st. john the baptist parishsjbparish.com/pdfs/sjbpweb.pdf · 2015. 10. 23. · 4 st. john the...

2015

PROGRESS REPORTST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH

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St. John the Baptist Parish

conte

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PG3 Administrative Staff

PG4 Parish Council

PG5 State & Federal Representatives

PG6 Mission Finance Human Resources Purchasing & Procurement

PG7 Recovery Emergency Preparedness

PG8 Economic Development

PG10 Public Works

PG11 Utilities

PG12 Parks & Recreation

PG14 Community Health & Human Recouces Animal Shelter Communications

Dear St. John the Baptist Parish resident,

On behalf of parish government, I present to you our Progress Report for the past twelve months. This publication includes information about parish finances and services and a variety of projects that are further improving our community.

Much of the substantial progress outlined in this issue was made possible by the people of our parish who voted to approve bond issues to finance the work. These measures allowed much needed construction to go forward with No Increase in Taxes.

While our community continues to recover from Hurricane Isaac, our number one goal is to provide better hurricane and flood protection. After more than four decades of inaction, a plan for a protection levee along Lake Pontchartrain is moving forward. In the meantime, emergency procedures are continually upgraded and mitigation measures implemented to protect residents, businesses and critical infrastructure.

Some of the largest, most visible ventures highlighted in this report deal with our water and drainage systems which have been inadequate for many years. Intake, treatment and distribution systems continue to be enhanced, while strict procedures are instituted to ensure that drinking water meets or exceeds purity standards. Numerous drainage projects have been completed across the parish and many more are underway. In the last few years, more than $53 million in improvements have been made to our aging drainage and water systems with $73 million more under construction.

More than $30 million has been invested in road and bridge repairs, construction and renovation of parish buildings and new and improved recreational facilities and programs that complement all ages and lifestyles.

Clearly, businesses and homeowners are confident that St. John is moving in the right direction as permits for commercial and residential construction are up by some 63 percent from 2013. Good jobs for our residents are being created by this economic activity while parish and state agencies work together to implement job training programs.

For the twelfth year in a row, our finance department was recognized for outstanding work in financial management and the second year for budget presentation. By successfully overseeing the collection and expenditure of a $102 million budget and $100 million in capital projects, the parish's bond rating improved. This upgrade reflects strong financial and operation management, budgetary performance and exemplary budgetary flexibility and liquidity, all making the parish’s financial outlook exceptionally stable.

Results of a 2014 independent audit revealed no findings or deficiencies regarding the parish's management of your tax dollars.

Much more information about these and other ongoing projects is available on the website, sjbparish.com. Please visit often and sign up for emergency messages and take advantage of the numerous ways to interact with parish government.

As always, we welcome your input on ways parish government may do an even better job of meeting your needs.

Very truly yours,

Natalie RobottomPresident, St. John the Baptist [email protected], Ext. 1149

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St. John theBaptist Parish

Administrative departments may be reached at 985-652-9569.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFEmergency PreparednessJobé Boucvalt, Ext. [email protected]

Health & Human ServicesRhonda Lemons, Ext. [email protected]

Human ResourcesNykya Freemont, Ext. [email protected]

Parks and RecreationKerry Watkins, Ext. [email protected]

Public WorksBrian Nunes, Ext. [email protected]

Purchasing and ProcurementLaVerne Saulny, Ext. [email protected]

UtilitiesBlake Fogleman, Ext. [email protected]

Chief Administrative OfficerMichael Coburn, Ext. [email protected]

Chief Financial OfficerVince Lucia, [email protected]

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer/Director of Planning and ZoningAngelic Sutherland Keller, [email protected]

CommunicationsPaige Falgoust, Ext. [email protected]

Economic DevelopmentTorri Buckles, Ext. [email protected]

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PARIS

H COU

NCIL Councilman At Large

Division ALucien J. Gauff, [email protected]

Councilwoman At LargeDivision BJaclyn [email protected]

Councilman District 1Art [email protected]

Councilman District 2Ranney [email protected]

Councilman District 3Lennix Madere, [email protected]

Councilman District 4Marvin [email protected]

Councilman District 5Michael [email protected]

Councilman District 6Larry [email protected]

Councilwoman District 7Cheryl Millet [email protected]

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St. John theBaptist ParishSTATE & FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES

State SenatorTroy BrownDistrict 2554 Belle Terre Blvd.LaPlace, LA [email protected]

State SenatorGary SmithDistrict 19P.O. Box 189Norco, LA [email protected]

State RepresentativeRandal GainesDistrict 57301 West Airline Highway, Suite 210LaPlace, LA [email protected]

State RepresentativeGreg MillerDistrict 56P.O. Box 190Norco, LA [email protected]

State RepresentativeClay SchexnayderDistrict 816473 Highway 44, Suite 205Gonzales, LA [email protected]

U.S. SenatorBill CassidyMetairie Office3421 North Causeway Blvd.Suite 204Metairie, LA 70002504-838-0130cassidy.senate.gov

U.S. SenatorDavid VitterSoutheast Louisiana Office2800 Veterans Memorial Blvd. Suite 201Metairie, LA 70002504-589-2753vitter.senate.gov

U.S. RepresentativeGarret GravesDistrict 6Baton Rouge Office2351 Energy Drive, Suite 1200Baton Rouge, LA 70808225-442-1731garretgraves.house.gov

U.S. RepresentativeCedric RichmondDistrict 2New Orleans District Office2021 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 309New Orleans, LA 70122504-288-3777richmond.house.gov

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The mission of St. John the Baptist

Parish government is to effectively and

efficiently serve citizens in a manner

that ensures transparency, ethical business practices,

economic development and

a healthy community.

Human Resources Our Human Resources Department continues to

assist parish employees with training and opportunities for career advancement. Workshops and All Staff Meetings are held to educate personnel on sexual harassment, ethics, heat exhaustion, workplace safety, lockout-tagout process and defensive driving.

“Raising Awareness to Wellness,” a new program emphasizing the importance of physical health with regular checkups, screenings and smart diet choices was introduced to employees.

A new online employment application site was implemented which allows job applicants to apply and view the status of applications online. The site also allows the parish to review applications immediately.

Visit sjbparish.com for information on employment opportunities.

Missio

n

Purchasing and Procurement

Finance In 2014, the Finance Department collected

$19,642,496 in sales taxes and worked to upgrade the parish’s bond rating to AA-/stable from A+/stable. As a result, St. John gets better rates when issuing bonds, ultimately saving taxpayers money.

The department was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of Louisiana for the twelfth consecutive year.

The department was also honored for the first time in its history with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award based on a review of its comprehensive annual financial report for 2014 and 2015.

In an effort to provide more payment options and improve efficiency, credit card services were installed at the animal shelter, parks and recreation department, planning and zoning and the LaPlace and Garyville Utility Service Centers.

An independent audit of parish finances resulted in no findings or discrepancies.

A new inventory system is being enacted to provide an accurate accounting of parish supplies and materials. To further streamline the process for current and prospective vendors, the Purchasing and Procurement Department recently published a guide to provide information on “Doing Business with the Parish”.

Interested readers can view the guide at sjbparish.com or can request a hard copy by contacting the Purchasing and Procurement Department at 985-652-9569.

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St. John theBaptist Parishisaac recovery EMERGeNCY PREPAREDNESS

Hurricane Isaac RecoveryOur community continues to do a remarkable job in

recovering from the days of August 2012, when Hurricane Isaac damaged some 7,200 homes and businesses and cut power to 95 percent of the parish. Perhaps the best news we have received since the storm is that after decades of inaction, a West Shore Lake Pontchartrain Levee, which would be built north of I-10, has received approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

St. John was the first community in the nation to fully implement FEMA’s National Disaster Recovery Framework. The long-term plan, “One Parish, One

Future: Building Back Better and Stronger,” developed with substantial citizen input, continues to help guide our recovery.

Government Assistancefor St. John due to Hurricane Isaac:

FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency12,664 cases requiring assistance, $32 million paid Small Business Administration812 home, 60 business claims, $51 million paid for 872 cases Disaster Food Assistance8,342 households, $3.4 million Long Term Recovery Group1,134 projects completed, $6.8 million

Community Development Block Grant$32 million for housing repairs/elevation, small business loans/grants, schools

Hazard Mitigation Grant$11.9 million for drainage improvements, electrical elevations and emergency equipment

Fire DepartmentResponded to 40 structure fires and 1,501 calls

More than $280,000 was invested in repairs to

Woodland Fire Station and ten additional stations damaged during Hurricane Isaac.

The Hemlock Fire Station #51 is under construction. The $3 million facility is funded through sales taxes, revenue bonds and the Office of Fire Services.

Michael Philpott, William Parker, Cameron Buccola and Travis Ettie

For the second year in a row, a team of St. John firefighters placed first in a state competitive drills challenge. The event includes vigorous timed scenarios faced by firefighters in the line of duty.

Major Emergency Events:Freeze – January 2, 2014 and January 6-7, 2014Tornado – May 28, 2014

Emergency Preparedness

Held multiple emergency training exercises including Region 3 Hurricane Preparedness with parish employees, coordinators and other municipalities Completed Emergency Response Hostile Action Exercise conducted by Waterford 3, St. Charles and St. John ParishesFEMA evaluated exercise as highly favorable for response in St. John ParishInstalled National Weather Service gauges at Peavine and West Lac des Allemands to monitor lake water levels Helped design Safe Room to house emergency responders during emergencies

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ECONO

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Economic Development The Economic Development Department offers

several distinct Business Outreach Initiatives and Technical Assistance Training through the St. John Business Training Center. Each program is designed to meet the needs of a diverse and growing business community. The department also held numerous trainings and workshops for businesses including: FastTrac, Fundraising 101, Grant Writing, Quickbooks and Hurricane Preparedness for businesses.

The LED Collaborative Excellence Award was presented to St. John for its collaboration with Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) to build the Business Training Center. The center is hailed as a model for the state in supporting small businesses and fostering an environment where businesses can thrive. St. John the Baptist Parish is the first municipality to receive this award. Business Recruitment Program

Provides site location options to reach a customer base, to locate within an industry cluster, to access transportation routes or to work closer to home

Identifies a site and/or building, arranges a tour, assists with permit monitoring and helps secure the necessary financing

For more information visit: www.louisianasiteselection.com/stjohn

Business Recruitment By The Numbers:July 2014 – July 2015

Industrial site: $3.7 billion in capital investmentsIndustrial jobs: 478 new and 235 retained

New small businesses: 70New jobs: 199 full time and 33 part time

Business Outreach ProgramBusiness Outreach By The Numbers: July 2014 – July 2015

# of One-on-one consulting: 226# of Small business consultations: 404# of Business plans created: 29# of Business training workshops held: 34

Member of AMIBA, the American Independent

Business Association - which is the organization that promotes “Buy Local” campaigns across the United States. St. John Parish is the first government/municipality to establish membership in this organization, illustrating that the Economic Development Department followed best practices when unveiling this program in 2012.

Planning & ZoningLed by the Planning & Zoning Department with

input from citizens, “One Parish, One Future: the St. John the Baptist Comprehensive Plan” was adopted by the parish council in September, 2014. Promoting the principles and practices of disaster resilience, the plan will help guide future development.

The department also supervised completion of the West Lac des Allemands Shoreline Protection Project in Pleasure Bend. Funded through a $3.8 million grant from the Louisiana Coastal Impact Assistance Program, the project provides protection from continued shore erosion through construction of a 4,000 foot barrier.

Code Enforcement Office:

Completed 4,768 work ordersCollected $66,227.44 from liens placed on tax bills – 52% increase from 2013Demolished 32 hazardous propertiesBoarded 48 unsafe properties

Nearly 930 building permits issued in 2014

Residential new construction: $5,840,599Residential renovations/additions/accessory: $1,623,413.56

Total: $7,646,012.56 Commercial new construction: $11,121,676.00

Commercial renovations/accessory: $12,370,605Total: $23,492,281.00

Total investment in St. John’s future:$30,956,293.56 - 58% increase from 2013

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St. John theBaptist ParishECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The St. John Soundstage(Film Development)

The St. John Soundstage and St. John Parish has become a premier destination for Louisiana films and digital media productions.

Midnight Special – Reserve – 2014Don't Mess With Texas – Edgard – 2014

American Ultra – New Wine Christian Center – 2014Pitt Bulls and Parolees – LaPlace – 2014

Ella Henderson, Ghost Music Video – Cajun Pride Swamp Tours – 2014Jonas Brothers Music Video – ESJ Football Field/Reserve/Garyville – 2014

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 – St. John Center Soundstage – 2014Sticky Notes – LaPlace – 2014

Maggie – Garyville/LaPlace – 2014Selfless – Garyville – 2014

The Free State of Jones – Evergreen Plantation – 2015My Invisible Sister – Whitney Plantation – 2015

Into the Bad Lands – St. John Center Soundstage – 2015

Cleanest City AwardReserve, Garyville and Wallace placed in the state

competition for the 2015 Cleanest City Contest hosted by the Louisiana Garden Club Federation.

Reserve placed second in District G, populations of 9,500 -14,499, Garyville placed fourth in District E, populations of 2,500 to 4,499 and Wallace placed third in District B, populations of 500 to 999.

Special Events Attendance:Andouille Festival: 18,000Andouille Pageant: 300Veterans Luncheon: 500

July 4th/Independence Day Celebration: 5,000

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pub

lic wo

rks Public Works

The Public Works Department is perhaps one of the most visible arms of parish government as it works to enhance our infrastructure. “Over the last several years, millions of dollars have been invested in upgrading, replacing and adding new drainage equipment to the department,” President Robottom said. “We are moving in the right direction to solve our longstanding drainage issues.”

Completed 6,169 work orders across parishPurchased new equipment: marsh buggy ($155,267), a grappler truck ($139,994), an excavator ($151,000), a street sweeper ($219,283), an 18 wheeler cab and low boy trailer ($107,070.76)Improvements made to Belle Terre/Airline – $2,163,023 Installation of Redbud Drainage Pumps – $150,000Completed West Bank Courthouse addition/renovation project – $2,254,691.83Constructing Foxwood Drainage Improvements ProjectOngoing canal cleaning throughout parishTransitioning to LED street lights throughout the parishManaged eight grass cutting contractors to cut 66 sites throughout the parish

Among the projects completed in the past year:Redbud Station..................................................$251,535.00Belle Terre/Airline Improvements.....................$2,163,023.602014 Asphalt Road Repairs.............................$2,438,184.222015 Asphalt Road Repairs.............................$1,335,183.00Canal Cleaning - Dredging - Permitting...........$1,746,360.00Housing Mitigation...........................................$1,472,708.96

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St. John theBaptist ParishUTILITIES

UtilitiesContinual improvements to our water and

wastewater systems remain a top priority of parish government. Some of the water-related projects undertaken by the Utilities Department are: Water Treatment

Replaced 196 filter membranes at LaPlace reverseosmosis unit – $736,000

Lions Water Treatment Plant, water intake improvements – (in design) $750,000

Lions Water Treatment Plant, ultraviolet disinfection equipment– $650,000

Pleasure Bend, installed test well for possible potablewater well – $86,000

Water Distribution

Ruddock well, replaced pump & motor – $79,056

Lions Water Treatment Plant, Mississippi River crossing connecting Reserve and Edgard treatment plants – (95 % complete) – $1,879,000

Line connecting St. John to St. Charles installed – $85,675.32

Fire hydrant replacements – $38,000

Upgraded DuPont curve booster station – $66,000

Improved four water towers for better distribution – $386,777

Wastewater Treatment

River Road Treatment Plant, effluent force main (in design) – $71,690

Purchased generators at key lift station and treatmentplants – $1,675,000

Oxidation pond conversion to 3 MGD treatment facility(in design) – $8,100,000

Wastewater Collection

Telemetry monitoring at 50 lift stations (underway) – $1,030,000

Lift station rehabilitation, 12 (underway) – $3,100,000

Airport Road collection system (complete) – $500,000

Reserve, inflow/infiltration project (complete) – $1,000,000

Installed sewer force main extensions to improveservice (complete) – $246,520

West Bank, inflow/infiltration project repairs smoke testing (complete) – $445,000

Purchased two portable generators for emergencies – $145,600

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recrea

tion Parks and Recreation

More than $2.3 million in physical improvements are being made at parish parks while enhancements to recreational programs continue. A new dog park, two spray parks, new play sets, gazebos, fitness stations and upgrades to swimming pools, baseball fields, concession stands, restrooms and other facilities are being funded by the 2014 bond issue.

In 2014, the department hosted the 8-year-old Biddy Basketball Tournament and the 7, 8, & 14-year-old Dizzy Dean Baseball State Tournament which brought approximately 180 visitors to the parish.

The department made numerous improvements to facilities at REGALA Park including new turf on baseball fields, new metal roofs on dugouts, updates to the concession stand and pool enhancements.

Castle Drive Swimming Pool renovations – $37,182Alex Roland Reese Swimming Pool renovations – $76,368

The Parks and Recreation Departmentcoordinates the following programs:

Adult flag footballAdult softballAdult water aerobicsArt for seniorsAshley Kelly Swim ProgramBiddy basketballDizzy Dean BaseballNBA All Star Game field tripRiver Parish Day at Tulane basketball & footballSoccerSpecial needs campTennis campYouth baseballYouth Summer CampZumba

Visit sjbparish.com for ongoing

activities and events.

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Comm

unity

Health and Human Services The Health and Human Services Department

assists residents with services and programs to maintain a healthy, vital, and operative community.

The department sponsored a health & wellness fair with 34 vendors offering free flu shots, health screenings and consultations with pharmacists.

Free programming at the Homer Joseph Center includes life skills classes, physical fitness, nutritional advice, computer literacy, homework assistance and summer reading.

Statistics:10 families received residential assistance140 transportation vouchers issued109 tax returns completed and information on the Affordable Health Care Act provided at no cost700 low income families received LiHEAP to assist with heating and cooling bills51 students employed to provide meals to 1,241 children through the Summer Feeding Program

St. John United Way and the parish funded programs to help families with losses from fires and to assist with purchasing prescription medicine and food.

DHHS employees traveled to the East and West Bank Council on Aging facilities and nursing homes to assist 523 qualified participants with LiHeap and emergency food services.

Animal Shelter

ADOPTIONS:219 dogs • 62 cats • 4 other

The Animal Shelter partners with PetSmart each Saturday to promote adoptions. In turn, PetSmart makes a donation to the shelter for every adoption. Volunteers play a huge role at the shelter and at the adoption events by communicating to potential adopters the behavior and personality of the animals.

Shelter Art Foundation donated professional photography equipment and photography training to improve images of the pets. Quality photos have provided a dramatic increase in adoptions.

Implemented credit card payment system as option for customers Animal Shelter Expansion - 2100 sq. ft. building to house additional animals – (underway) Open Monday through Saturday, 8 A.M. until 4:30 P.M.

Communications

Coordinated the redesign of parish website to be more user friendly Updated the Mass Notification System – residents provided a call back number Assisted in the organization of over 30 public events and public meetings throughout the yearHosted ribbon cuttings and ground breaking ceremonies for new businesses and parish projects Partnered with Local Emergency Preparedness Committee, including local industry, to create and mail new hurricane brochures to residents Produced notifications for CDBG programs

Since January 2014:

Issued 388 press releasesSent over 372 messages and made 583,000 phone calls for emergency and nonemergency notificationsMaintains social media (Facebook and Twitter)Currently 3,826 followers on Facebook Page – 846,800 followers and 15,000,000 impressions monthly

To receive emergency and important messages via phone call, text, and email through the Mass Notification System, visit sjbparish.com and click “Stay Connected” or call the Communications Department at 985-652-9569.

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Annual Veterans’ appreciation luncheon and program

St. John Parish Council bicycle give-away

Back to School Event

American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Highway dedication

Annual food drive to help needy families

Parish vs Sheriff’s Office charity fundraiser basketball game

The Academic Lunch rewards St. John's best students

Easter in the park

4-H’ers tour the Emergency Operations Center

DuPont/St. John neighborhood outreach

Parish government does more than administer programs and provide services to residents. We participate in numerous activities that benefit St. John. Please contact

us if you or your organization would like to partner with us on an event that helps make our community an even better place to live.

St. John the Baptist Parish1801 West Airline HighwayLaPlace, Louisiana 70068

sjbparish.com

sjbparish

@SJBPgov

Printed by a St. John the Baptist Parish Business

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