2023 State of the City of Central A Report by Outgoing Mayor David Barrow

As I leave office after 30 years of public service dating back to 1992, there are many people I am proud to call friends in our city and in other governmental agencies.  I am retiring and taking some time to enjoy life.  I would like to express my sincere appreciation to a few in particular within our city government.  First, our staff at City Services (IBTS) help keep the day-to-day operations of the city running smoothly.  They are truly a great group of people who care about our city and our people.  Privatizing our city services with IBTS is one of the best things to happen to our city.

Some Thank You’s

Our city is grateful to have had Mac Watts as the first Mayor, and I am grateful to him as well for hiring me to work for the city back in 2007.  His vision to maintain our rural, suburban lifestyle helped keep Central from turning into just another big city.  We should all be thankful to him and his lovely wife Loretta.  His desire to PLAN our city and LISTEN to the people to maintain our rural identity is what has made Central great today.

Aaron Moak, what can I say?  You have truly been a great friend over the years, and I appreciate you as a city councilman and now as our Metro Councilman.  Our city is truly a better place because of you and your lifelong dedication to our city.  I appreciate your always answering your phone when I need to vent about something, and vice-versa.

Sheri Morris, thank you for all that you have done in creating our city and being our city attorney.  Your legal experience is the best for which we could ask.  Thank you to Mark Miley as our city clerk, Suzonne Cowart as our Financial Officer, and Terri Parnell-Allison as my assistant.  Thank you also Mark Balkin who is the city zoning attorney.  I’ve had a great friendship with all of these people.

It has been a pleasure working with current council members Tim Lazaroe, Aaron McKinney, Brit Myer, Josh Roy, D’Ann Wells, and Wade Evans.  I wish Wade the best of luck as the next mayor.  

Thank you also to Central School System Supt. Jason Fountain for your friendship and to the members of the Central School Board for your leadership.

To the men and women of the Central Police Department, Central Fire Department, as well as the EBR Sheriff’s Office, Chaneyville Fire Dept and Pride Fire Dept, thank you for all you do in keeping our community safe and your dedication in helping others.  You know how much of a supporter I am.  

I also want to give a special thanks to Senator Bodi White for all that he has done in helping create our city and school system as well as his assistance and state funding for city and state projects and schools that he has given over the years.  

Thank you to all of the supporters and everyone in the city who continue to express thanks and positive comments about our city.  It is appreciated.

City Budget

Now, as for our city, 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, 2022, general sales tax revenues were up compared to 2021 to over $8 million dollars for the first time ever.  The city collects a 2 percent general sales and use tax.  The city does not collect a property tax.  I provided a monthly sales tax report 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 appreciate your support.

Surplus

Our annual audit for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2022 shows the city has nearly $13.9 million in unassigned funds, and NOT the misleading $64 million surplus as reported in another publication.  The fund balance can be used for any purpose needed in the city.  This amount is down from the 2021 surplus of $15 million as a result of investments made in infrastructure.

Transparency

During my term, I made a pledge of transparency.  The Public Works Work Orders are placed on our website so that the public can see what work was performed each month.  Additionally, the 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 the website so that you can see what is being built in our community.   The city website address is centralgov.com.   

Also during my term, IBTS 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.  

Drainage Projects

Nearly $75 million dollars worth of drainage improvements are being engineered in the city along Beaver Bayou and Blackwater Bayou.  The final right-of-way maps are finalized by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  All utilities are being identified, and survey work and property acquisitions are set to begin later this year. Altogether, nearly 8 miles of improvements will occur along Beaver Bayou and nearly 14 miles of improvement along Blackwater Bayou and its tributaries.  Thanks to Congressman Graves for all of his assistance and to Fred Raiford and his staff in the City-Parish for his leadership on this project as well

During my term, over 200 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 $6 million project with Compliance Envirosystems LLC (CES) 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, something not reported in another publication.  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, the city will have a GIS mapping system of all catch basins and drainage structures throughout the city.

You probably have seen CES in your neighborhoods and along streets throughout the city over the past year inspecting all drainage structures and underground drainage pipes along public rights-of-way and servitudes.  As of December 2022, they are approximately 80 percent complete with the inspection process and have started cleaning pipes.  CES will perform standard line cleaning of all necessary underground pipes and driveway culverts throughout the city to remove materials and restore pipe capacity to at least 95 percent.  

In the meantime, the public works crews tackle drainage issues on a daily basis around the city.  I continually 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, 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, during my term, 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. Over $5 million was spent on street overlay and repairs throughout the city.  The city collects nearly $450,000 annually from the ½-cent Green Light Plan road tax that is dedicated towards overlay projects.

The DOTD Sullivan Road widening project from Wax Rd to Hooper Rd came to a stop in 2022.  This project for utility relocation and clearing/grubbing was issued in April 2017; however, the contractor was having issues installing and relocating sewer lines. DOTD and the contractor mutually agreed to separate and end the project not completed. DOTD redesigned the project, including the sewer lines, and re-issued the project for bids in December 2022.  Boone Services was the only bidder with a bid of nearly $20 million.  DOTD is taking the bid under advisement.   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 requested 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.

MoveBR Plan

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.

MPO Plan

I also worked with the local MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) for funds for improvements to four roadways/intersections.  These include Hubbs Rd improvements and bridge replacements, Planchet Rd improvements from Frenchtown to Thibodeaux, and intersection improvements at Joor & Sullivan and Greenwell Springs & 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 has already begun on the Morgan Rd intersection project as well as the Planchet Rd improvement project, with the project set for bids in 2024.  All of these projects total well over $10 million dollars.  The city receives over $2 million annually from dedicated ½-cent sales taxes for roadway and sidewalk construction projects.  

Water Lines

Work will soon start on nearly $750,000 of water line improvements along Blackwater Road in an agreement with Parish Water Company.  This will provide improved water flow and new hydrants which will assist the Central Fire Department.   Also, a federal appropriation of nearly $350,000 will provide nearly a dozen new rain gauges at bridges along area drainage channels that will provide real-time data to the public on water levels in these channels.

Economic Development

As for Economic Development, I announced in 2022 that Walk-On’s will soon be coming to Central along with Marble Slab Creamery, Great American Cookie Company, Jersey Mikes, Five Guys, Sports Clips, CC’s Coffee, Tractor Supply, Aldi’s Grocery, and more.  We have many locally owned businesses as well, and let’s continue to support them.  Shop local!

City Hall Project

I am particularly proud of the purchase of nearly 10 acres of land on Sullivan Rd from the Devall family as a future site for our City Center and City Hall.  I am thankful to the Devall’s for their graciousness in closing this deal.  This area will provide plenty of room for a governmental complex across from Wildcat Stadium.  

Cooking in Central

Cooking in Central returns in the fall of 2023. The event will be held at the Amazing Place property at 10305 Blackwater Rd., and this event is the official festival of the City of Central.  Many thanks to all the volunteers who help put this event together.  

Planning

As for planning in our city, a finalized draft of the Central Thruway Overlay District goes before the council in January.  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 last year. Thanks to Council members Lazaroe, McKinney, and Roy as well as Metro Councilman Moak for their work on this document along with our city planner Steve Villavaso and planning staff.  As always, I welcomed new development, but we need to make sure that we do not overburden our existing infrastructure (water, sewer, roadways, drainage systems).   The city must also work with the Central Community School System to handle the effect of developments on the school system.   

New Subdivisions

During my term, only one major new subdivision was approved by the P&Z and City Council, and it was for less than 50 lots.   In fact, two subdivisions approved in previous administrations came back before the council for changes and the number of lots were actually reduced by almost 200 lots.  These were Village at Magnolia Square and the Settlement at Shoe Creek.   Additional drainage improvements and storage capacity were added in both of these.  Development of new homes on private family-owned properties continues to be the popular choice.

Parks and Recreation

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 has been completed with new walking paths, playground equipment, recreation building, splash pad and more.  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 2022.  The new million-dollar conservation building being constructed at the Frenchtown Conservation Area is almost ready to open.  This new building will be an attraction to our area and complement the miles of walking trails through the woods.     

Special Needs Playground

Even more exciting news, thanks to a state appropriation by Senator White, will be the construction of a playground for special needs and handicapped children on the property in front of Central Intermediate School on Sullivan Rd.  This playground will provide special equipment and accessories for these children and is just a short distance from Jackson Park.  Design work is currently underway on this new park.  

Central Police Department

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 had, and 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 Departments

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.  In 2021, 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.

Stay Involved

We truly have a great city with great citizens.  I encourage our citizens to stay involved by attending our council meetings and other public meetings scheduled during the year.  The 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 the website.

Sincerely,

Former Mayor David Barrow

City of Central.