By Dave Freneaux

In a Council meeting which featured honoring outgoing members and swearing in new city officials, (see Page 1), important business was transacted as well.  In the Mayor's report Mac Watts announced the formation of a committee whose charge is, over the next six months, to formulate the best and most complete City Code of Ethics in the state.  Mayor Watts asked Councilman Aaron Moak to chir the committee and incoming Councilman Wayne Messine to serve as vice-chair.  Further, he charged the Councilmen to each nominate two citizens to serve on this committee.  Additionally, Mayor Watts began a period of public comment to be held at the beginning of each Council meeting wherein anyone, after completing a comment card and being recognized by the City Clerk, can spend three minutes speaking openly to the assembly.  The comments may not be about items on the agenda for the current meeting and are subject to restrictions based on courtesy, respect and time constraints.
 
Items were then read into the record for discussion at the July 13th Council meeting and included a moratorium of up to six months on the zoning of C-AB-2 properties, sponsored by Councilman Moak, and an ordinance amending the permit fee structure, sponsored by Councilman DeJohn.  Suzonne Cowart was confirmed as Central's Finance Director and the accounting firm Faulk & Winkler was again retained to do the City's annual audit.
 
Finally, the budget for 2010-2011 was considered at length and approved.  The only immediate changes were to move all budget line items relating to law enforcement into the budget of the Chief of Police, giving Chief Browning direct control and authority over those expenditures.

CITY OF CENTRAL MAYOR’S YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

      The goal of the Central Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council is to provide youth around the community and in schools with an opportunity to have their voices heard and present them with the means to take action in the community.

      The Chairman of the Council is Cameron Brown.   The youth council works directly with the mayor and with local city leaders to provide service opportunities throughout the community.  Each member has either applied or been recommended to serve on the council.  These members will have to complete a minimum of 10 service hours with the council on selected community service projects.  If a member of the council does not meet these minimum service requirements, their membership on the council will be revoked until such time that the hours needed are met.  Upon these requirements being met, the member in question will be reinstated.

      The structure of the Youth Council is very similar to that of the Central City Council. Youth Council will be working very closely with the Mayor and Council members.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:

      Many of the seeds that the City of Central has planted over the previous twelve months are now beginning to “sprout”.  Following is a concise summary of the new developments:

• 1. I have a scheduled meeting for July 28, 2010 to discuss bringing a satellite college campus to the site of the Central Intermediate School, located on Joor Road.  This will be the fourth meeting between the city and college officials.  The Central Economic Development Foundation has endorsed this project with a $10,000.00 commitment for a marketing grant.
  2. An agreement with an out-of-state developer has been consented to verbally to explore all opportunities for a Town Center development.  We are anticipating that a Memorandum of Understanding will be forthcoming prior to the end of June.

3. Two national retail chains visited Central, (unannounced) the week of June 14^th.  We are hoping to hear the disposition of the visit within one year.  An out-of-state retail developer that we met with recently in Las Vegas has identified 32 potential retailers for Central and has begun the process of contacting them.
4. Also as a direct result of our trip to the International Council of Shopping Centers annual meeting, we are now working with two motel chains and several restaurants as well as other retail businesses.  We have already contacted 30 of these companies and have started to receive follow up responses.
5. Tomorrow we are hosting another retail developer in Central, (in-state) ,that we met with at the  ICSC.  The focus of the visit will be a new retail strip center in Central.
6.   On Thursday, a specific food chain client will be deciding between two sites that they have narrowed to in Central that will accommodate up to three franchises.
7.   On July 15^th, the Central Economic Development Foundation will be hosting its premier summer event at the Village At Magnolia Square in Central.  The focus of the commercial event will be to showcase Central to the retail estate community of the Baton Rouge Metroplex.  I will welcome the attendees.  Invitations are being mailed on July 2^nd to 250 businesses.
8.   We have been contacted (this week) by an in-state commercial real estate firm to assist the company in marketing a 60 acre tract of land, (located at the intersection of Joor and Hooper Roads) for a Business Technology Park.
9.   And last, but not least, our Economic Development initiatives have reached the five Scandinavian countries of Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.  I will be meeting with a trade delegation from this region in August(up to 14 companies).  And speaking of Scandinavia, five Swedish companies are tentatively scheduled to be in Louisiana next week to meet with officials in our state in an attempt to resolve the oil-leak crisis in the Gulf.  This visit was arranged by the Board of which I am a member, the Swedish American Economic Development Alliance.  I am one of  five Louisiana Board Members.  SAEDA represents six southern states;

         Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana. 
 
  
CITY OF CENTRAL BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE:

        Councilman Aaron Moak and Councilwoman Joan Lansing are in the process of founding the City of Central Beautification Committee.  We are working to build gateways at all main highways entering the city.

        In making contact with interested developers, we have been asked to define our city gateways to further their research for the possibility of their becoming a part of our economic development. 

        This project is funded through the “Pot-hole” tax.  Three percent (3%) of the tax is designated to be used for beautification only.  This sum stands at roughly $100,000.00 at this time. 
 

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY CITY OF CENTRAL

         July 10, 2005, the City of Central was founded with an amazing 48% voter turn out.  We

Proudly became the 12^th largest city in the state of Louisiana with our citizenship to date stands in excess of 28,000.

  I am very proud of the progress our city has made over the past five years.  We are making great strides in moving forward.  This is an exciting time to be a citizen of

the City of Central.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY U.S.A.

Please join me in celebrating the founding of our great country this 4^th of July!

We as a city and nation must band together to keep our government to the standards set forth in our constitution.  Also I ask that you pray for our military, past and present and ask God’s protection for this great nation.

**Remember to thank a Vet and a Soldier every time you are afforded the opportunity**

      As we say thank you and good bye to Council members Lucky Ross and Joan Lansing and welcome to new Council members, Tony Lobue and Wayne  Messina,  please pray for and be patient with your elected officials as we grow, learn and develop this great city together.

      Our commUNITY is a great place to live and raise our families.

Please feel free to call my office at 261-5988 to discuss any issue.

Thank you and God Bless,

Mac Watts

Mayor  
 

By Dave Freneaux

The Central City Council met Tuesday evening in what would be the final Council meeting for Joan Lansing and Lucky Ross.  Tony LoBue and Wayne Messina will join the Council as newly elected Councilmen beginning July 1st.  After transacting business, including the approval of the 2010-2011 budget, (See City Council Business under "Gov't"), Councilmen Aaron Moak and Louis DeJohn introduced Resolutions recognizing the service and dedication of Councilwoman Lansing and Councilman Ross.  Theses resolutions were met with standing ovations form the packed meeting hall and were unanimously approved by the Council.  Indeed the City of Central does owe a debt of gratitude for the years of selfless service given by these two outstanding citizens of Central.
 
The Council Meeting concluded with the swearing in of all five Councilmen, Louis DeJohn, Tony LoBue, Wayne Messina, Aaron Moak and Ralph Washington, Police Chief Doug Browning and Mayor Mac Watts.  Councilmen LoBue and Messina officially take office on July 1st and will serve alongside the returning Councilmen for the next four years.

By Dave Freneaux

In May Central held its first administrative hearing, presided over by Administrative Hearing Officer Phil Miley.  In the matter of Louisiana Pride Produce & Seafood selling shrimp and produce at the intersection of Greenwell Springs Road and Wax Road, Mr. Miley determined that the business wa in violation of a Central City ordinance prohibiting such sales from a temporary structure.  The determination, issued on June 16th, dictates that the business must cease this practive within 30 days of the determination.

Submitted by Representative Clif Richardson's Office

As the House looks toward the final days of this session, it took time last week to focus on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

State and local officials and a representative of British Petroleum (BP) briefed a joint session of the House and Senate. Officials apprised legislators and the public in concrete terms of how the spill has affected and will continue to affect Louisiana's coastal regions and the entire state. Local officials voiced their concerns over the six-month drilling moratorium imposed by the federal government and the devastating impact it will have on the state's economy, especially in the coastal areas. Robert Fryar of BP reiterated the company's commitment to the state and to honoring all legitimate claims.

Speakers included Attorney General Buddy Caldwell; Secretary Robert Barham of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Adjutant General Bennett Landreneau of the Louisiana National Guard; and the governor's special advisor on coastal activities, Garret Graves. Other officials, including parish presidents and mayors whose areas have been affected by the spill, followed Mr. Fryar.

Later in the week, state economists told members of the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) that the projected state budget deficit for the current year may be worse than they earlier thought. Their new prediction is for an additional $260 million to $270 million shortfall, bringing this year's total deficit to about $580 million.

Speaker Jim Tucker would not vote to recognize the additional deficit, saying he would rather wait until the fall when more definitive data is available before again revising estimates. When asked by Tucker, the economists said they weren't completely comfortable with the numbers they were presenting. If the numbers are correct, it would mean a total drop in state general fund dollars of $786 million since December. The economists explained that part of the additional shortfall comes from lower than predicted income tax collections. This drop is attributed to tax cuts and the recession.

At his weekly session briefing following the REC meeting, the Speaker said the size and scope of government must be reduced and it cannot be done in the few days left in this session. He suggests not recognizing the money from last year's tax amnesty program until there are more exact numbers on the deficit, sometime this fall.

Tucker suggests that the amnesty money ($244 million), plus $154 million in cost reports money could be used to repay any money taken from the Budget Stabilization Fund , better known as the "Rainy Day Fund," and the possible end-of-year deficit for 2009-2010. Cost reports are simply invoices to the federal government for Medicare/ Medicaid expenses.

DHH has been withholding these Medicaid cost report settlements totaling $244.5 million in order to accumulate savings that they could use as a possible way to help settle a disallowance dispute with the federal government. This dispute arose from payments made to LSU between 1996 and 2007 that the federal government would not cover as allowable costs under the Medicare/Medicaid programs. DHH expects these payments to be due in Fiscal Year 11 and Fiscal Year 12. Tucker also suggests restructuring the Budget Stabilization repayment mechanism.

Currently, the state Constitution requires that money taken out of the fund must be repaid the next year. He pointed out that the state has a three-year problem: a projected $1.3 billion shortfall for the coming fiscal year and $1.4 billion for fiscal year 2011-2012. His plan calls for repaying any money taken out in years three through five in equal payments of one-third each year. He said he plans to discuss his plan with the Senate and the administration.

A House committee amended and approved legislation this week which would allow the state attorney general to enter into contingency contracts with private attorneys to handle the state's lawsuits in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster. As originally drafted, the legislation, Senate Bill 731, would have allowed this arrangement for all state lawsuits, not just the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

The House committee also adopted an amendment lowering the amount of contingent fees to not exceed the lesser of 10 percent of the net recovery or $50 million, exclusive of reasonable costs and expenses, irrespective of the number of legal proceedings filed or the number of private attorneys or law firms retained to achieve the recovery. The attorneys would be required to provide the number of hours it works on the matter, expenses incurred, the aggregate fee amount, including a breakdown of the hourly rate, based on hours worked divided by the recovery, less expenses. If the disclosure statement shows an hourly rate in excess of $1,000, the fee shall be reduced to an amount equal to $1,000 per hour.

The contingency arrangement is being considered due to the estimated legal costs that could be incurred by the state. Attorney General Buddy Caldwell estimates that the costs associated with these lawsuits could be as much as $100 million. Contingency fees give lawyers a percentage of the awards ordered by a court in lieu of hourly billing. The committee also limited contingency contracts stating that they cannot apply to any claims for natural resource damages pursuant to the federal Oil Pollution Act.

Other changes call for giving preference to Louisiana law firms and would ban elected officials, immediate family members or legal entity in which either has a five percent or greater interest from participating.

The bill now moves to the House floor for further debate. With the changes made by the committee, it is almost certain the final version of the bill, if it passes the House floor, will be decided by a conference committee.

Several members of the legislature have introduced a slate of10 concurrent resolutions, which if adopted, will file applications requiring Congress to call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the United States Constitution. The resolutions, which the author refers to as the "Liberty Bill," call for fiscal restraint and limited government on the federal level.

Thirty-four state legislatures must pass similar resolutions in order for a convention to be called. Congress has the sole authority to select which method, as set forth in the Constitution, must be used by the states, approval by three-fourths of the state legislatures or approval by three-fourths of the states by convention.

* House Concurrent Resolution 68 calls for a balanced federal budget.

* House Concurrent Resolution 65 requires reduction of the federal debt through annual appropriations.

* House Concurrent Resolution 63 requires term limits for members of Congress.

* House Concurrent Resolution 66 calls for an overall spending limitation on the federal budget.

* House Concurrent Resolution 57 proposes a presidential line-item veto for appropriations bills.

* House Concurrent Resolution 62 would require a supermajority vote to levy or increase a tax or repeal an existing tax exemption.

* The remaining concurrent resolutions that make up the "Liberty Bill" are HCR 59, HCR 64,

HCR 67, and HCR 69. The resolutions have passed the House and await consideration by the Senate. For more information about the Liberty Bill, please visit www.rebirthoffreedom.com .

By Beth Fussell- Information obtained from the Louisiana Senate website and Rep. Richardson's Office

Last Friday, House Bill 2 came up for vote in the Louisiana Senate.  The bill contains the state construction budget for the coming year.  Included in the construction budget was funding for more studies on the Baton Rouge Loop.  After a long process during which the Loop funding was reduced, raised, then cut entirely, the Senate passed an edited version of the House's bill with no Loop funding included.  The bill will now go to a conference committee to work out the details, after which both the House and the Senate will have to vote yes or no on the bill that the committee agrees upon.  Governor Jindal will have the option to either approve or veto this year's funding for the Loop if the Legislature agrees to pass it.

From the Louisiana Legislature website

During the Louisiana Legislature's 2010 regular session, Senate Bill 9 was passed and signed into law by Governor Jindal.  The new law makes texting while driving a primary offense.  Currently, texting is a secondary offense, meaning a driver can only be cited for texting if he was pulled over for a different reason.  Drivers cannot currently be pulled over solely for texting while driving.  On August 15th, however, that will change.  Drivers will be pulled over just for texting while driving and will be fined up to $500 unless it is an emergency.

This law also makes using a cell phone while driving a primary offense for minors.  Drivers aged 17 and under will no longer be able to use cell phones on the road on August 15th of this year.  Louisiana will not be the first state to pass this type of law.  Cell phone use by new drivers is currently illegal in 28 other states, as well as in Washington D.C.  24 other states also currently have texting while driving listed as a primary offense, and the use of handheld phones in the driver's seat is not allowed at all in six states.  These laws are being created around the country in an effort to cut down on avoidable accidents on the road. 

From the City of Central website

AGENDA

CITY OF CENTRAL PLANNING COMMISSION

Thursday, June 24, 2010 6:00pm

14025 Greenwell Springs Road

Central, LA 70739

1. Call to Order

2. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. Recitation of Rules

5. Approval of Minutes (May 27, 2010 Planning Meeting)

6. Amendments and Consent Agenda

PUBLIC HEARING CASES (NEW BUSINESS):

None

PUBLIC HEARING CASES (OLD BUSINESS):

None

7. Announcements

8. Adjourn

All items on this Agenda are public hearings. Items heard on this Agenda will be heard by the Central City Council

on July 13, 2010 at this same time and location, unless the case is deferred by the Commission.

AGENDA

CITY OF CENTRAL ZONING COMMISSION

Thursday, June 24, 2010 6:00pm

14025 Greenwell Springs Road

Central, LA 70739

1. Call to Order

2. Roll Call

3. Recitation of Rules

4. Approval of Minutes (May 27, 2010 Zoning Meeting)

5. Amendments and Consent Agenda

PUBLIC HEARING CASES (NEW BUSINESS):

6. RZ-03-10 Rezoning This property is located at 12249 Hooper Road on Lot 5, being on the north side of Hooper Road east of the Joor Road intersection in Section 6, T-6-S, R-2-E, GLD, EBR, LA. The applicant is proposing to rezone from R (Rural) to LC1 (Light Commercial One District) for a real estate firm. (Applicant: Clarence Fruge, Jr.)

PUBLIC HEARING CASES (OLD BUSINESS):

None

7. Announcements

8. Adjourn

Much discussion has been had about the Loop.  Many are against it, while there is also a group of people who maintain that something like a Loop could provide economic benefits for Central as a growqing community.  If you are against the Loop, you may be interested to know that a group of Central citizens are going in the morning to protest the funding for another study of the Loop. 

According to a representative from Cliff Richardson's office, a commitment was made to meet with the citizens of the City of Central to discuss the Loop, and that commitment was never fulfilled.  Some community members are going to the Capitol to voice their opposition tomorrow, since the Loop funding will be part of the Senate agenda.  Cards in opposition to restore this funding will be available to you from the Sergeant At Arms.  Citizens are encouraged to let all senators know your stance on the Loop issue.  If you are against funding for the Loop, people are gathering at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) at the Louisiana State Capitol on the Senate side.  If you have any questions about this, call Deana at Rep. Richardson's office at 261-5739.