By Dave Freneaux

    In Tuesday's City Council meeting it was reported that legal expenses for the 2010/2011 fiscal year would exceed the City's Legal Fees budget.  As such, an ordinance was introduced to appropriate an additional $40,000 to cover unanticipated legal expenses.  Council Member Louis DeJohn researched the year's expenditures and reported that two events have impacted this year's legal fees budget.  First, over $25,000 in legal bills were incurred as the result of an unprecedented public records request leading to the production of over 7,000 documents, many of which involved legal review.  Second, approximately $15,000 has been spent in the process of meeting with the 21 member City Services Contract Committee and preparing contracts for the upcoming bids for Central's City Services Contract.

    Without funds to pay for legal services for the remaining four months of the fiscal year, Central would have no legal representation to advise and prepare legal documents for the Council and the Mayor and there would be no legal representation at Council meetings.  In addition, the process of receiving bids for Central's five year City Services contract and awarding the contract would have to be done without legal counsel unless the bid process were postponed.  With this five year contract involving in excess of $3 million per year, legal advice is all but required to complete the bid process.  Faced with the responsibility of protecting the legal interests of the City of Central, the Council unanimously approved the appropriation.

COOKING IN CENTRAL

    I would like to take this opportunity to personally extend an invitation to you and your family to join us at our annual Cooking in Central Event.  This event will be April 8th and 9th and will be held at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, located at Greenwell Springs Road at Frenchtown Road.
    Friday, the hours will be from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM and will feature our Crawfish Boil and Carbon Copy Band will be performing.  Tickets will be sold on site for this event.
    Saturday, the hours will be from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM and will feature our “Cook Off”.  Tickets will be sold on site for this event also.
    There will be lots of family activities, live and silent auctions, and wonderful food served both days.
    Proceeds from tickets purchased from individual schools will remain with that particular school, so contact your school and support them by buying your tickets through them.
    Proceeds from this benefit will be used for the following:
    To enhance the wellness programs in area public and private schools with emphasis on drug prevention and awareness, nutrition, anti-bullying, and physical fitness.
    Support the Central Community Assistant Foundation, (CCAF).  This foundation was organized to provide assistance to needy families who have children attending schools in Central.
    Continue the improvements to the leased property that will be home to Cooking in Central starting in 2012.

Kids Day With the Mayor

    I am looking forward to our second annual “Kids Day With the Mayor.”  This event has been set for May 21, 2011 at Village At Magnolia Square.  There will be an update in the next Mayor’s Desk for this event.  “Save the Date” and plan to join us for a day of family fun!

Louisiana Development Ready Communities

    The City of Central is making formal application to become one of Louisiana’s Development Ready Communities, an Economic Development Program initiated by Governor Bobby Jindal and Economic Secretary Stephen Moret.  Only “eight” Louisiana municipalities will be selected for this very prestigious designation.  One of the primary benefits for those cities selected is placing these communities in a “premier position” when it comes to State prospects as to recognition.

Baseball Park Safety

    With T-Ball, Softball, and Baseball season just gearing up in Central, I am offering a gentle reminder to remember our young folks when entering and exiting out local baseball parks and fields.  Our young athletes are caught up in the moment and are not looking out for us, so use extra caution when attending these games.  Protect our most precious assets. 

God Bless Central!
Mac Watts, Mayor

The purpose of “FROM THE MAYOR’S DESK” is to disseminate public information to as many citizens as possible.  The author grants permission to third parties to forward and/or publish the entire text of this edition of “FROM THE MAYOR’S DESK” including this statement.  Forwarding or publication of any edited version of said document is not authorized by the author.

By Dave Freneaux

    Steve Vasallo, the Economic Development Consultant who worked with Central during the 2009/2010 fiscal year, is back.  Vasallo has been hired by Mayor Watts to continue to guide the city's plan for economic growth through the end of June.  The City Council approved the $14,000 budget item needed to contract Mr. Vasallo through June 30th.  Economic Development is one key to Central's success as a city.  With school enrollment growing and the infrastructure of the city being challenged by residential growth and the related traffic, sales tax dollars are vital to be able to fund that growth.  Mr. Vasallo is tasked to work closely with the Mayor and the Central Economic Development Foundation to entice business interests from around the U.S. and the world to locate in Central.  Success in this area leads to more jobs for Central people and more tax dollars to support the city and school system.

    Mr. Vasallo has an impressive resume, with former clients expressing respect for his efforts on their behalf.  The Mayor of Madison, Mississippi writes, "Steve is a person of great discipline and high resolve whose roster of accomplishments, just in Madison the City, is staggering."  Local Central builder David Starkey adds, "He is the best I have ever met and Central needs his drive and wisdom to make the right things happen.  I was extremely disappointed to see him leave and tremendously happy to hear he was possibly returning."  The entire City Council and every citizen who spoke at Tuesday's Council meeting shared the thought that Economic Development is needed in Central.  With the support of the City and the volunteers of the Central Economic Development Foundation, Central can continue to be…..A City on the Move.

The City Council meeting will be held tonight at 6:00 p.m. at Kristenwood.  The meeting is open to the public.  The agenda is as follows: 

 I. Preliminary Business

(1) Call to Order

(2) Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

(3) Roll Call

(4) Approval of minutes from the March 10, 2011 council meeting.

II. Unfinished Business

None

III. New Business

1) Mayor’s report and presentations.

2) Report from CH2MHill on services provided to the City of Central.

3) Introduction of the following item (with public hearing to be held at the April 12, 2011council meeting)

a) An ordinance to amend and re-enact the definition of minor subdivision in Chapter 2 of Title 7, the Unified Development Code and to provide for related matters. (By Councilman LoBue)

4) Public Hearing and action regarding the following instrument(s):

a) An ordinance to amend the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year Budget for Economic Development and to provide for related matters. (By Councilman Washington)

b) An ordinance to amend and re-enact Chapter 19 of Title 7 the Unified Development Code and to provide for related matters. (By Councilman LoBue)

c) An ordinance to amend and re-enact Chapter 4 of Title 7 the Unified Development Code and to provide for related matters. (By Councilman LoBue)

d) An ordinance to amend the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year Budget to appropriate funds for legal expenses (By Councilman DeJohn)

e) An ordinance to amend the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year Budget to appropriate funds for police vehicle equipment and donation of additional police unit including donation of paint and body work. (By Councilman Moak)

5) Other items for discussion by council:

None

IV. Zoning Cases

(1) Introduction of the following item(s) (with Public Hearing to be held at the April 12, 2011 council meeting):

None

(2) Discussion and Action regarding the following case(s):

None

V. Other Business

(1) Public Comment

* Restricted to items not on the agenda. A Public Comment Request to Speak Card must be turned in to the City Clerk prior to the start of the meeting in order to be considered. Public comment is limited to 10 speakers with three minutes each.

(2) Announcements

(3) Adjournment

Submitted by Delia Taylor with Taylor Media 

State Rep. Mack “Bodi” White announced he will author a bill in the 2011 Legislative Session to increase penalties for sex offenders who prey of those persons most vulnerable in society.

The bill will increase the penalty for sexually abusing a physically or mentally infirm victim and persons over the age of 65 from the maximum of 10 years in prison to a minimum of 25 years in prison and a lifetime requirement to be electronically monitored. 

The more severe punishment is currently in affect for persons convicted of sexual battery of a child under the age of 13.  White’s legislation will amend the statutes for sexual battery, second-degree sexual battery, oral sexual battery and molestation of a juvenile to include physically and mentally infirm victims and victims over the age of 65.

White’s bill is part of package of five bills backed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and Louisiana’s law enforcement community to crack down on crime in Louisiana.  The other four bills are aimed at targeting sex offenders using social networking sites, ensuring sex offenders are complying with current law, transferring the Missing and Exploited Children Information Clearinghouse to the State Police, and closing the loophole in the law that has allowed substances such as fake bath salts and synthetic marijuana to be sold legally.

"These bills truly stand up for the weak and innocent. When we eventually pass this legislation into law, it will send a clear message to criminals that if you hurt an infirmed citizen, distribute drugs or you prey on our children, we have the legal tools needed to put you away for a long, long time,” Rep. White said.

Jindal recently announced his support for White’s bill and the other four “crack down” bills last week (March 17) during a press conference in Shreveport. 

“The goal of all five of these bills is to keep our communities a safe place for families to raise their children. We want every kind of criminal to know that Louisiana is the last place they want to break the law or harm a child. Here, our penalties are severe, our justice is swift, and we will never tire of keeping our streets and neighborhoods secure,” Jindal said.

White, R-Central, noted that under the current provisions of Louisiana law, the legislation he is proposing will define physically infirm victims to be paraplegic, quadriplegic or otherwise incapable of preventing the act due to a physical disability.  Mentally infirm victims will be defined to have an IQ of 70 or lower, or what is essentially the cognitive ability of an 11 year old, he said.

“This legislation will elevate the crime of abusing some of the most vulnerable people among us to have the same penalty for those who abuse our children,” White said. 

Other legislative changes included in the governor’s “crack down” package include:

• Proposed legislation to increase the penalty for sex offenders who fail to get a driver’s license or ID card with “sex offender” labeled on it, or if they are in possession of an altered identification or counterfeit identification.  (Legislation not yet authored)
• State Rep. Ledricka Thierry has authored a bill to criminalize the accessing or use of social networking websites, such as Face book and MySpace, electronic chat rooms or peer-to-peer networks by certain convicted sex offenders.
• State Rep. Kay Katz has authored legislation to transfer the Missing and Exploited Children Information Clearinghouse from the Department of Children and Family Services to the Louisiana State Police
• State Rep. Ricky Templet has authored legislation to make the dangerous substances in synthetic marijuana and bath salts illegal.

Board of Adjustments Meeting Agenda 

Thursday, March 24, 2011, 5:00pm

City Hall Annex

13421 Hooper Road, Suite 7

1.  Call to Order
2.   Roll Call 
3.   Recitation of Rules
4.   Approval of Minutes from the February 24. 2011 Meeting
5.   Consent Agenda
       None

PUBLIC HEARING CASES

(NEW BUSINESS):

6.   BOA- 04-11
     13205 W. Waterside Drive; 
     Lot 98, Village at Magnolia Square
     Applicant: Peyton Fetzer; 
     Traditional Neighborhood Development
      The applicant requests the Board of Adjustments grant a waiver of Section 9.305 of the Unified Development Code so as to reduce the five (5) foot minimum setback to zero (0) feet so that an 8 (eight) foot fence may be located along the inside edge of the sidewalk on a corner lot.

PUBLIC HEARING CASES (OLD BUSINESS):

7.    BOA-04-10 Extension (Deferred from February 24, 2011 Meeting so Applicant could Re-Apply)
       6215 Moran Road;  Lot 6,
       Taylor & Williams Tract
       Applicant: Peggy London;
       Rural
      The applicant requests the Board of Adjustments grant an extension of a waiver of Section 8.213 (C)(5)(c) of the Unified Development Code in accordance with Section 3.2 (B)(5)(b)(1) to allow a hardship in conjunction with the housing of aged,  ill or otherwise incapacitated, or handicapped family members, or wards for which the existing residents are or may become responsible.

8.  Announcements             
9.  Adjourn

Submitted by Cameron Brown

    The Mayor’s Youth Council met twice last month to discuss upcoming events. The council is comprised of ten outstanding students from Central High School and Central Private School. These students all show a drive to take part in their city government. Recently, the council is discussing a request that Mayor Watts send the council to the legislative session at the state capitol to meet with their local area representatives. Council President Cameron Brown has also sent in a request to the governor’s office with the hope that the council may meet with Governor Jindal. Good things are coming from this proactive group of students.

By Dave Freneaux

    When the City of Central took over permitting from EBR three years ago, Central's permit fees were set high enough that tax dollars would not be used to support Central's Permit Department.  By the December 14th, 2010 Council Meeting, Councilman Louis DeJohn could see that the permit department was self-funding and that the City no longer needed to receive a portion of permit fees.  At that December meeting DeJohn stated, "I don’t' think the City ought to get a nickel out of it", calling for permit fees to be reduced and the savings passed on to the people of Central buying the permits.

    At last Thursday's City Council meeting Central's permit fee structure was changed.  The City will no longer receive the 15% of permit fees currently designated as the City's share.  Extensive work and research by the City Services Permits sub-committee chaired by local Contractor Pete Firmin produced data showing that with the City not receiving any portion of the permit fees, residential permits could be reduced significantly.  The ordinance putting all of this in place effective July 1, 2011 passed unanimously.

    Two interesting facts came to light in this process.  First, the City's share of permit fees was originally put in place as a safeguard in case permit activity in Central was not sufficient to support the permit department's required activities.  Because of Central's residential and business growth, that safeguard has proven unnecessary.  Second, while much has been said about a reduction in permit fees, this reduction amounts to about a $410 savings on the cost of a new home permit, which is generally included in the financed cost of the home, and amounts to about a $2.75 per month reduction in an average mortgage.

From the CCA website

    There will be a Central Community Alliance forum on Tuesday, March 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the DEMCO Meeting Room (16262 Wax Road).  The special guest will be Metro Councilman Scott Wilson.

    Republican Scott Wilson was elected to the East Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council in November 2008 and assumed office on January 2, 2009. He represents District 4 which includes much of Central and Greenwell Springs.

    A Baton Rouge native, Scott is a graduate of Redemptorist High School and earned a degree in Business Administration and Finance from LSU.

    As a local small business owner, Scott understands the challenges faced by local employers and employees alike — a perspective he can drawn upon while serving on the Council. Also, Scott brings a wealth of business experience to the table which he has pledged to use to ensure hard-earned taxpayer dollars are never wasted.

    Scott has been married to the former Joanie Brocato for 16 years. They have two children — son Connor, 10, and daughter Parker, 7. They are members of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church.

The City Council meeting that was scheduled for last Tuesday, March 8th has been moved to tonight (Thursday) due to the Mardi Gras holiday.  The meeting will be held tonight at 6:00 p.m. at Kristenwood.  View the agenda online at www.CentralSpeaks.com.