LMR_September proof8

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President’s Message 17 YEARS LATER: WE STILL REMEMBER BY MAYOR HARRY LEWIS, TOWN OF RAYVILLE I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001. It was the beginning of another busy morning at Rayville High School, where I served as principal. At about 8:35 a.m., the telephone began ringing off the hook. Each call alerted us about the attack on New York. I turned on the office TV and saw scenes that appeared to be in a disaster movie, except this unbelievable, shocking scene was happening in real time. I asked our teachers to turn their room TV’s on to allow students to witness this sad, but historic event. The Rayville Police Department actually sent an officer to get a student out of class because his father, an Army officer stationed in New York, was likely at the site. However, his father was delayed that day because of an appointment. We learned that extreme Islamic terrorists had hijacked four airplanes. The first airplane plowed into the north tower of the World Trade Center, the second into the south tower of the World Trade Center, and the third plane attacked the Pentagon. The fourth plane’s attack was foiled by the courageous passengers of United Flight 93. This plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, killing Legal Briefs PARTY, INTERRUPTED BY KAREN DAY WHITE, EXECUTIVE COUNSEL Law enforcement officers are charged with enforcing the laws within their jurisdictions and with safeguarding the public. Officers are often forced to enter potentially dangerous situations knowing little or nothing about the scenario, and in carrying out their duties, officers can sometimes cause damages to criminal suspects or other persons. It is upon the backdrop of this canvas that the defense of qualified immunity for law enforcement officers has arisen. Neatly stated, qualified immunity for police officers means that the allegation of civil liability against the officer must be dismissed because the complained of act did not violate a clearly established constitutional or federal statutory right of which a reasonable person would have known. In the same way that a lock will only give way when all of the tumblers fall into place, all aboard. No one is sure of the plane’s target. This deadly attack killed nearly 3,000 people. This number included firemen, paramedics, police officers and Port Authority police officers. Additionally, many who survived this dreadful attack are experiencing various health issues as a result of toxic fumes. This attack affected every state in the United States, but the shock and grief of these vicious attacks were shared by countries throughout the world. Seventeen years later, we still remember 9/11. We remember lives lost and the families who suffered these loses. Cities, towns and villages throughout Louisiana and the nation will observe this day. American flags will proudly wave on homes and businesses, and at half-mast on US government buildings and establishments. Schools and businesses will observe 9/11 with a moment of silence. Churches will open for special prayer services. Let this be a day of remembrance and service. Take the time to thank and pray for our first responders who put their lives on the line everyday so that we may live in safe communities. We remember! God bless this great organization! God bless Louisiana! God bless the United States of America! the defense must prove all of the essential elements of this immunity in order for a lawsuit against an officer to be dismissed. The overarching theme of the immunity, though, is that the officers must have acted reasonably based on the information known to them at the time. The US Supreme Court recently examined the immunity in the context of a particularly bawdy case arising from the District of Columbia (D.C. v. Wesby, 138 S.Ct. 577, 1/22/18). Therein, police officers responded to a complaint about loud music and illegal activities in a vacant house. Upon arrival, the officers smelled marijuana, and observed beer bottles and liquor on the filthy floor, a make-shift strip club set up in the living SEE LEGAL BRIEFS, PAGE 6 Page 4 LMR | September 2018
Inside the LMA Governor’s Column THE VALUE OF PARTNERSHIP BY JOHN BEL EDWARDS, GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA I want to begin by thanking the entire Louisiana Municipal Association for inviting me to speak at your 81st Annual Convention in Lake Charles last month. It was a pleasure seeing so many mayors, council members, police jurors and other local leaders from around the state and hearing your ideas and perspectives on how to continue growing and improving our state. As usual, LMA Executive Director John Gallagher and LMA President Lawrence Henagan made me feel welcome from the start. I greatly appreciate their strong leadership and dedication to Louisiana’s incredible cities, towns and villages. Congratulations to Rayville Mayor Harry Lewis on becoming LMA’s new president and to Sibley Mayor Jimmy Williams for being elected first vice president and Grosse Tete Mayor Michael Chauffe for being elected second vice president. Their combined years of experience as proven leaders will be a tremendous asset to the Association, and I offer them and all of the members my continued support. As recovery from the disastrous floods of 2016 continues, there is some good news to share with you. Both the Restore Task Force and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) quickly approved my request in July to increase the reimbursement grant award for the Restore Homeowner Assistance Program from 50 percent to 100 percent for all eligible homeowners who were impacted by the floods. The first wave of updated reimbursement checks were mailed immediately and the program has distributed more than $60 million in additional funds to nearly 5,000 homeowners. Ultimately, more than 10,000 eligible homeowners will receive about $110 million in reimbursement funds. October 1, 2018 is the deadline for homeowners who have already been invited to fill out an application with Restore but have not completed it. This deadline only applies to just under 4,000 homeowners. On another related issue, one of our top priorities has been correcting the federal duplication of benefits language that has prevented thousands of homeowners from receiving the full amount of their disaster recovery award from Restore. This is by far the number one complaint we have received and one we believe can only be fixed by the federal government. Both my administration and our congressional delegation have been working tirelessly to resolve this matter. Unfortunately, flooding is becoming all too common, and the March and August floods in 2016 have forced us to rethink our approach to floodplain management. The status quo is no longer an option. Recently, we launched the Louisiana Watershed Initiative. It’s a continuation of the planning, coordination and collaboration across various federal, state, and local agencies in direct response to the historic 2016 floods. I created the Council on Watershed Management through executive order earlier this year. It is the interagency structure at the state level through which all Watershed Initiative efforts will be coordinated and managed. The Council is comprised of the Office of Community Development (OCD), the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). In the coming months, they will begin introducing a number of efforts focused on statewide flood risk reduction. Even as we recover from one natural disaster, we are always preparing for the possibility of another. As we enter the peak months of hurricane season, it is important to have a plan in place to protect our families, homes and businesses. If you or your constituents are in need of a plan, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness can help. Visit www.GetAGamePlan.org for more information. In closing, Donna and I wish you and your families a very relaxing and enjoyable Labor Day. With all the hard work that the men and women of Louisiana’s three hundred and five municipalities put in each and every day, it is important that we recognize the benefits we all enjoy because of their efforts. Be proud of all you do for our great state, we certainly are. God bless you all. Searching for the right fit? THAT IS OUR SPECIALTY. Comprehensive Executive Recruitment focused on matching professional skills, management style and core values to fit your organization’s specific requirements. waters-company.com 800.899.1669 LMR | September 2018 Page 5
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Page 11 and 12: LAMATS Board Names New 2018-2019 Of
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Page 23 and 24: Feature How can LRPA help you? Recr

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