10-Point Plan to Save EBR Parish

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News – Baton Rouge

As the statewide elections draw to a close Nov. 18, attention will turn to next year’s elections for Mayor-President and Metro Council in East Baton Rouge Parish.  Our parish faces many critical issues.  

Here is a 10-Point Plan to save East Baton Rouge Parish and the City of Baton Rouge.  It’s not all of what needs to be done but a start.  All of these goals would be appropriate for the City-Parish government to undertake, except No. 6, the Mentorship Program, which should be done privately.  If you have other ideas, please send them to centralcitynews@hotmail.com.

1 – Consolidate Law Enforcement Under the Sheriff

In order to save money, put more law enforcement officers on the street, and reduce crime, we should combine the Sheriff’s Office and the Baton Rouge City Police Department operationally under the Sheriff.  Baton Rouge City Police officers who have Civil Service protection would retain it, but no new hires would be made under that system. Duplicatory programs should be combined and more officers should be visible in our neighborhoods.

2 – Build a New Psychiatric Hospital for Long-Term, In-Patient Care of the Mentally Ill

This hospital should be owned and operated by the City-Parish government specifically for the residents of this parish. Our streets are overwhelmed with homeless people, most of whom are mentally ill or suffering from drug abuse. Sheriff Sid Gautreaux says that more than 80 percent of the inmates in the Parish Prison are suffering from mental illness, but the prison is ill-equipped to help these individuals.  This new hospital should be large enough to serve all of the mental patients needing in-patient care.  Although operated by the City-Parish government, it would be able to accept state, federal, and private funds. Our mentally ill have been abandoned to the streets of Baton Rouge, and this must change.

3 – Build a New Parish Prison at the Site of the Old LTI.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Prison is inadequate to meet the needs of the prison. Much of it is antiquated and is far beyond its effective life.  There are not enough beds to house those charged with crime.  For months at a time, the Parish Prison has been unable to accept new inmates.  A new, modern Parish Prison should be built and designed to properly provide the array of educational, medical, mental, and religious services that are needed. A large part of the old Louisiana Training Institute is available for this use.  The location will not be controversial and it is ready to build there.

4 – Tear Down the 6,000 Condemned Buildings in the Parish and Restore the Land for Commerce, Residences, and Recreation

The City-Parish government is the largest slumlord in the parish. Altogether, there are more than 6,000 condemned buildings in the parish. The parish should launch an aggressive program to take down these buildings, restore the land, and make these properties available for commerce, residences, and recreational purposes.  If the City-Parish has a plan to remove 125 condemned buildings a month, all of the deteriorated buildings can be removed in one four-year term. 5 – Launch Major Parishwide Clean Up Campaign

Launch an emergency program to clean up the City of Baton Rouge using all City-Parish employees and 10,000 volunteers for a three week project to completely clean the City and enhance its appearance.  Have an intense one-year clean up effort for all City-Parish employees and 10,000 volunteers twice a year into the future.  Remove all trash, debris, branches, tires, and old cars and cut and trim all servitudes (regularly removing any excessive grass when cut) and rights of way.  Make the entire city look fresh and revitalized.

6 – Create a Mentorship Program for Every Child without a Mom or Dad

The lack of Fathers is one of our greatest problems in East Baton Rouge Parish.  More than 80 percent of households with children in the inner city do not have a father in the home.  The goal of the Mentorship Program is to provide every child who wants a mentor to spend at least four hours a month with that child.  Churches and non-profit organizations should be asked to take the lead in supplying volunteers who must have a background check and be trained.

7 – Create an Internal Expressway System within the Parish and Especially within the City of Baton Rouge

The idea would be to create a system of mini-expressways by identifying existing streets and roads that can be used for that purpose, improving those roads, and educating the public on how to move from Point A to Point B more quickly and efficiently.  Many streets and roads in Baton Rouge are actually one road with many names.  These connecting streets would keep their current names but the expressway they are part of would have an additional name.  For example, Sullivan Road connects to the Central Thruway and then to O’Neal Lane, George O’Neal, Coursey Boulevard, Bluebonnet, and South Bluebonnet. The one continuous road could be called by a name.  Any plan for consistent naming of these Expressways could be adopted.  They could be numbered or given the famous local residents, governors, or sports hero.  It might be called Route 101 or the Billy Cannon Expressway or the Woody Dumas Thruway. The point would be show drivers new, efficient routes around the parish that they can easily remember and use.  Then the City-Parish would make efforts to improve those routes and make them more efficient at moving people.

8 – A Fair Shake for North Baton Rouge

The City-Parish should make a concentrated effort to provide adequate municipal services in North Baton Rouge, especially garbage and trash pickup, maintenance of servitudes and rights of way, pickup of litter, and enforcement of municipal codes, including removal of condemned buildings.

9 – A Fair Shake for St. George

The City-Parish government should immediately drop its suit against the incorporate the City of St. George, which was approved by the voters, and make every effort to work with the leaders of the St. George movement and ultimately the new City of St. George and Southeast Community School District.

10 – Creation of Choctaw Industrial Park

A large number of successful industrial businesses are located along Choctaw Drive, South Choctaw, and nearby streets.  The Choctaw Industrial Park would bring these businesses together to enhance their profitability and job creation ability. The Industrial Park would include an Exhibition Center to draw national attention and business to companies located in the Choctaw Industrial Park.

Goal: Make Baton Rouge a Safe, Beautiful, and Prosperous City Where People Love to Live, Go to School, Raise a Family, Work, and Retire.

These Ideas Are Just the Beginning!  Contribute Your Thoughts, Criticisms, and Proposals to the Central City News’ Plan.  Email editor Woody Jenkins at CentralCityNews@hotmail.com