assistance 

to bolster their underserved community. In a letter of 

support for the grant, US Army Colonel Lakicia R. Stokes wrote, 

“Installation leadership recognizes the value of Housing and Urban 

Development’s (HUD) strategic goals of supporting underserved 

communities, ensuring access to, and increasing production of 

affordable housing, promoting homeownership, and advancing 

sustainable communities. As a priority geography, we stand ready 

to partner with the City of Killeen and HUD to advance these strategic 

goals so that Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families have access 

to quality, affordable housing meeting their needs in the City of 

Killeen, Bell County, and the Central Texas Region.” 

Partnerships with mutually beneficial outcomes are key. Just 

like Killeen found a formidable ally in Fort Cavazos, many cities 

and towns should identify similar community-based organizations 

(CBOs) and entities to join forces with to improve outcomes 

when applying for federal grants. 

Look for technical assistance. Killeen is the story of 

the underdog. It is the tale of a small city facing a rising housing 

crisis and lacking the resources, institutional knowledge, or 

capacity to address the issues alone. Tiffanie McNair, Executive 


Director of Killeen’s Office of Community 

Development, knew navigating 

the road to a $10 million 

grant would be nearly impossible, so she enlisted help from 

colleague Edwin Revell, Executive Director of Development 

Services. Revell introduced McNair to Nick Deffley, who would 

become a powerful ally. Deffley serves as the Director of Federal 

Resources for the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network 

(SSDN), where he oversees the Local Infrastructure Hub (LIH) Cohorts 

Program that will provide a city a capacity grant of up to 

$30,000 in value of technical assistance for federal proposal development. 

LIH can provide applicants access to experts in grant 

strategy, engagement, technical exploration, and federal proposal 

development through the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies, 

Waverly Street Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. 

Killeen applied for the LIH capacity grant and learned quickly 

that they would receive the funds needed to be able to engage 

with Thomas Consulting Group (TCG), a team of federal proposal 

development experts deployed to help the city draft and submit 

a proposal to HUD for the $10 million Pro Housing funding. 

“Having LIH step in and say we’re going to connect you with 

technical assistance that can guide you, support you, and get 

you to the finish line - without them, I really feel like looking at 

everything I had on my plate at the time, it would not have happened. 

It would have just been impossible,” said McNair. 

In her first meeting with TCG’s CEO, Michelle Thomas, McNair, 

who had only been a resident of Killeen for five months, conveyed 

that there was a void in institutional knowledge, and she 

had done as much research as she could to communicate the 

housing need. TCG tapped into their resources to get housing 

needs data, demographics, rental unit availability, how units 

are being impacted by the Soldiers assigned to Fort Cavazos, 

and created a comprehensive analysis of Killeen’s housing 

burden. Because of the LIH capacity grant, TCG provided the 

technical assistance needed to help the city assemble what 

McNair considers a strong application. The City Council was 

very encouraging and appreciative of what was developed on 

behalf of the city of Killeen. 

Count the cost. Federal funding is available at historic 

levels, and so is the assistance needed to apply for those funds, 

but at what cost? In the case of the LIH program, the cost is the 

time and effort it takes to fill out a three-page application requesting 

help with applying for grants aimed at realizing your 

community’s full potential to address climate impacts and 

build racial wealth equity. For Killeen, the cost of not seeking 

assistance to apply to HUD for $10 million in federal funding 

would have been unbearably high. Barriers to housing opportunities 

caused by outdated zoning and land use statutes 

would persist. There would be little chance of developing and 

preserving affordable housing. Infrastructure would continue 

to deteriorate, and the overall quality of life for a tremendously 

underserved community as well as soldiers, veterans, and 

their families would decline. 

Men and women in uniform have fought valiantly for the freedoms 

we enjoy as a nation. Through LIH, the City of Killeen refused 

to surrender these military 

families to the status quo and has 

instead assembled an army to go 

after the funding needed to give the underserved and America’s 

Armored Corps access to the quality of life they deserve. 

“LIH is the friend and partner that you didn’t know you needed,” 

said McNair. “They are enthusiastic, they are professional, they 

are creative with how they could put together a proposal that 

represents your city and reflects who you actually are. I knew 

that we were with the right partner from day one.” 

Application details and additional information about the Local 

Infrastructure Hub 

Cohorts program 

can be found on 

SSDN’s website at 

https://www.south- 

by Anita 

eastsdn.org/pro- 

Tillman 

grams/ssdns-fed- 

eral-programs/ 

Managing Editor 

local-infrastructure-hub-cohorts/. 

Anita is the CEO of AMCorp International 

For more information, 

contact Nick 

and has served as the LMA’s Communications 

Consultant since 2016. She can be 

reached at anita@teamamcorp.com or by 

Deffley at nick@ 

phone at 225-324-5444. 

southeastsdn.org. 

Building roadmaps from right now 

to what's next 

CONTACT 

ANITA TILLMAN 

800-920-9826 EXT 700 

WWW.TEAMAMCORP.COM 

We help you find your 

voice, own your 

narrative, and captivate 

the right audience. 

Messaging 

Crisis Communication 

Speechwriting 

Transition Management 

Social Media Management 

Strategic Planning 

Publication Development 

Outreach 

Process Improvement 

Communication Training 

Page 20 


LEGAL BRIEFS 

Capital Confusion 

The 2023 Regular Session birthed two 

new laws that fundamentally change the 

methods by which municipalities access 

capital outlay funding from state coffers. 

Unfortunately, there are elements of uncertainty 

surrounding each provision. 

To start, Louisiana has a new Governor-Elect, 

who just appointed a new 

Commissioner of Administration. So, the 

current approaches and interpretations 

of the Division of Administration – which 

processes capital outlay applications and 

prepares the state’s annual construction 

budget – may not be those of future DOA 

administrators. 

Act 82 makes various streamlining 

changes to internal and external capital 

outlay processes. The most profound of 

those creates a new application mandate 

for non-state entities regarding new 

construction projects funded by capital 

outlay. The requirement means that 

municipalities applying for capital outlay 

funding for new projects must provide 

documentation evidencing their ability to 

provide funding in the amount of at least 

3% of the total requested funding for the 

long-term maintenance of the project. 

Essentially, the municipality must have a 

sensible plan to ensure that new projects 

are properly maintained for the long haul. 

The confusion arises regarding the effective 

date of this change. Under the clear 

wording of the act, this proof mandate 

applies to “the funding of all projects included 

in the capital outlay budget for 

fiscal years commencing ON OR AFTER 

July 1, 2024.” That indicates that current 

capital outlay applications (submitted by 

November 1, 2023) would have to comply 

with this provision since those projects 

would be funded in FY24. However, 

current DOA leaders are interpreting the 

change to apply only to capital outlay applications 

submitted starting in 2024 and 

funded starting in 2025 (i.e., not applications 

submitted in 2023). 

Further complicating matters, the online 

portal for submitting capital outlay applications 

(eCORTS) has no option or field for 

municipalities to provide their statement 

of proof of funding. It is suggested that 

municipal members immediately prepare 

articulations of their maintenance funding 

plans to be submitted with all future 

applications and to be provided upon 

request from DOA regarding pending applications. 

While municipalities should consult with 

their attorneys to perfect such statements, 

here is some suggested language 

for consideration: 

“In accordance with a new requirement that 

Act 82 of 2023 added to Capital Outlay Law, 

(insert requesting entity name here) is hereby 

documenting, through this Capital Outlay 

Request document, that (insert requesting 

entity name here) has the ability to provide 

no less than three percent of the total 

requested amount of funding to be used exclusively 

for costs associated with the longterm 

maintenance of the project. Maintenance 

funding in the amount of at least 

($________) will be provided through the 

following means: ___________________.” 

As always, the LMA will work closely with 

agency leaders to stay informed of their 

intentions and convey pertinent information 

as timely as possible. 

Act 292, by contrast, seeks to make local 

government access to capital outlay less 

burdensome. The new law enables the 

state to waive the entire local match or a 

portion thereof for a project undertaken 

by a municipality under 6,000 in population 

or a parish with a population under 

7,500. The applicant for a match waiver 

must demonstrate “its inability to provide 

a local match” by submitting their two 

most recent annual audits; and if the project 

relates to an existing utility system, 

they must submit a rate study from within 

the past three years. 

But this law gives rise to many unanswered 

questions. By what criteria will DOA measure 

eligibility for the match waiver? What 

are the metrics for evaluating the ability 

to provide a local match? What degree of 

fiscal health are they looking for? Will they 

seek a “sweet spot” of applicants who are 

generally fiscally responsible, but simply 

lack the match for a particular project? 

What effect does the waiver request have 

on the overall strength and success of the 

capital outlay application? Some municipalities 

dedicate more than the minimum 

match in capital outlay applications to increase 

the chances of their approval – is 

that still a winning strategy? 

Unfortunately, there is currently NO guidance 

from the state to provide any answers. 

DOA leaders have indicated that 

only a few locals have asked for the match 

waiver, and until more applicants do so, 

they have no impetus to develop a written 

framework for evaluation. So, we are 

currently experiencing a circular dynamic 

where local leaders are hesitant to submit 

requests for match waivers until DOA 

develops evaluation criteria; and DOA 

is reluctant to develop those evaluation 

protocols until more locals request match 

waivers. For the time being, municipalities 

are encouraged to seek advice from 

capital outlay professionals to determine 

the best approach for a given project. If 

and when DOA formulates how it will digest 

this new match waiver authority, we 

will disseminate that information to LMA 

members as quickly as possible using 

multiple platforms. 

Editor’s Note: the information provided in 

this column is not a replacement for consultation 

with your own municipal attorney, 

and it should not be considered legal advice 

for any particular case or situation. 

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. 


Hometown Happenings: January 2024 

This January, it’s time to ring in the New Year - Louisiana-style! Lace up your parade watching boots and savor 

the chilly gumbo weather because Mardi Gras is peeking around the corner. Resolve to season your year with 

this January’s vibrant selection of festivals and parades. It’s the perfect way to start the year. 

69th Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival 

January 12 – January 13, Cameron 

https://www.lafurandwildlifefestival. 

net/ 

Looking to warm up your weekend with 

a hearty taste of Southern hospitality? 

For two days this January, the 69th 

Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival offers 

just that and more. A cherished tradition 

since 1955, this Cameron staple salutes 

the parish’s vibrant industries every 

year, with this year’s events honoring 

the Fur & Alligator Industries. From live 

entertainment, food and crafts booths, 

pageants, and carnival rides to an array 

of competitions ranging from a gumbo 

cook-off to skeet shooting, this event 

has something for everyone to enjoy. 

Join the fun and celebrate the rich history 

of Louisiana’s coastal legacy at one of 

the year’s most storied festivals. 

Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival 

January 24– January 31, Lafayette 

https://cinemaonthebayou.com/ 

Calling all movie buffs! This month, the 

19th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival 

is taking the stage in Lafayette with its 

annual one-of-a-kind film-watching experience. 

As Louisiana’s second-oldest 

film festival, Cinema on the Bayou offers 

an eclectic selection of over 150 films, 

including narratives, documentaries, 

animations, and experimental works. 

Watch critically acclaimed films, witness 

thought-provoking panel discussions 

from industry professionals, and bask in 

the unique world of Creole and Cajun 

cinema on display. Don’t miss this incredible 

eight-day-long cinematic adventure! 

Bayou Mardi Gras Parade 

January 26, New Iberia 

https://www.bayoumardigras.com/ 

home 

Twin Cities Krewe de Riviere Mardi Gras 

Parade 

January 27, Monroe 

https://www.krewederiviere.com/ 

Bright colors, high spirits, and a parade 

to remember - the Neon Revolution is 

coming to Monroe with the Twin Cities 

Krewe de Rivière on January 27. 

Visitors can expect over 50 entries in 

this colorfully-themed parade, including 

throwing floats, dance groups, and 

more, alongside a performance from the 

Grambling State Marching Band. Kick off 

your Mardi Gras season by being part 

of this unforgettable experience. And 

make sure to look out for their special 

signature prizes! 

Welsh Mardi Gras Run and Festival 

January 27, Welsh 

https://www.facebook.com/ 

welshmardigras/ 

Page 22 



LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ADVISORY AND TECHNICAL SERVICES 

LaMATS Celebrates a Quarter-Century of Friendships 

As LaMATS staff, consultants, and Board of 

Directors put a bow on our 25th Anniversary 

Year, we’d like to share a little of the 

goodwill we’ve been fortunate to receive 

since January from our friends across the 

state. We consider the heartfelt thanks 

and support of those we serve to be the 

highest rewards for our work, and we’re 

grateful for every opportunity to help 

Louisiana’s local governments. 

With the vision and support of LMA’s 

1997/1998 Board of Directors and leadership 

of then-Executive Director Gordon 

King, LaMATS launched our inaugural and longest-running 

service, the Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) collection program, 

which now includes the majority of Louisiana municipalities 

and returns tens of millions of dollars to public coffers each 

year. 

“LaMATS excels at maintaining 

open lines of communication with 

the City of New Orleans by keeping 

everyone informed and on the 

same page. [IPT Coordinator] Mary 

Joseph has shown excellent leadership 

in the managing of this project.” 

- Patrice B. Lee-Fleming, Management 

Specialist at City of New 

Orleans 

Throughout the years, LaMATS has worked to find timely 

solutions to numerous municipal puzzles. We’ve developed 

a whole suite of services to help with cities’ procurement of 

goods and services through LaMATS Purchasing Services 

(LPS). This year, we assisted 

the Village of Norwood with 

the renovation of their historic 

bank building, which also 

serves as Town Hall. Having received 

a State Treasury grant, 

Norwood was under a quick 

deadline to get the project 

completed. We helped them with their RFP, contractor selection, 

and contracting guidance, a tremendous opportunity to 

bring a lot of valuable services together. 

“The Village of Norwood was awarded $235,000 to make repairs 

to our old Town Hall building, which was built in 1904. We 

were in a time crunch to use this money before the deadline. Not 

knowing exactly how to handle this situation, I was advised to 

call Paul Holmes at LaMATS. What a blessing that was! He immediately 

took charge and guided us through the process. Without 

his expertise, we would have been in a time 

dilemma. We do appreciate Paul Holmes at 

LaMATS for another service provided to the 

Village of Norwood, as well as all the municipalities 

associated with LMA.” - The Hon. 

Rebecca Bellue, Mayor, Norwood 

We’ve helped local governments retain 

every penny possible of local revenues, 

whether from license fees, utility contracts, 

or rusty piles of scrap metal. With 

our Surplus Property Program just fifteen 

months old, we’ve already hit the $1 million 

mark in sales of decommissioned municipal 

vehicles, construction equipment, technology assets, 

and real estate, through our online platform partner Gov- 

Deals. That’s a million dollars back in the budgets of Louisiana 

local governments! 

“…with hands-on, 

ongoing support 

and simple-to-use 

reporting system, 

our sellers and 

partners like LaMATS consistently see higher returns than traditional 

auction methods.” - John Littler, Sr. Manager, GovDeals 

Helping municipalities recover property 

tax revenue and valuable real estate 

through brownfields remediation is one 

of our newest areas of service. Now two 

years running, the LaMATS Brownfields 

Program, in partnership with Louisiana 

DEQ, has offered a particularly rewarding 

way to make positive impacts all 

across the state. 

“LaMATS has served as 

the conduit to bring together 

public, private, 

nonprofit, and governmental 

entities; and for 

the first time in more than 

a decade, Louisiana is getting funded for brownfields projects. 

That is entirely because of LaMATS efforts… LaMATS has created 

a unique awareness and advocacy for the State’s Brownfields 

program. They’ve been able to provide the 

technical competency so that smaller municipalities 

can apply. And to be fair, those 

are the ones that typically will need the 

most help. And so, LaMATS advocacy work 

has really opened the door for communities 

all over the state. That’s really a testa- 

Page 24 


ment to the success of this program.” - Dr. 

John Sutherlin, Director, Office of Sponsored 

Programs and Research, University 

of Louisiana at Monroe 

Some of the longest and most worthwhile 

relationships LaMATS has made 

in the past quarter century are with our 

friends at LMA’s many affiliate organizations, 

including the Louisiana Municipal 

Clerks Association (LMCA); the Louisiana 

Association of Municipal Secretaries and 

Assistants (LAMSA); and the Louisiana 

Recreation & Parks Association (LRPA). 

As in years past, LaMATS has been proud 

to sponsor numerous 2023 association 

conferences and continuing education 

for members of these and other important 

professional service organizations - 

truly the lifeblood of local government 

administration. 

“The Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial La- 

MATS Scholarship has been a Godsend 

and a great help 

to the LMCA as 

well as to the 

municipalities 

that otherwise 

wouldn’t be able 

to afford to send 

their clerks to 

the institute to get the much-needed education 

to help them in their jobs. The clerks 

that attend the institute gain knowledge 

about how to prepare ordinances, motions 

and resolutions, ethics, public bid 

law, and surplus property just to name 

a few, but one of the best values of the 

scholarship is the relationships that are 

developed between fellow clerks.” - Lora 

Johnson, President, LMCA 

“With the support of LaMATS through 

scholarships and sponsorships, LMCA has 

been able to continue Empowering Municipal 

Clerks by way of education.” - Meshaun 

Arcenaux, Public Relations Officer, 

Napoleonville 

“LaMATS has been a tremendous contributor 

to the continued success of the LAM- 

SA organization. A staple in the LAMSA 

family, we value the support and assistance 

that LaMATS has given us over the 

years and are forever thankful to them.” 

- Constance Barbin, LCMA, CAP, PM, City 

Clerk, City of St. Gabriel 

“Happy Anniversary LaMATS! I would like 

to express my deepest gratitude for the 

unwavering support from Cliff and his 

team… LaMATS’ support motivates us to 

keep learning and develop those personal 

connections, so we can better assist 

our community. LaMATS is not just an 

‘organization,’ they are our family. Thank 

you for being a part of our family. LAMSA 

wouldn’t be where we are today without 

you.” - Kristine Scherer, Council Clerk, City 

of Mandeville and LAMSA Conference Coordinator 

“LaMATS has been instrumental in supporting 

the Louisiana Recreation and Park 

Association by providing sponsorships 

for their conferences, helping to enhance 

the quality and reach of these important 

events. Through their sponsorship, La- 

MATS has played a pivotal role in enabling 

the association to organize successful conferences, 

fostering networking opportunities, 

and facilitating knowledge sharing 

among professionals 

in the recreation 

and park industry. 

Additionally, La- 

MATS extended 

its support to the 

association’s first 

‘Parks & Rec Day at 

the Capitol’ event, ensuring a platform 

for members to advocate for parks and 

recreation funding and policies, thereby 

strengthening the voice of the association 

and positively impacting the community.” 

- Susanne Diez, LRPA Executive Director 

After twenty-five years in service, La- 

MATS is really just getting started! We 

look forward to the next quarter century 

with wonder at what the future holds 

for Louisiana’s local governments. No 

doubt there will be challenges and surprises 

along the way, but with the gift of 

our great partnerships and long friendships 

to guide us, I know we’ll see them 

through together. 

We send our sincerest thanks. 

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. 


RISK MANAGEMENT, INC. 

MPERS Litigation – Analysis of MPERS’ Frequently Asked Questions 

In the November edition of the Louisiana 

Municipal Review, we provided you with 

FAQs regarding the Municipal Police Employees’ 

Retirement System (MPERS), and 

their initiated litigation against several Louisiana 

municipalities across the state. This 

litigation alleges noncompliance with their 

protocols for signing up certain municipal 

law enforcement employees into their retirement system. 

The decision not to settle any claim (or suit) by MPERS against 

your municipality has been, is, and will be, the municipality’s 

decision. Your municipality is free to agree with the terms of 

the “amended resolution” and any “settlement agreement” at 

any time. The attorneys retained by RMI to provide defense, 

and guidance, to our LMRMA participant municipalities have 

never indicated otherwise. 

The legal and financial exposures brought about by the 

MPERS litigation are so potentially severe to all possible targeted 

Louisiana municipalities, that we also provided a copy 

of MPERS’s FAQs through our comprehensive email delivery 

system. Since publication, our team of defense attorneys has 

analyzed the discussed FAQs, and the following are the results 

of this review. 

Is membership in MPERS mandatory? 

Yes, membership in MPERS is mandatory pursuant to RS. 

11:2214 if the conditions therein are met. 

Can an officer required to be a member of MPERS opt out? 

Yes, under certain circumstances, set forth in R.S. 11:157, the 

officer can elect to not become a member of MPERS only if: 

1) The municipality covers its employees with social security; 

and 

2) The municipality has not specifically excluded its employee 

police officers from MPERS, but 

3) The police employee must enroll in MPERS, and his/her 

membership remains in effect until the appropriate affidavit is 

prepared and filed by the employee under RS 11:157(c). 

But what if the municipality is paying social security on its 

chief? 

A chief of police, who meets the definition of “employee” pursuant 

to R.S. 11:2213(11) must be enrolled in MPERS (unless 

the requisite conditions of RS.11:157 have been met), even if 

the municipality is paying social security. 

Can a municipality force an elected chief to enroll in MPERS 

if he/she does not want to? 

Probably not. An elected chief of police is a municipal officer, 

but not an employee. At least one Attorney General Opinion 

indicates that a municipality does not 

have the authority to even investigate an 

elected chief. The Supreme Court has held 

no municipality may revoke any inherent 

power of an elected marshal (or chief). 

At least one Court of Appeals has held 

an elected chief has a cause of action to 

sue when a mayor tries to dismiss police 

personnel, even though they may be municipal employees. 

If a mayor cannot dismiss employees of a department of an 

elected chief, it is difficult to envision how the municipality 

can force an elected chief to sign documents, if the elected 

chief refuses. 

MPERS claims on their FAQ page that AG Opinions exist supporting 

their claim that they can reach back 10 years. Where 

are those opinions? 

Great question. We don’t know. We’ve asked for them through 

our attorneys, and thus far, MPERS has declined to produce 

them. However, we’ve looked too, and we can’t find them. Below 

is a QR Code to the results of a Westlaw search in the Attorney 

General Opinions database. 36 opinions in total appear, 

with all contained in the QR Code within this article. None support 

the claim that MPERS can “reach back for ten years.” 

What are retirement contributions 

considered under Louisiana law? 

Contributions to a retirement plan are 

a form of deferred compensation. 

If retirement contributions are “deferred 

compensation,” is the right to 

claim them subject to prescription? 

The Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal 

have held, multiple times, that a 

3-year prescription period applies to 

claims involving retirement plan contributions: 

(Please note that some 

operating systems may 

produce a pop up when accessing 

the QR Code. If your 

system does produce a pop 

up, simply click on “Block” 

to open the file.) 

“We reaffirm our previous statements that 

contributions to retirement plans are a form of deferred compensation. 

Consequently, we find that the plaintiff’s claim is one for compensation 

for services rendered. The applicable prescriptive period, 

then, is found in La. C.C. Art. 3494, which provides that an action for 

the recovery of compensation for services rendered is subject to a 

liberative prescription of three years.” 

The trial court found that the applicable prescriptive period 

is the ten-year period for personal actions. In Fishbein v. 

State ex rel. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 

04-2482, p. 8 (La.4/12/05), 898 So.2d 1260, 126, the Supreme 

Court stated: 

Page 26 


“Contributions to retirement plans are a form of deferred compensation. 

Consequently, we find that the plaintiff’s claim is one 

for compensation for services rendered. The applicable prescriptive 

period, then, is found in La. C.C. Art. 3494, which provides 

that an action for the recovery of compensation for services rendered 

is subject to a liberative prescription of three years.” 

In Deshotel v. Village of Pine Prairie, 09-670 (La. Ap. 3Cir. 

12/9/09), 26 So.3d 975, this court addressed a similar controversy 

involving a Pine Prairie police officer who, in 1991, 

was misinformed about his MPERS eligibility and was consequently 

never enrolled in the state-wide retirement plan. This 

court specifically found that Pine Prairie officials breached a 

duty to the plaintiff by giving him inaccurate information, 

but that, nevertheless, his claim was subject to the threeyear 

prescriptive period set forth in La. Civ. Code Art. 3494. 

Therefore, we held that when “Deshotel filed suit in June 2007, 

the only claims that had not been prescribed were those from 

June 2004 forward.” Similarly, in Fishbein, the Supreme Court 

held that the three-year prescriptive period governing a 

state employee’s cause of action against her employer for 

unpaid retirement contributions began to run upon receipt 

of the first paycheck in 1980, which did not include the full 

contribution. Consequently, the Fishbein plaintiff’s August 

2000 suit was prescribed as to all claims arising prior to August 

1997. Accordingly, the trial court found that since the 

last plaintiff’s date of enrollment occurred in 2002 and this 

suit was not filed until 2007, beyond the three-year prescriptive 

period, the claim has prescribed. 

This court is cognizant that the plaintiffs have suffered a significant 

loss, but we are restricted by the law, the facts, and 

the standard of review. Therefore, after a review of the record 

in light of the applicable law, we do not find that the 

trial court was clearly wrong in her determination that the 

plaintiffs knew or should have known by the date of their enrollment 

in the retirement system and accordingly, the case 

is prescribed. 

What carries more weight - Attorney General Opinions or 

case law? 

Attorney General Opinions, though highly regarded, are Attorney 

General Opinions or advisory only, and not binding. 

We have recognized them as persuasive authority, particularly 

where no cases on point exist. At least one Attorney 

General Opinion recognizes the potential impact of the 

previously cited cases of Fishbein, Deshotel, and Coker on 

MPERS contributions. 

We hope that this analysis of the MPERS FAQs will assist all 

Louisiana municipalities in their individual assessment of 

the financial exposure brought about by the MPERS litigation 

situation. As previously mentioned, defense services 

are provided to LMRMA Liability Fund members which are 

covered for Public Officials E&O coverage at no cost, under a 

reservation of rights. 

If your municipality has been impacted by the MPERS litigation 

and you are provided E&O coverage through RMI, please 

feel free to contact me directly at 1-800-843-0931 or pcronin@rmila.com. 

RMI – Providing risk and coverage related services to 

Louisiana municipalities for over 35 years! 

Sincerely, 

Patrick Cronin, CPCU, AIC, AIM, AAI, ARM, CWCP 

General Manager – Risk Management, Inc. 


December Public Records Law Training 

Join us in Pineville for our next 

day-long training session to 

help municipal leaders master 

PRL compliance. 

Thanks to our partnership with 

the Police Jury Association 

of Louisiana, this session is 

provided at no cost, however, 

registration is required. 

The session runs from 8:00 a.m. 

until 5:00 p.m., with an hour 

break for lunch. This session 

has also been approved by the 

Supreme Court for 7.5 hours of 

attorney CLE credit. 

Register online today by 

visiting www.lma.org, clicking 

Events, and then Upcoming 

Events. 

Non-LMA members are welcome 

to attend the training as 

well and may register for the 

event by using the QR Code. 

Page 28 


LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL CLERKS ASSOCIATION 

Clerk’s Corner 

The 47th Annual Louisiana Municipal 

Clerks Institute, was held on October 22 

- 27, 2023, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in 

Baton Rouge. 

There were 149 attendees, including 39 

first-year clerks, who attended the institute. 

This year’s curriculum included 

multiple workshops: Building a Positive 

Workplace Culture (Shantelle Jacobs, 

MA, LPC-S); Understanding Legislative 

Process, Resolutions, and Ordinances 

(Karen White); Parliamentary Procedure 

(Nicole Learson); Your Response to an 

Active Shooter (Captain Kyle Weber); and 

Domestic Violence 101 (Tayor Robinson), 

just to name a few. We also hosted our 

3rd Athenian Dialogue class, which was 

open to all clerks and centered around 

the General Colin Powell novel, “It Worked 

For Me In Life and Leadership.” Athenian 

Fellow, Mary Lynne Stratta TRMC, MMC, 

the Secretary/Legislative Director for the 

City of Bryan, TX, Past President of IIMC, 

and President of IIMC Foundation, led the 

discussion to how the novel relates to the 

jobs of municipal clerks as leaders. 

This year, six clerks and deputy clerks received 

the Gloria King Memorial Scholarship: 

Peggy Hollis (Clarks); Fredrika Ruffin 

(Kentwood); Margra Steele (Folsom); Barbara 

Hall(Oil City); Karla Cohea (Georgetown); 

and Angela Jackson Cotton Valley). 

Six clerks and deputy clerks received the 

Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial LaMATS 

Scholarship: Chance Gowan (Oil City); 

Dianne Futch (Dubberly); Genia Humbles 

(Ida); Shaunica Pates (Bonita); Halli 

Polotzola (Washington); and Annissa 

Woodard (Jackson). 

During this year’s institute, 19 clerks and 

deputy clerks graduated from the LMCI: 

Ashley Augustine 

(Cottonport); Kayla 

Bannister (Mansura); 

Allicie Briggs 

(Tangipahoa); Deborah 

Durham (Pollock); 

Nicole Guidry 

(Youngsville); 

Kimberly Guillory 

(Iowa); Tronda Gallow 

(Grand Couteau); 

Barbara Hall 

(Oil City); Angela 

Jackson (Cotton 

Valley); Keyunda 

James (Ponchatoula); 

Valisa King, 

(Many); Mindy 

Marcantel, (Lake 

Arthur); Tammy 

Payton (Walker); 

Misty Pee (Haughton); 

Halli Polotzola 

(Washington); 

Rindie Racca (Anacoco); 

Rose Roche’ 

(Port Allen); Katina 

Smith (Winnfield); 

and Christine Tidwell 

(Leonville). 

Two clerks and 

three deputy 

clerks 

obtained 

certification 

as Louisiana Certified Municipal Clerks 

(LCMC) and Louisiana Certified Municipal 

Deputy Clerks (LCMDC): Kimberlee Cooper, 

LCMC (Albany); Jennifer McCallie, LC- 

MDC (Oak Grove); Tammy Page, LCMDC 

(Pineville); Blaine Rabalais, LCMC (Brusly); 

and JoAnn Stevenson, LCMDC (White 

Castle). 

Two clerks and one deputy clerk obtained 

status as Louisiana Master Municipal 

Clerks Academy (LMMCA) Entry Level: 

Melissa Baum, LCMC (Georgetown); 

Heather Jones, LCMDC (White Castle); 

and Tiffany Parish, LCMC (Cotton Valley). 

One clerk and one deputy clerk obtained 

(LMMCA) First Sustaining Level: Donnisha 

Alexander, LCMDC (Kentwood); and 

Tonya Pennywell, LCMC (Colfax). 

After the presentation of awards, this 

year’s Banquet entertainment was Royal 

Essence Show Band. 

The LMCA membership would like to 

thank LMCA President, Lora Johnson, for 

planning a wonderful and informative 

week of classes and setting the atmosphere 

so that lasting friendships were 

harvested. As a family, we will reap the 

blessings for years to come. 

The IIMC Region IV meeting will be held 

in Fayetteville, AR, December 13-15, at 

The Graduate Hotel; and the LMCA 

Spring Conference will be held on April 

24-25, 2024, in Lafayette at the Double- 

Tree Hotel. 

by Meshaun 

Arcenaux 

LMCA 

Arcenaux is Clerk for the Village 

of Napoleonville, and LMCA Public 

Relations Officer. 


GOVERNMENT CONSULTANTS INC. 

Empowering Louisiana Municipalities: The Benefits of Municipal Bonds 

Louisiana municipalities, ranging from 

vibrant cities to smaller towns, have a 

powerful financial tool at their disposal 

– municipal bonds. These instruments 

offer a unique avenue for local governments 

to fund essential projects, 

foster economic growth, and address 

the evolving needs of their communities. 

This article explores how municipal 

bonds can be a catalyst for positive 

change and sustainable development 

across Louisiana. 

Municipal bonds provide Louisiana municipalities 

with a reliable means of financing 

critical infrastructure projects. From 

roads and bridges to water and sewer 

systems, the funds raised through municipal 

bonds enable local governments 

to address pressing infrastructure needs, 

contributing to the overall well-being and 

safety of their communities. 

One of the key advantages of municipal 

bonds is the ability for municipalities to 

access cost-effective capital. Due to their 

tax-exempt status, municipal bonds often 

attract investors seeking a tax-advantaged 

investment, resulting in lower 

interest rates for municipalities. Recently, 

interest rates have seen an increase, driven 

largely by the actions of the Federal 

Reserve Bank to control inflation. The 

Federal Reserve Chairman indicated that 

while he is encouraged by the slowing 

pace of inflation, he expects the process 

GOVERNMENT CONSULTANTS, INC. 

Specializing in Bond Issues and Financing 

still has “a long way to go.” While higher 

than they’ve been in a decade, rates are 

still relatively attractive compared to historical 

averages. 

By leveraging municipal bonds, Louisiana 

municipalities can stimulate economic 

growth and community development. 

Projects funded through these 

bonds, such as business districts, recreational 

facilities, and cultural centers, not 

only enhance residents’ quality of life 

but also attract businesses and promote 

tourism, contributing to a vibrant local 

economy. 

Municipal bonds offer municipalities 

flexibility in structuring their financing 

CONTINUED PAGE 31 

L. Gordon King 

Deatriz Riggins 

Nnamdi Thompson 

Shaun B. Toups 

James R. Ryan 

Jamie Holloway 

Benjamin Bankston 

(Consulting & Municipal Advisory Firm) 

OVERVIEW 

Modern day government has become a large financial 

enterprise, handling millions of dollars and facing 

service and revenue pressures. The governing 

authority and Administrator(s) face complex financial 

decisions ranging from the impact of property and 

sales taxes to the financing of capital improvements. 

As government finance has become more complex, 

the need for financial advice to base decisions upon 

has. The services of an expert Municipal Advisor are 

being used by more and more governmental units. 

A Municipal Advisor (or “MA”) serves as a 

consultant advising the governing authority on 

matters relating to the following: 

• Financial feasibility of projects; 

• Total cost analysis of financing alternatives; 

• Review of capital improvement financing 

programs; 

• Advice on the structuring and marketing of debt 

securities. 

The MA is an integral member of the governing 

authority’s management team, providing 

independent advice and analysis to assist in financial 

decision-making. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

FINANCE ANALYSIS 

• Analyzing available alternatives in relation to 

cost to the governing authority and providing 

financial guidance and recommendations; 

• Analyzing from a cost/benefit standpoint the 

use of incentives (free land, subsidy of bond 

issues, utility improvements) to attract 

industry; 

• Providing a detailed upfront and long-term 

financial analysis of costs to the governing 

authority versus benefits of the specific 

project; and 

• Serving as an economic development finance 

resource for the Governing Authority. 

6767 Perkins Rd., Suite #250 

Baton Rouge, LA 70808 

(225) 344-2098 (Phone) 

gcla@gc-la.net (Email) 

We Have The Experience! 

Page 30 


LOUISIANA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE 

Partnership Offers Law Enforcement Training Solutions 

Greetings from the Louisiana 

Association of Chiefs 

of Police. I am honored to 

speak to you about an important 

opportunity to improve 

the quality of public 

safety in your municipality. 

For the 237 municipalities 

with mayor’s courts, 

state law affords two opportunities to 

support the educational efforts of LACP. 

From training newly elected/appointed 

chiefs of police, to providing ongoing 

training for law enforcement throughout 

the year, LACP’s aim is to empower 

municipal police to provide the highest 

standard of public safety services to 

their communities. 

La. R.S. 33:2334 provides that when a 

mayor’s court grants bail and issues an 

appearance bond for the next court 

date, they may assess a $15 fee, $2 of 

which may be allocated to LACP for 

law enforcement education and training. 

Similarly, La. R.S. 33:441 authorizes 

mayor’s court to designate any portion 

of their assessed court costs to LACP for 

the education and training 

of law enforcement 

personnel. 

I humbly request that 

mayor’s court municipalities 

consider allocating 

funds from appearance 

bonds and court costs to 

LACP. Those funds will be 

used entirely toward education 

and training for municipal police. 

Your contributions are a minimal investment 

that will reap maximum benefits 

since a well-trained police force is essential 

for effective ordinance enforcement 

and public protection. 

There are municipalities that have been 

contributing for some time, and I am 

deeply grateful for their consideration. 

I hope that those of you who have not 

historically contributed to help fund this 

critical education will – in light of this 

information – take the steps to begin 

contributing. 

With increasing educational mandates 

imposed on law enforcement professionals, 

we strive to retain the best possible 

teachers, trainers, and presenters 

to provide the most updated information. 

Your mayor’s court contributions 

are a vital part of helping LACP achieve 

that goal. 

I respectfully urge you to join our efforts 

to bring state-of-the-art excellence to 

your municipal police departments. 

Since 1968, LACP has focused on serving 

the needs of municipal law enforcement, 

and we are proud to partner with 

the LMA and its members because we 

know that we are better together. 

Thank you for your consideration and 

don’t hesitate to contact me for further 

information at 225.387.3261. 

By Fabian 

Blache 

Louisiana 

Association of 

Chiefs of Police 

Blanche is the Louisiana Association of 

Chiefs of Police Executive Director. He can 

be reached by calling 225.387.3261. 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30: BONDS 

options. Whether through general obligation 

bonds, revenue bonds, or other 

variations, local governments can tailor 

their approach to align with the specific 

needs of their community projects. This 

flexibility enhances the ability to fund diverse 

initiatives that contribute to overall 

community prosperity. 

The funds raised through municipal 

bonds can be directed toward improving 

and expanding public services. This 

includes investments in education, 

healthcare, and public safety. By securing 

financing through bonds, Louisiana 

municipalities can enhance the delivery 

of essential services, fostering a safer and 

more prosperous living environment for 

residents. 

Infrastructure projects funded by municipal 

bonds have a direct impact on job 

creation. The construction, maintenance, 

and operation of public facilities generate 

employment opportunities, providing 

a boost to the local economy. This 

economic stimulus, in turn, has a positive 

ripple effect, benefiting businesses 

and residents alike. 

Successfully managing municipal bonds 

can contribute to stronger credit ratings 

for municipalities. A higher credit rating 

not only reduces borrowing costs but 

also signals financial stability. This improved 

creditworthiness positions Louisiana 

municipalities to access additional 

financing options and undertake more 

ambitious projects in the future. 

Municipal bonds stand as a potent financial 

tool for Louisiana municipalities, 

offering a pathway to address critical 

needs, stimulate economic growth, and 

enhance the overall quality of life for 

residents. By harnessing the benefits of 

municipal bonds, local governments can 

build resilient communities that thrive 

and evolve to meet the challenges of the 

future. The strategic use of these bonds 

represents an investment not only in 

infrastructure but also in the long-term 

prosperity and vitality of Louisiana municipalities. 

By Ben Bankston and 

Shaun Toups 

Government Consultants Inc. 

Bankston and Toups are Municipal 

Advisors with Government Consultants 

Inc. They can be reached at bbankston@gcla.net 

and stoups@ga-la.net, respectively. 


PRESORT 

STANDARD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

BATON ROUGE, LA 

PERMIT #319 

Page 32

December 2023

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