December 2023

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,
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LMR | DECEMBER 2023