State of the City Address

By David Barrow, Mayor, City of Central — CENTRAL — As I begin the fourth year of my term as mayor, I realize more and more every day what a special city we continue to have. Life as we know it is slowly returning back to normal after two years of shutdowns and quarantines. Despite a healthy economy, some of our local businesses continue to suffer from supply shortages and workforce shortages, and I ask you to be patient with all of our local businesses as they continue to recover.

Latest Census Numbers. The latest 2020 census numbers show that we have 29,565 persons living in Central. This is an increase of 2,701 persons since the 2010 census. With nearly 30,000 persons, there will always be many wants and needs, and as I have stated before, we can’t address them all at once, nor can we solve them all at once. However, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t trying every day.

Hurricane Ida. Hurricane Ida devastated portions of Louisiana at the end of last August. In the city of Central, our debris contractor removed nearly 61,000 cubic yards of tree debris. The total costs of the cleanup in Central was nearly $1.1 million.

Annual Budget. Our annual budget year starts on July 1 of each year and ends on June 30 of the following year. For the calendar year ending December 31, 2021, general sales tax revenues were up nearly 12.39% compared to 2020 to a total of $7.47 million dollars. Automobile sales taxes were up nearly 14% for a total of $1.76 million. The city collects a 2% general sales and use tax. The city does not collect a property tax. I continue to provide a monthly sales tax press release giving updated revenue amounts as well as placing this information on our website. It is important to remember to shop locally to help support our local businesses and return sales tax dollars to our city. I know that all of our local businesses appreciated your support.

Annual Audit. Our annual audit for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2021 shows the city has nearly $15 million in unassigned funds. The fund balance can be used for any purpose needed in the city.

IBTS: City Services. A considerable portion of our expenditures goes towards paying IBTS, our city services contractor, to handle many of the day-to-day operations of the city, including public works, planning & zoning, permits & inspections, engineering, licenses, code enforcement, and more. That contract amount for the 2021-22 fiscal year is a little over $4.2 million dollars. This contract will increase nearly 3% per year over the next few years. We are fortunate to have a great staff at IBTS to serve the public’s needs. The phone number for City Services is 225-262-5000, and they are located at 6703 Sullivan Rd.

Public Works Department. For calendar year 2021, our Public Works Department handled 1,638 work orders, and as of December 31, 2021, 1,562 (95%) were completed. This represents great work by our Public Works Department. The Public Works Work Orders are placed on our website so that the public can see what work was performed each month. Additionally, our monthly Financial Disbursement Report is placed on the website as well so that you can see how your tax dollars are being spent, and the monthly Permit Report is also placed on our website so that you can see what is being built in our community. Our website address is www.centralgov.com. This is all part of my transparency in government pledge.

Smartphone App. IBTS also has a smartphone app for the city. Citizens can report public works matters via the app and attach photos as well as receive email responses as to the status of their request. Search for “City of Central, Louisiana” in the app store or visit our website homepage for more information.

GIS Portal on Website. IBTS has also created a GIS portal on our website. Citizens can look up useful information such as flood zone mapping, watershed areas, property zoning, property lines, planning & zoning case information, council districts, zip codes, public sewer lines, and more.

Permits. In 2021, a total of 1,722 permits were issued by our Permit Department. Out of these, a total of 201 were for new residential home construction, the majority of which were issued in Settlement at Shoe Creek and Village at Magnolia Square. 16 were for new commercial construction. The remainder of the permits were for items such as swimming pools, fences, accessory buildings, remodeling, air conditioning/heating, electrical, plumbing, change of occupancy, and so on. The total construction valuation of all building permits in 2021 was $87,369,685. Valuations are set for building permit and tax assessor’s reasons and may not actually reflect the actual value of the structure after construction is complete. Our Permit Department also performed 4,769 building inspections.

Drainage. Nearly $75 million dollars worth of drainage improvements are being engineered in the city along Beaver Bayou and Blackwater Bayou. Construction of the channel improvements in the City of Central is being handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The final right-of-way maps are nearly finalized by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and will be delivered to the City of Central upon completion. All utilities are being identified, and survey work and property acquisitions are set to begin later this year. Please note that construction has to occur from downstream to upstream so the first contracts would likely be for the entirety of Beaver Bayou and the first five miles of Blackwater Bayou upstream through the channel enlargement reaches. Following completion of the first Blackwater Bayou contract, the remaining upstream clear and snag reaches (likely two contracts) would be awarded. The construction durations are still being developed, but the first contract duration for the channel enlargement is estimated at 1-2 years. Altogether, nearly 8 miles of improvements will occur along Beaver Bayou and nearly 14 miles of improvement along Blackwater Bayou and its tributaries.

In 2021, over 61 miles of drainage work was done in the city. This includes trimming vegetation, ditch cleaning and clearing, ditch excavations, and nearly 280 acres of herbicide treatment. Additionally, I brought to the city council a plan to inspect and clean all underground drainage pipes and catch basins within public servitudes and rights-of-way within the city based upon funds provided in the city budget.

Storm Drains. The City of Central has signed an agreement with Compliance Envirosystems, LLC (CES) to perform storm drain inspections, documentation, evaluation, and line cleaning services for all underground drainage systems throughout the City of Central. This means that all subsurface drainage pipes throughout the city will be evaluated using a zoom camera pipe assessment and all data will be placed in a GPS data system for future reference. When this project is completed, we will have a GIS mapping system of all catch basins and drainage structures throughout the city.

Drainage Inspection. You will be seeing CES in your neighborhoods and along streets throughout the city over the next year inspecting all drainage structures and underground drainage pipes along public rights-of-way and servitudes for deficiencies or clogs caused by debris. All catch basins and pipes will be illuminated and high-resolution video of each structure will be obtained showing the condition of the structure interior, the pipelines connecting to the structure as well as the general condition in the area surrounding the structure. Any clogs or obstructions in pipes will be shown and reported. As of February 2022, they are approximately 50 percent complete with the inspection process.

Cleaning. Following the inspection phase, CES will perform standard line cleaning of all necessary underground pipes to remove foreign materials and restore pipe capacity to at least 95%. Standard cleaning shall be defined as three complete passes of the storm drain line with the cleaning equipment. All sludge, dirt, sand, rocks, grease, and other solid or semi-solid materials resulting from the cleaning operation shall be removed at the downstream structure of the section being cleaned.

Daily Drainage Maintenance. In the meantime, our public works crews tackle drainage issues on a daily basis around the city. I ask for residents to please keep culverts clear of debris in your yards, and please don’t throw trash and yard clippings in our ditches and streams. In 2021, some of the major drainage projects tackled included work in Oakberry, Morgan Place, Bridlewood, Tanglewood, Core Lane, Willowcreek, Brown Rd near Dyer Rd, El Ranchitos, Gurney Rd near EBRSO substation, Country Estates, BREC Hooper Rd Sports Park/Boganvilla, Northwoods, Monhegan, Crystal Place, Comite Hills West, Biltmore, and other areas. In 2022, the Brown Rd/Carey Rd project will involve cleaning and excavation of all roadside ditches and culverts on a nearly 5-mile stretch. Ditches along Hubbs Rd, Denham Rd, Devall Rd, as well as many subdivision streets will also be dug out.

Impact of Developments. In 2021, the city began initiating our Off-Site Drainage Assessment (ODA) which will allow the city to take advantage of its recently developed 2D Hydraulic Model and use it to perform a more thorough assessment of impacts from proposed developments. In the past, we relied mostly on engineering studies related to drainage when considering new developments. Now, with the use of the computer model, we will be able to see ahead of time the actual impact of the proposed development’s drainage on surrounding property. This tool will provide our Planning & Zoning members, our city council, and the public with true models of drainage impacts rather than speculation. This model takes the “guessing game” away and instead provides a true picture of the impact. This ODA was recently used on the newest filing of Village at Magnolia Square to show the impact of the drainage on the proposed development and surround areas and was able to satisfy most residents with the results.

Transportation. As for transportation, we completed a reconstruction of Thibodeaux Rd worth over $1 million dollars. The roadway was slightly widened and new safety features were added along the roadway. Additional street repair project work was completed in Village at Magnolia Square, Wisteria Lakes, Magnolia Blossom, and along portions of McCullough Rd and Devall Rd. A 2022 street overlay program will address numerous streets in Bellingrath Lakes 3rd filing, Bellingrath Estates, Village Lakes, Hampton Village, and parts of Comite Hills.

Sullivan Road. The DOTD Sullivan Road widening project from Wax Rd to Hooper Rd has come to a stop. This current project for utility relocation and clearing/grubbing was issued in April 2017; however, the contractor was having issues installing and relocating sewer lines. DOTD is in the process of removing the contractor from the project. DOTD now wants to redesign the project, including the sewer lines, and re-issue the project for bids in November 2022. Once completed, the roadway will be 4-lanes with a center median and dedicated turning lanes at select locations, and sidewalks will be installed on both sides of the roadway. DOTD is requesting a change to the plans to include bicycle lanes in each direction as part of their new Complete Streets plan. DOTD has also decided not to build the roundabout at Hooper and Sullivan as part of this project, but they will include a roundabout on the future Hooper Rd widening project from Sullivan Rd to Greenwell Springs Rd.

Hooper Road. As part of the MoveEBR Plan, improvements to Hooper Road are beginning to occur as part of the first set of projects to get underway. Funding is in place through the dedicated sales tax. Hooper Rd will be widened to four lanes from Blackwater Bayou to just east of Sullivan Rd. The project will be split into two separate projects with the first being the section from Sullivan Rd to Joor Rd, and the second being from Joor Rd to Blackwater Bayou. Bicycle paths will be included in addition to sidewalks. Right-of-way acquisitions and appraisals are currently underway for properties along the stretch. The remaining section of Hooper Rd from Sullivan Road to Greenwell Springs Rd is in the initial planning and environmental phase to start planning for widening. Full funds are not yet committed for the actual widening of this section, but the state plans to use the CMAR (Construction Management at Risk) process to get this section done sooner within the next few years.

Grant Funds. We have been selected for MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) funds for improvements to four roadways/intersections. These include Hubbs Rd overlay and bridge replacements, Planchet Rd improvements from Frenchtown to Thibodeaux, and roundabouts at Joor at Sullivan and Greenwell Springs at Morgan Rd intersections. By using MPO funds, the city can be reimbursed 80 percent of construction costs after spending our local dollars. Design and engineering work will begin first on the Morgan Rd intersection in 2022, with the project set for bids in 2023. These projects total well over $10 million dollars.

MovEBR. Central’s share of the parish MovEBR funds will be used on several projects around the city including sidewalk projects near Central Woods and BREC’s Lovett Rd Park. Assisting the parish and DOTD with improving signal synchronization at several intersections in the city is also being planned.

Economic Development. As for Economic Development, the city has a working an agreement with the Central Chamber of Commerce to focus on local business retention and activities. By working with the Chamber of Commerce, we can develop a more local and personal involvement with businesses and new projects. We must support our local businesses. A recent study showed that the city of Central is losing nearly $204 million in retail sales due to unavailable business in our city and residents therefore having to shop outside of Central. Out of this amount, nearly $190 million is in retail trade, and $14 million is in food & drink. This represents nearly $4 million in lost sales tax revenues for the city each year.

Retail Strategies. The city has also partnered with Retail Strategies, a nationwide firm that specializing in retail recruitment. With this partnership, we hope to recruit more nationally recognized businesses that Central residents have requested and fit in with our demographics. Retail Strategies will provide marketing for our city as well.

Quality of Life. Beautification and quality of life are an important aspect for any city. Please take pride in our city and do your part in keeping our city clean. In conjunction with our Chamber of Commerce, we will be having a citywide litter cleanup day in April. The local Shop the Square events will continue with businesses from around the city showcasing items for sale. We plan to have these shopping events quarterly. The next one is scheduled for April 9 in the shopping center at Hooper at Sullivan. I also hope everyone continues to enjoy the city’s improvements to our Christmas decoration corner at Hooper and Sullivan during the holiday season.

Building Community. Cooking in Central returns March 25 and 26 with the biggest festival to date. The Molly Ringwalds and the Chase Tyler Band will be performing along with a crawfish boil, cookoff, and carnival rides this year. The event will be held at the Amazing Place property at 10305 Blackwater Rd. This event is the official festival of the City of Central. Many thanks to all the volunteers who help put this event together. Funds collected this year will go to the victims of Hurricane Ida in lower Terrebonne Parish.

Overlay District. As for planning in our city, we have a finalized draft of the Central Thruway Overlay District. This will provide strict architectural and building standards along the Central Thruway in order to keep a scenic appearance when entering the city. The draft passed the Planning Commission in February and will soon go to the city council for final approval after public hearings. As always, we welcome new development, but we need to make sure that we do not overburden our existing infrastructure (water, sewer, roadways, drainage systems). We must also work with the Central Community School System to handle the effect of developments on the school system.

Code Enforcement. Our Code Enforcement division is responsible for responding to citizen’s complaints of blight, overgrown properties, junk vehicles, swimming pool maintenance, and other property maintenance issues which violate city ordinances. We receive hundreds of complaints each year, requiring some cases to go to Administrative Hearings if the property owner does not resolve the issue. The Administrative Hearing Court is held on the last Friday of each month. I want to give credit to our Code Enforcement division as well as city attorney Sheri Morris and her team for resolving many of the issues without having to go to an Administrative Hearing.

Parks in Central. BREC is making significant improvements and new additions to parks throughout our city. New turf baseball fields have been completed on all fields at the Hooper Road Sports Park. The transformation of Jackson Park on Sullivan Rd into a true community park is underway with new walking paths, playground equipment, recreation building, splash pad and more. The new park should open in April. The new gym and parking area are complete at Lovett Road park along with new playground equipment, and the new Dog Park was opened in December. The new million-dollar conservation building being constructed at the Frenchtown Conservation Area should open later this year as well. This new building will be an attraction to our area and complement the miles of walking trails through the woods.

Law Enforcement. Our police department has a total of nearly 20 officers including the chief and assistant chief as well as several new dispatchers, and an administrative assistant. The chief and I continue to have a good working relationship, and I appreciate all the work that his department does in keeping our crime rate low and fast responses to crashes. I also want to thank Captain Jason Demoulin and all of the great deputies of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office for their continuing protection of the city as well. We truly have a safe city, and I encourage everyone to please lock your vehicles at night to help deter vehicle burglaries. Also, please make sure you have an address properly displayed near your front door and also on your mailbox. First responders count on this.

Fire Districts. I am also proud of the three fire departments which cover our city. They include Chaneyville (northwest section of the city), Pride (northeast section of the city), and the Central Fire Department which covers the overwhelming majority of the city. Last year, the Central Fire Department improved to a Class 2 rating, which puts them in the top 5 percent of all departments in the country and results in insurance savings for homeowners.

We truly have a great city with great citizens. I encourage our citizens to stay involved by checking our website and our Facebook page and also by attending our council meetings and other public meetings scheduled during the year. Our city council meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at Kristenwood, 14025 Greenwell Springs Rd. Agendas are posted on our website.

Sincerely,

Mayor David Barrow

City of Central