LMR_October FINAL 2018

Louisiana Municipal Review 

PUBLISHED BY THE LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION 

VOL 83, NO. 10 

OCTOBER 2018

The Louisiana Municipal Review, the official publication of the Louisiana Municipal Association, serves as a medium for the exchange 

of ideas and information for municipal officials in Louisiana. With a circulation of over 3,200, this publication is read by employees of 

Louisiana municipal governments, sheriffs, parish presidents, state government officials, and members of the state legislature and 

Congressional delegation, among others. Subscription rate: $24 per year; Single copy: $2. Louisiana residents, add 9% sales tax. Rates 

for display, professional-listing, and classified advertising available upon request at editor@lma.org. 

Statements or expressions of opinions appearing herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Louisiana Municipal 

Association. Publication of any advertisement shall not be considered an endorsement of the product or service involved. No 

material from this publication may be reprinted without the express permission of the editor. 

Editorial offices: Louisiana Municipal Association, 700 North 10th Street, Suite 400, Post Office Box 4327, Baton Rouge, LA 70821- 

4327, editor@lma.org, www.lma.org, (225) 344-5001, (800) 234-8274, FAX (225) 344-3057. 

LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL REVIEW 

MUNICIPAL REVIEW STAFF 

(USPS 832-560) (ISSN 0164-3622) 

3 rd class postage paid at Baton Rouge, 

Executive Director: John Gallagher jgallagher@lma.org 

Louisiana. 

Managing Editor: Karen Day White kwhite@lma.org 

Postmaster – Send address changes to: 

Editor: Anita Tillman atillman@lma.org 

LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL REVIEW 

Production Coordinator: Baton Rouge Press, Inc. 

Post Office Box 4327 

Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4327 

2018-19 LMA EXECUTIVE BOARD (non-affiliate, non-advisory) 

President – Harry Lewis – Mayor, Rayville 

First Vice President – Jimmy Williams – Mayor, Sibley 

LMA Past President – Barney Arceneaux, Mayor, Gonzales 

LMA Past President – Glenn Brasseaux, Mayor, Carencro 

Second Vice President– Michael Chauffe – Mayor, Grosse Tete LMA Past President – Carroll Breaux, Mayor, Springhill 

Immediate Past President – Lawrence Henagan, Mayor, DeQuincy LMA Past President – Vern Breland, Mayor, Sterlington 

District A Vice President – Peggy Adkins, Mayor, Sarepta 

LMA Past President – David Butler, Mayor, Woodworth 

District B Vice President – Roy Lewis, Mayor, Homer 

LMA Past President – David Camardelle, Mayor, Grand Isle 

District C Vice President – Lucy Holtzclaw, Mayor Pro Tem, Sterlington LMA Past President – Clarence Fields, Mayor, Pineville 

District D Vice President – Rick Allen, Mayor, Leesville 

LMA Past President – Norman Heine, Councilman, Baker 

District E Vice President – Nathan Martin, Councilman, Pineville Vice President at Large – Derrick Johnson, Mayor, Cheneyville 

District F Vice President – Purvis Morrison, Mayor, Scott 

Vice President at Large – Jennifer Vidrine, Mayor, Ville Platte 

District G Vice President – Kenneth Stinson, Mayor, Vinton 

Vice President (< 1K) – Johnnie L. Natt, Mayor, Mangham 

District H Vice President – David Toups, Mayor, Addis 

Vice President (1K – 2.5K) – William D'Aquilla, Mayor, St. Francisville 

District I Vice President – Donald Villere, Mayor, Mandeville Vice President (2.5K – 5K) – Robert Hardey, Mayor, Westlake 

District J Vice President – Rodney Grogan, Mayor, Patterson 

Page 2 

LMR | October 2018

Inside the LMA 

Director’s Viewpoint 

CLERKS KEEP THE SHIP SAILING! 

BY JOHN GALLAGHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

I am very pleased that we are focusing the October 

issue of the Louisiana Municipal Review on recognizing 

the hard work and dedication of municipal clerks. 

From Mound to New Orleans, and regardless of size, 

the municipal clerk plays a huge role in keeping the 

municipal ship sailing. In my career at the LMA, I have 

probably talked to almost every municipal clerk at 

some point. I always enjoyed, and still do, answering 

technical assistance questions. Not only did I enjoy 

sharing those “eureka” moments with a laugh, but 

also working through operational frustrations, or even 

consoling a clerk who was working through the pain 

of an unexpected transition. We are pleased that the 

Louisiana Municipal Clerks Association (LMCA) has an 

affiliate seat on the LMA Executive Board and helps 

to guide our organizational decisions. The LMA staff 

works closely with the LMCA Executive Board and 

its members to organize training and conferences. 

The clerk’s annual fall training event, the Louisiana 

Municipal Clerks Institute, will take place later this 

month in Baton Rouge. The LMA is proud to commit 

$2,000 per year toward scholarships for clerks to 

attend this important training. Congratulations in 

advance to those clerks who will graduate with their 

Master Clerk certification, an accolade that is achieved 

only after several years of dedicated training and 

education. I encourage all clerks to join the LMCA 

and attend these conferences, not only for the 

education, but for the networking opportunities that 

are invaluable to your position. I am looking forward 

to speaking to attendees this year on the Lawrason 

Act, legislative charters, and home rule charters, and 

I appreciate being invited annually (I guess I must be 

doing something right!). The LMA is proud to sponsor 

the Louisiana Municipal Clerk Technical Assistance 

Program. Through this program, a veteran certified 

clerk provides technical guidance to a new municipal 

clerk. This is enabled through the LMA reimbursing the 

mentoring clerk for mileage, food, and lodging. The 

LMA offers a hearty salute to all Louisiana municipal 

clerks – we commend you for your professionalism and 

hard work! 

Our prayers and thoughts go out to our colleagues in 

North Carolina and South Carolina, as they deal with 

the devastation from flooding caused by Hurricane 

Florence. We in Louisiana know all too well what they 

are going through and what lies ahead for their long 

recovery. I have been in contact 

with my counterparts and have 

offered any assistance from the 

LMA that may be needed as they 

work with their members to begin recovery. 

As 2018 begins to wind down, we will look ahead to 

the 2019 LMA Mid-Winter Conference and reenergize 

our focus on the 2019 Legislative Session. The 2019 

session will be a shorter, 65-day fiscal session. The 

LMA legislative team has already begun visiting with 

legislators about the issues local governments are 

facing and will continue to do so throughout the 

remainder of the year. 

Have a great October and enjoy a safe and happy 

Halloween. 

LMR | October 2018 Page 3

President’s Message 

COME GROW WITH US 

BY MAYOR HARRY LEWIS, TOWN OF RAYVILLE 

It has been said that the slogan, 

“You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” 

can be applied to our great 

organization. It began 92 years 

ago when officers of Louisiana 

cities organized the Louisiana Conference of Mayors. It is 

believed that 29 towns and cities joined in this program 

to promote better municipal governments. As with any 

organization, the Louisiana Municipal Association survived 

many challenges and changes. However, the mission of the 

LMA has remained constant: (1.) to provide education on 

municipal issues; (2.) to promote local governments; and 

(3.) to exchange ideas and experiences among elected 

leaders throughout the state. 

Since 1927, the LMA membership has increased from 29 

towns and cities to 305 members consisting of 127 villages, 

112 towns, 64 cities and 2 parishes. We strongly encourage 

other municipalities to join us. Our success is contingent 

upon the support and engagement of LMA membership. 

It is an organization that is inclusive, diverse and with 

numerous benefits. 

The LMA works diligently with state and local 

governments on issues important to our municipalities. 

Our Executive Director and his staff, along with our 

Executive Counsel and LMA legislative team actively 

track bills and keep members abreast of their status. 

Additionally, I will add my voice to theirs and actively 

support or oppose a bill. I respectfully urge you to stay in 

contact with your representatives, now and during session, 

and attend meetings when possible. 

Educational training on issues that affect our towns, cities, 

and villages are provided at District Meetings, Mid-Winter 

Conferences, and Annual Conventions. Topics of interest, 

such as Blighted Property, Open Meetings, Public Records, 

and Preparation for 2020 Census have been valuable 

learning workshops at annual conferences. Webinar series 

are also valuable learning tools. 

The LMA has several publications. The Louisiana 

Municipal Review is the most notable of these. It is our 

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 

official monthly publication and contains a wealth of 

information. It shares information, ideas and interesting 

topics. If you want to contribute newsworthy articles 

about your, villages, towns, or city, please contact LMA 

Communications Coordinator. 

The Louisiana Municipal Association is there when you 

need us. We are ready to share resources and support. 

By sharing with one another, we ensure that the whole is 

greater than the sum of its parts. The LMA is more than an 

organization, we are a family. 

We have faced multiple natural diseases, lost property, 

homes and loved ones. But we are resilient, strong and 

trust in our God. Please join our beloved, awesome LMA 

as we press on, press up and press for continued success! 

God bless each of you. 

Calendar of Events 

October 

1 Sharing HR Solutions Seminar, 9:30 a.m.- 

3:30 p.m. at the LMA Office Building, 700 

North 10th Street, Baton Rouge, 70802. 

2-4 BOAL ICC Training, Eastbank Council 

Chambers, Joseph S. Yenni Building, 1221 

Elmwood Park Blvd, 2nd Floor, Jefferson, LA 

70123. 

10 Louisiana Municipal Association Executive 

Board Meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. in the 

LMA Office Building, 700 North 10th Street, 

Baton Rouge, 70802, First Floor Meeting 

Room 2. 

16 BOAL Executive Board Meeting will start 

at 9:00 a.m. in the LMA Office Building, 700 

North 10th Street, Baton Rouge, 70802. 

17 LMGA Executive Committee Meeting will 

start at 10:00 a.m. in the LMA Office Building, 

700 North 10th Street, Baton Rouge, 70802. 

The LMGA Board of Directors Meeting will 

follow at 11:00 a.m 

17-18 Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police Fall 

Conference will be held Oct 17-18 in Baton 

Rouge at the Downtown Hilton. 

18 LaMATS Webinar on LPS (LaMATS Purchasing 

Services) will be presented at 10:00 a.m. 

Check the LMA website at www.lma.org for 

login information. 

21-26 Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute. Embassy 

Suites, Baton Rouge. 

Page 4 



Governor’s Column 

STRENGTHENING LOUISIANA’S FUTURE 

BY JOHN BEL EDWARDS, GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA 

Autumn is here and admittedly, this is 

one of my favorite times of the year. 

With the cooler weather, the holidays 

and of course, lots of football, there are 

so many great things to look forward 

to. I certainly hope that all of you 

enjoy it as well. Given your diligent 

and dedicated work for the citizens of 

our great state, you certainly deserve 

to do so. The heartbeat of any place is 

its people, and it is your service to our 

people that is greatly appreciated. Real 

leadership matters. 

There’s good news for our state. For the second year 

in a row, Louisiana will have a budget surplus, some 

$300 million from the fiscal year that ended on June 

30, 2018. It’s mainly attributed to personal income and 

corporate taxes coming in higher than projected, and 

we hope that’s an indication that our state’s economy 

is continuing to improve. There were more jobs, people 

brought home better paychecks, and businesses were 

more profitable. This is quite a contrast to our state 

budget situation, when I first took office, when we 

were facing a nearly $3 billion shortfall. With your help, 

for the first time in nearly a decade, we have been 

able to stabilize our budget and revenues, and we are 

budgeting more responsibly. 

With all of this progress and the hope we have for 

strengthening Louisiana’s future, it is incredibly 

important that we focus on ensuring that our children 

are better prepared for the opportunities we hope to 

provide them. That is why I am making it one of my 

top priorities to support the hardworking teachers of 

our state for a pay raise. Teachers are pillars of every 

community in Louisiana and deserve to be paid much 

more for the hard work that they put into educating 

our next generation of leaders. 

I know that one of the major issues everyone is 

concerned about is providing increased flood 

protection to our communities. We know that what 

happens in one watershed either directly or indirectly 

impacts another, which is why we must to come 

up with regional and innovative ways to mitigate 

the risks. Nearly every parish was impacted by the 

historic flooding of 2016 and we have learned so much 

about how to further strengthen our resilience. That’s 

why I created the 

Louisiana Watershed 

Council earlier 

this year, and I’m 

happy to report that the work has 

already started. The Council, which 

has launched the Louisiana Watershed 

Initiative, held its fourth meeting last 

month and received updates on the 

planning, projects, community outreach 

and ongoing flood risk reduction efforts 

that are currently taking place across 

the state. 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). By working together we will make things 

better for our people and our state. The Council will 

travel around the state in the weeks ahead to promote 

the initiative and inform local officials. I hope that you 

can attend one of the events. Here are the dates and 

locations: 

Lafayette - October 8 

Monroe- October 16 

Shreveport- October 17 

Alexandria - October 18 

Houma/Thibodaux - October 23 

Lake Charles - November 7 

Baton Rouge - November 14 

Hammond - November 15 

God bless you all, and thank you for your unwavering 

service towards making Louisiana the best that it can be. 

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Prairieville, LA 70769 

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Legal Briefs 

ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE HURDLE?! 

BY KAREN DAY WHITE, EXECUTIVE COUNSEL 

News and social media outlets are littered lately with 

discussions of partisanship in the Louisiana Legislature, 

and how such a dynamic makes it very difficult to 

get even innocuous legislation passed. On top of 

regional and party interests, there is also an element 

of infringement from national groups, who attempt to 

insert their national political agenda into state (and 

sometimes even local) politics. Now, there is another 

obstacle for local government advocates to contend 

with: corporatism. 

This is an alarming trend whereby powerful private 

corporations use their influence to reduce, restrict, 

and prohibit local regulations of their industry. This 

dovetails into the recent rise in preemptive state 

legislation regarding local governments – from plastic 

bags, to parking, to zoning and taxation issues. Under 

the corporatism scheme, large trade associations 

leverage the power to push through legislation that 

would be harmful to state government in exchange for 

state preemption of local government authority. 

For example, during the 2018 legislative session in 

California, the American Beverage Association, who 

represents the major soda and sugar-sweetened 

beverage brands, proposed to push a measure onto the 

November ballot that would have seriously weakened 

the ability of California governments to raise revenue. 

They dropped that push in exchange for a ban on 

new local taxes on sweetened beverages until 2030. 

Other examples include the 25-state preemption of 

local minimum wage-setting, the 22-state ban on 

local workers earning paid sick days, and the 43-state 

preemption on locals establishing their own parameters 

for gun control. Whatever your opinion is on these 

issues, local governments are endowed with the 

authority to make the decisions that best reflect their 

community standards and goals. 

Given the myriad of proposed preemptive legislation at 

the Louisiana State Capitol in recent years, one is left 

to wonder how much is due to corporate pressure and 

national political action groups. 

Municipal leaders are in the best position to make 

decisions to ensure public safety, seek racial and 

economic equity, pursue quality of life measures, and 

provide for fair elections. Local governments can take 

charge of their own affairs in a way that provides full 

accountability to their citizens, and 

they should not live under constant 

threat of state interference because 

their local decisions cross corporate interests. The 

tiered system of democracy – federal, state, and local – 

only works if all three levels function effectively. 

The LMA, in collaboration with our local government 

partners, will continue to fight back against preemptive 

legislation, as we have consistently in the past. Your 

voice and your participation in our legislative efforts 

are essential to our success. Thank you for being 

engaged and watch for more calls to action during the 

next session. 

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Page 6 



Beauregard Parish Fair 

Oct 2-6, DeRidder 

beauregardparishfair.vpweb.com 

Hometown Happenings 

Bridge City Gumbo Festival 

Oct 12-14, Bridge City 

www.bridgecitygumbofestival.org 

Harvest Festival on False River 

Oct 19-21, New Roads 

www.harvestfestivalnewroads.com 

St. Tammany Parish Fair 

Oct 3-7, Covington 

www.sttammanyparishfair.info 

Tangipahoa Parish Fair 

Oct 3-7, Amite 

www.tangipahoaparishfair.org 

La Fete Des Vieux Temps 

Oct 5-7, Raceland 

Acadia Music Fest 

Oct 6, Thibodaux 

www.acadiamusicfest.net 

Antique Village Fall Festival 

Oct 6, Denham Springs 

www.denhamspringsantique 

district.com 

Beignet Fest 

Oct 6, New Orleans 

www.beignetfest.com 

Bloody Mary Festival 

Oct 6, Monroe 

www.downtownrivermarket.com 

Livingston Parish Fair 

Oct 9-14, Livingston 

www.livingstonparishfair.org 

Louisiana Cotton Festival 

Oct 9-14, Ville Platte 

www.louisianacottonfestival.com 

Zwolle Tamale Fiesta 

Oct 11-13, Zwolle 

www.zwolletamalefiesta.com 

Louisiana Cattle Festival & Fair 

Oct 12-14, Abbeville 

www.louisianacattlefestival.org 

Louisiana Gumbo Festival 

of Chackbay 

Oct 12-14, Thibodaux 

www.lagumbofest.com 

St. Peters Fishermen’s Festival 

Oct 12-14, Reserve 

www.stpeterreserve.org 

Teddy’s Bear Fest 

Oct 13, Tallulah 

Louisiana Tournoi 

De La Ville Platte 

Oct 14, Ville Platte 

www.louisianatournoi.com 

Calcasieu Cameron Parish Fair 

Oct 17-21, Sulphur 

www.calcamfair.com 

Washington Parish Free Fair 

Oct 17-20, Franklinton 

www.freefair.com 

International Rice Festival 

Oct 18-20, Crowley 

www.ricefestival.com 

St. John Andouille Festival 

Oct 19-20, LaPlace 

www.andouillefestival.com 

Louisiana Food & Music Festival 

Oct 20, Monroe 

www.downtownrivermarket.com 

Ragley Heritage & 

Timber Festival 

Oct 20, Ragley 

www.visitlakecharles.org 

Rougarou Fest 

Oct 20-21, Houma 

www.rougaroufest.org 

Greater Baton Rouge State Fair 

Oct 25 – Nov 8, Baton Rouge 

www.gbrsf.com 

State Fair of Louisiana 

Oct 25-Nov 11, Shreveport 

www.statefairoflouisiana.com 

French Food Festival 

Oct 26-28, Larose 

www.bayoucivicclub.org 

Sabine Free State Festival 

Oct 26-28, Many 

Holy Smoke BBQ Cook-off & 

Praise Festival 

Oct 27, DeQuincy 


Attorney General’s Opinions 

BY JEFF LANDRY, ATTORNEY GENERAL 

Prohibited Donations 

Opinion: 18-0008 La. Const. art. VII, §14 

(A) prohibits the payment of wages 

earned more than three years in the past 

due to the liberative prescriptive period 

for unpaid wages found in La. Civ. C. art. 3494. Opinion Released: 

8/20/2018 

Opinion: 18-0015 La. Const. art. VII, §14 would not prohibit the 

City from retroactively paying earned compensation to two 

employees for new and additional duties actually performed if 

the City obligated itself to make such payments and if the City 

deems that it received a benefit commensurate with the amount 

of the additional compensation to be paid. Opinion Released: 


Opinion: 18-0105 If the installation of a culvert is for the sole 

benefit of private landowner, then installation of the culvert 

would be the responsibility of the private landowner. However, if 

installation of the culvert is for the benefit of the public at large, 

then the police jury could install the culvert. Opinion Released: 


Blight Abatement 

Opinion: 18-0079 The privilege Golden Meadow may assert 

under its authority to condemn dangerous structures ranks first 

among privileges and ahead of all mortgages in any particular 

property to which that privilege may apply. Opinion Released: 


Ad Valorem Taxes 

Opinion: 17-0107 A surviving spouse occupying property as 

his homestead and holding a full ownership interest over fifty 

percent of the property and a usufruct over the other fifty percent 

may qualify for the homestead exemption and the special 

assessment level if the requirements of La. Const. art. VII, § 20(A) 

(2) and La. Const. art. VII, § 18(G)(2) are met. Opinion Released: 


Public Records 

Opinion: 18-0115 All records described in La. R.S. 44:1(A)(2), are 

public records of the State of Louisiana. Records that do not conform 

to the definition provided by the Louisiana Legislature are 

not subject to the provisions of Title 44 of the Louisiana Revised 

Statutes. Opinion Released: 9/5/2018 

Page 8 


Municipalities 

Condolences 

Mayor Paxton Branch, Sr., Tallulah 

The City of Tallulah mourns the 

death of Mayor Paxton Branch who 

passed away on September 1, 2018 at 

the age of 51. Mayor Branch served 

LMA faithfully as the former District 

C Vice President. He had just 

announced his intent to run in 2019 

for Second Vice President. “Mayor 

Branch was a good friend of the 

Mayor Paxton Branch 

LMA,” said LMA Executive Director 

John Gallagher, who travelled to Tallulah for both the 

memorial celebration and funeral services. “We will 

definitely miss him. Along with being a devout Christian 

and family man, Mayor Branch had a true vision for 

Tallulah.” 

Rayville mayor and LMA President Harry Lewis 

remembers him as a friend. “We are just all in shock,” said 

Lewis. “We will encourage and support his family and 

want them to know if there’s anything we can do, we will 

be there for them. I’ve known him for many years and 

more than anything else, he’s my friend. I’m going to miss 

him and his leadership and friendship. I’ll always carry it.” 

Branch leaves behind his wife Mildred, children Arnetria 

and Paxton II and a granddaughter Salayla. 

Alderman James Clifton, Sr., Oil City 

The Town of Oil City is mourning the passing of long 

term alderman, James Clifton, Sr. He had been serving on 

the council for the past 26 years and was the brother-inlaw 

of the late Mayor Charles “Chip” Dickey, Jr. 

Alderman Clifton was a retired Chief Master Sergeant 

for the U.S. Air Force; longtime member, deacon, and 

clerk for Ferry Lake Baptist Church; and member of the 

Rotary Club, Ward II. 

He passed away on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. 

Former Mayor Raywood LeMaire, Vinton 

Former Vinton Mayor Raywood LeMaire passed away on 

September 11, 2018, after a long battle with cancer. 

He served as Mayor of the Town of Vinton for 22 years - 

from 1972-1989, and again from 1997-2001. 

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Reminder Regarding Capital Outlay Requests for FY 2019-2020 

Proposed for Consideration in the 2019 Legislative Session 

By James Purpera Governmental Consulting 

The November 1st deadline for Capital Outlay Requests 

to be submitted for consideration in next year’s budget 

is not far away. If you are planning to request a new 

project or update or make a revision to a previously 

requested or currently funded project, you should be 

working on trying to finalize your cost and project 

description information. 

IMPORTANT 

Pursuant to recent 

changes in RS 

39:102, requests for 

non-state projects 

are now required to 

include an estimate of the required local match and the 

amount of the local match expended. 

A new capital outlay request including a letter of support 

must be submitted for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 for any 

nonstate project granted a line of credit for Fiscal Year 

2018-2019 (the current fiscal year). Even if your project 

is fully funded, underway, or even complete, if you have 

an outstanding Line of Credit or State General Fund 

Cash in the current year Capital Outlay Budget Act then 

technically this rule requires you to re-submit a capital 

outlay request to reflect the current status of your 

project. 

All capital outlay requests must include a physical 

location (address, closest intersection, etc.) of the 

project. 

All copied forward capital outlay requests (in eCORTS) 

must be revised to show “updated information” including 

prior funding, match information, scope, legislators, 

operating budget, etc. 

If you have been submitting capital outlay requests for 

years you will recall that, prior to the above referenced 

changes, projects for which a line of credit had been 

granted were not required to re-submit capital outlay 

requests for the amounts that had been previously 

granted a line of credit; however, now they are required 

to re-submit. 

There is a process for submitting requests after 

November 1st, but the late submittal process has 

limitations that affect what can be requested and the 

total project cost. 

November 1st is also the deadline for submittal of 

Legislator letters of endorsement for your Capital Outlay 

Request. 

The new website for the Capital Outlay Request eCORTS 

application is https://wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana.gov/ 

ecorts/default.cfm. If you have the old eCORTS address 

bookmarked, please update it to reflect this new address 

for eCORTS. 

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) submitting 

Capital Outlay Requests are required to also submit 

an NGO Supplemental Information/Disclosure form. 

The NGO database can be accessed from the joint 

legislative web page http://legis.state.la.us/ by clicking 

on the Fiscal Information link, then click on Enter a 

New Funding Request under the Non-Governmental 

Organizations heading. 

CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDING OUTLOOK 

The outlook for Capital Outlay funding for the 2019 

Legislative Session should be much better than it has 

been in recent years primarily for the following reasons: 

• The election for Governor and the Legislature is 

scheduled for November 2019, and election years have 

traditionally been good for Capital Outlay. 

• The recently approved sales tax extension should keep 

the State Revenue situation in good shape through 

2025 so the Governor and Legislators will not be able 

to use the “fiscal cliff” argument as a reason to not 

help you with your Capital Outlay Requests in the 

2019 Legislative Session. 

• For the past three years, the Administration has 

slowed down the addition of new projects to the 

Capital Outlay Budget to the point where now the 

approved project funding amount is becoming more 

closely aligned with the funding actually available 

in the Capital Outlay Escrow Account in the State 

Treasury. The goal of this slow-down was to decrease 

the huge backlog of approved projects waiting for 

funding; and to allow projects with actual funding to 

get to the point where they can be given the OK to 

proceed more quickly. The State Bond Commission is 

planning to have a Capital Outlay Bond Sale in early 

2019, probably January; which should replenish the 

Capital Outlay Escrow Account to the level at which 

we will start to see more “funded” projects given the 

OK to proceed. 

Page 10 


A Word from 

Our Affiliates 

Premium Service 

New Growth and a Fresh Face at LaMATS 

Insurance Premium Tax Collection (IPT) Program 

By Cliff Palmer 

The list of Louisiana municipalities now receiving IPT 

revenues through the long-running LaMATS collection 

program has reached an all-time high. The majority of cities 

and towns (with 65 and 89 participating, respectively), 

nearly half the state’s 107 smallest incorporated communities, 

and several parishes now count on LaMATS to deliver 

on this vital budget item. 

Among the earliest of LaMATS technical services, the twenty-year 

old IPT program has grown significantly since 2010 

IPT program growth has accelerated in recent years. 

and recently passed the two-thirds mark toward its goal 

of serving every LMA member municipality not collecting 

insurance premium taxes on its own. 

“This is a major milestone for us,” said LaMATS Board President, 

Mayor Clarence Fields. “We’re grateful to our participating 

local governments for their trust, and we’re eager 

to demonstrate our value to others.” 

What makes the IPT program so popular? With over 1,200 

insurance companies doing business in Louisiana, it can 

be hard to ensure each pays its fair share for the privilege 

of that business. LaMATS collection service is proven to 

increase IPT revenues and streamline distribution while 

significantly reducing insurance companies’ delinquent 

payments. 

In all, $22.9 million in collected revenues now pass annually 

through the program and into the coffers of local governments 

across the state. And as it happens, every penny 

of that sum passes through the hands 

of LaMATS IPT Program Manager, Ms. 

Mary Joseph. 

Known by friends and colleagues as 

“MJ,” Mary joined the LaMATS team 

in October 2016 after working in the 

LMA’s accounting office since 2010. 

She takes her new responsibilities 

with a seriousness belied by the quick 

wit and ready smile she shares with 

co-workers and customers alike. 

Meeting LMA members’ needs and 

making sure every dollar is accounted for requires both 

order and creativity. While incoming funds from hundreds 

of insurance companies are carefully tallied and monthly 

checks are distributed to members, the value of the work 

lies in the trust municipalities give the program manager 

to operate on their behalf. 

The other part is pure detective work and sometimes it is 

necessary to track companies down and make sure they’re 

fully aware of their responsibilities. The companies seem 

to appreciate having a centralized point of contact statewide—a 

direct benefit to efforts at reducing delinquent 

payments. 

LaMATS looks forward to pushing the percentage of LMA 

members served as high as it can go in the coming years. 

To join the LaMATS IPT collection program, contact Mary 

Joseph, Program Manager, via email at mary@lamats.net 

_______________ 

IPT Program Manager 

Mary Joseph 

Editor’s Note: A heading in the September edition of the LMR 

incorrectly dates the LaMATS Board of Directors as 2017-18. 

All officers listed on page 11 of Vol. 83, No. 9, have been elected 

for the 2018-19 year. 


LCAA Fall Conference 

The Louisiana City Attorneys Association conducted 

its 2018 fall education conference on September 21- 

22, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Baton Rouge. City 

attorneys and municipal representatives attended the 

two-day training where Russell J. Cremaldi, counsel 

for the City of Patterson, was confirmed as the 2018- 

19 LCAA President. LCAA members also elected other 

officers on Saturday for the 2018-19 term: Numa 

Metoyer, III, Town of Colfax, Vice-President; Ruby 

Freeman, Town of Boyce, Secretary/Treasurer; Phil 

Canova, City of Plaquemine, City Representative; Roy 

K. Burns, Village of Folsom, Village Representative; and 

Wilbur Reynaud, Town of Lutcher, Town Representative. 

Congratulations to each of these municipal attorneys 

for the leadership that they provide for LCAA 

members. 

Conference workshops included presentations on 

public bid law and legislative updates, the Wayfair v 

South Dakota decision, the LA Code of Governmental 

Ethics, professionalism, legal ethics, and recent 

President-elect Russell Cremaldi presents a plaque to outgoing president 

Maurice Trippi. 

developments 

in the Code of 

Civil Procedure. 

Dinah “Penny” 

Ambeau-Scott, 

LMA Membership 

Services 

Coordinator, 

spearheaded the 

planning and 

coordination of 

this event, and 

she is excited 

to already 

be planning 

the LCAA 

2019 Spring 

Conference, 

which is 

scheduled for 

Friday, March 29, 2019. Please save this date on your 

calendar, as well as the LCAA 2019 Fall Conference, 

which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 

4-5, 2019 at the Embassy Suites in Baton Rouge. 

Page 12 


A Word from 

Our Affiliates 


Louisiana Watershed Initiative 

In response to the devastation 

caused by the Great Floods of 

2016, Gov. John Bel Edwards 

charged several state agencies 

with coordinating their efforts 

to reduce future flood risk 

and help communities take 

steps toward becoming more 

resilient. For the past two years, 

these agencies have been 

hard at work to accomplish 

this mission. To that end, Gov. 

Edwards issued an executive 

order creating the Council on 

Watershed Management, which builds on best practices 

already implemented in some areas of the state. 

The Council comprises decision-makers at five state 

agencies that deal with flood-risk management and 

represents a distinct shift from the status quo in 

Louisiana’s flood-risk reduction efforts. The Council 

will coordinate its efforts to empower and enable local 

governments and stakeholders to address flood risks 

on a watershed basis, as opposed to the political and 

jurisdictional boundaries that have historically driven the 

process. 

To this end, the Council has launched the Louisiana 

Watershed Initiative. Through the Initiative, the Council 

established technical advisory groups consisting of 

subject matter experts from throughout the state 

who will build a foundation of data, projects, policies, 

standards and guidance to manage our state’s water at 

the watershed level. One of the core principals of the 

technical advisory groups is to fully engage municipal 

and parish government officials and professionals, 

as well as the public and other stakeholders, into all 

recommendations and approaches undertaken by the 

Watershed Initiative and Council. 

The Great Floods of 2016 devastated thousands of 

Louisianians; without a coordinated effort at the 

watershed level, we can anticipate more of the same. 

We owe it to each of our residents to act responsibly 

with this coordinated approach across all levels of 

government. We must accept this charge by diligently 

applying objective, science-driven approaches to reduce 

future flood risk and achieve the best possible long-term 

sustainability and resilience in our communities. 

In September, the Initiative started hosting a series of 

meetings and technical workshops throughout Louisiana. 

At these events, municipal leaders and their staff have 

been integral participants in the ongoing development of 

data and plans that will inform these efforts. 

The schedule for all Louisiana Watershed Initiative 

meetings is located online at http://watershed.la.gov. We 

hope you will join us at these events, as well as actively 

engage your municipality with the Initiative by emailing 

us with your questions, comments and concerns at 

watershed@la.gov. 

Before digging, call 811 

at least two full work days in advance. 

That’s all it takes to notify LA One Call 

members, so they can mark nearby utility 

lines and pipelines to prevent injury and 

costly accidents. 

IT’S THE LAW. IT’S FREE. 

Call or click www.LAOneCall.com 

Page 14 


Partner Insight 

Rural Development 

USDA PROVIDES RESOURCES TO HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES THRIVE 

BY USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE DIRECTOR DR. CARRIE CASTILLE 

USDA works every day to strengthen rural communities 

throughout the state. For many municipalities seeking 

funding opportunities, federal regulations can be the 

downfall for innovation and economic opportunities. 

USDA is committed to removing regulatory red tape that 

often is a barrier to rural prosperity. A plan to streamline 

program regulations and procedures to help increase 

access to capital in rural areas is in the works. 

In 2020, USDA will allow 

lenders to use the same 

application form for 

four Rural Development 

(RD) loan guarantee 

programs that provide 

funding for business 

development, infrastructure 

improvements, and 

essential community 

services. The Community 

Facilities Guaranteed Loan 

Program, the Water and 

Waste Disposal Guaranteed 

Loan Program, the Business 

and Industry Loan Guarantee Program and the Rural 

Energy for America Program will consolidate regulations 

to enhance customers experience. Lenders can apply 

online to better align modern lending practices, 

accelerate approval processes, increase capital to start 

and expand businesses, and build critical infrastructure. 

For more information, please see page 45091 of the 

Sept. 5 Federal Register. 

USDA also unveiled a new webpage featuring 

information about the importance of rural 

e-Connectivity and the ways the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) is investing to help deploy highspeed 

broadband infrastructure in rural America. 

Reliable and affordable high-speed internet 

e-Connectivity acts as a catalyst for rural prosperity by 

enabling efficient, modern communications between 

rural American households, farms, ranches, businesses, 

schools, and health care centers. Yet, according to the 

Federal Communications Commission, 80 percent of the 

24 million Americans who lack broadband access live in 

rural areas and on tribal lands. 

USDA plays a key role in helping rural communities 

bridge this infrastructure gap 

through program investment, 

strategic partnerships, and 

Dr. Carrie Castille 

best practice implementation 

by investing in rural 

telecommunications infrastructure. This new website will 

give direct access to information on our decades-long 

programs that offer more than $700 million per year 

for modern broadband 

e-Connectivity in rural 

communities. In the coming 

months, USDA will almost 

double these longstanding 

programs with an 

additional $600 million to 

expand rural broadband 

infrastructure in unserved 

rural areas and tribal lands. 

As we are working to set 

up the new pilot program, 

USDA wants to hear the 

thoughts and needs of 

Americans living and 

doing business in rural communities. The new website 

includes a feedback form for the public and interested 

stakeholders to provide input on the design and 

requirements of the new pilot program. 

USDA is working to help expand economic opportunities 

and rural prosperity throughout Louisiana. As leaders in 

your communities, your guidance for change is extremely 

important. Please contact me, carrie.castille@la.usda.gov 

or (318) 473-7921, to let us know how we can help. 


Treasury Notes 

START SAVING FOR COLLEGE EVEN WITH TOPS 

BY STATE TREASURER JOHN M. SCHRODER 

When I attended Southeastern 

Louisiana University, I worked 

several jobs to help pay for my 

college education. There was 

no TOPS program 

Thornton, 

when 

Musso, 

I was 

&Bellemin 

in school, and we 

didn’t have easy access to student loans. Financing 

I approve this ad copy for use in the following issues: 

for college was pretty limited; you either paid for 

everything out of pocket or you depended on savings. 

Today, many Louisiana families depend on TOPS, at 

least for tuition costs, and it looks like the program will 

be around for a while. TOPS doesn’t cover all college 

expenses, however, so it’s good to have additional 

savings set aside. 

Index Listings 

You can open a college savings account through the 

Student Tuition WATER Assistance TREATMENT and CONSULTANTS Revenue Trust (START) 

program. The program can be used to save money 

tax-free for tuition, room and board, books and fees. 

START can be used to pay expenses at any higher 

education institution or Louisiana Technical College 

school. 

START is called a 529 plan, and most states operate 

similar programs. Louisiana’s program is arguably one 

of the best in the nation, however. 

The minimum deposit to open a START account is 

$10, and there are no fees to 

participate in the program. 

Parents, grandparents and other 

individuals can open accounts 

for children. 

The program offers a variety 

of tax benefits. Up to $2,400 

in deposits can be deducted 

from taxable income reported 

to the state, or if the account 

owner files a joint return, the 

amount is $4,800. Earnings are 

tax-deferred, and withdrawals 

for qualified expenses are 

exempt from state and federal 

taxes. Your START beneficiary 

pays no taxes on their 

disbursements, and you can 

change beneficiaries without 

tax consequences, provided that 

the new beneficiary is a member 

of the family of the previous 

Membership Directory 

2018 Roster Edition 

Official Publication of the 

Louisiana Rural Water Association 

beneficiary. 

Pub Code 

Tel:(800) 369-6220, (352 

You can use START to invest in a variety of options 

Fax: (352) 331-3 

-- ranging from very conservative to aggressive -- 

depending on the age of your dependent and how 

soon he or she will be entering college. Louisiana 

LWR-R0018 matches your investments from 2 percent to 14 percent 

depending on your income. The highest match is 

Authorized Signature: 

available for families who earn less than $30,000 a 

year. 

Date: 

A new federal tax change Artwork makes Contact: 529 accounts even 

more beneficial to parents by allowing for the creation 

of savings accounts for the payment of K-12 private 

school tuition. Louisiana will roll out its START 

K-12 savings program statewide this year, but in the 

meantime, the option is available to families who had 

START accounts as of December 31, 2017. 

Advertising Space 

Those START account owners are able to request 

a one-time disbursement of up to $10,000 for K-12 

expenses. Such disbursements cannot exceed the 

START account balance as of December 31, 2017, nor 

can they exceed the current account balance. As of 

September 6, 2018, there have been 396 disbursements 

for the payment of K-12 expenses totaling more than 

Custom Water 

Treatment Programs 

Designed by Professionals Since 1990 

POTAB 

ABLE 

WASTE 

WA 

ATER 

FAX: (225)654-9533 

P. O. Bory, 

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Adv Code 179697 

S. Rep: Jason Zawada (C) 

SEE TREASURY PAGE 21 

Corrosion Inhibition Iron & Manganese Control Enhanced Disinfection NSF Certified 

EPA Approved Chlorine dioxide for Stage 2 compliance assurance DBP reduction 

Sludge Dewatering Polymers Dechlorination Technical Support/Service Testing 

Naylor, LLC - Gain 

5950 NW 1st Pl 

Gainesville, Florida, 

Page 16 

707693_Thornton.indd 1 

LMR | October 2018 

8/21/14 8:33 PM

Partner Insight 

Put Advance Refundings Back on the Table 

BY NNAMDI THOMPSON, GOVERNMENT CONSULTANTS 

The National League of Cities just released their 

33rd annual City Fiscal Conditions survey. It gives a 

snapshot into how City Finance Officers view their 

respective city’s financial outlook. The NLC conducts 

an online survey each year to get a handle on what 

their membership forecasts and what issues to lobby to 

Congress. 

Some takeaways: 

• Finance officers from the smallest cities are more 

likely to report that their cities are less likely to meet 

their fiscal needs this year as compared to last year. 

• Employee wages, public safety, and infrastructure 

are the most common areas for increased spending. 

• General Fund expenditures are increasing faster than 

revenues. 

• Major tax sources (Property and Sales Tax) grew 

slower in the last year. 

• It is difficult to gauge how the provisions of the 

Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act affect city finances. 

One of the provisions, the elimination of advance 

refunding bonds, is seen as negative to future city 

finances (61%). 

Concerning the last point, respondents felt it was too 

soon to see how the Act affected their balance sheet. 

However, one of the provisions in the Act was singled 

out for concern. The Act eliminated the Advance 

Refunding Bonds. If an issuer wants to refinance 

their existing bonds, they could issue new bonds at 

SEE REFUNDINGS PAGE 21 

GOVERNMENT CONSULTANTS, INC. 

Specializing in Bond Issues and Financing 

L. Gordon King 

Dede Riggins 

Nnamdi I. Thompson 

Shaun B. Toups 

David M. Medlin 

James R. Ryan 

Stephen Holley 

(MSRB Registered Municipal Advisors) 

700 North 10 th Street Annex Bldg. 

Baton Rouge, LA 70802 

(225) 344‐2098 (Phone) (225) 344‐5952 (Fax) 

gcla@gc‐la.net (email) 

OVERVIEW 

Modern day government has become a large financial 

enterprise, handling millions of dollars and facing 

service and revenue pressures. The governing 

authority and Administrator(s) face complex financial 

decisions ranging from the impact of property and 

sales taxes to the financing of capital improvements. 

As government finance has become more complex, 

the need for financial advice to base decisions upon 

has. The services of an expert Municipal Advisor are 

being used by more and more grown governmental 

units. 

A Municipal Advisor (or “MA”) serves as a 

consultant advising the governing authority on 

matters relating to the following: 

Financial feasibility of projects; 

Total cost analysis of financing alternatives; 

Review of capital improvement financing 

programs; 

Advice on the structuring and marketing of debt 

securities. 

The MA is an integral member of the governing 

authority’s management team, providing advice and 

analysis to assist in financial decision‐making. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

FINANCE ANALYSIS 

• Analyzing available alternatives in relation to 

cost to the governing authority and providing 

financial guidance and recommendations; 

• Analyzing from a cost/benefit standpoint the 

use of incentives (free land, subsidy of bond 

issues, utility improvements) to attract 

industry; 

• Providing a detailed upfront and long‐term 

financial analysis of costs to the governing 

authority versus benefits of the specific 

project; and 

• Serving as an economic development finance 

resource for the Governing Authority. 

We Have The Experience! 


Unsung Heroes of Municipal Government 

By Douglas Schmidt, LCMC, LMCA Public Relations Officer 

The importance of a municipal 

clerk is demonstrated by the 

wording of the Lawrason Act, 

which provides that every 

municipality MUST appoint 

a clerk. Title 33 sets forth 

certain duties of the clerk: 

auditor, potential tax collector, 

minute-keeper, custodian 

of the municipal seal, and 

custodian of all ordinances 

and records. But, the myriad 

of responsibilities assumed 

by most municipal clerks far 

exceeds what is provided in 

the statutes. 

For every action undertaken 

by a municipal government – 

from contracts, to ordinances/ 

resolutions, to purchasing – there is paperwork that 

must be carefully created, processed, and maintained. 

Further, the clerk is often the “face” of the municipality, 

interacting with the public daily regarding the things that 

matter to them the most. To a large extent, the success 

of a municipal government rests on the shoulders of the 

municipal clerk, and a well-trained clerk makes everyone’s 

lives easier. A clerk’s statutory duties coupled with 

the level of service that must be delivered daily to the 

mayors and the public, should come with an instruction 

manual and a superhero’s cape. Thankfully, the Louisiana 

Municipal Clerks Association (LMCA) provides both 

instructions and a cape in the form of the 43rd Annual 

Louisiana Municipal Clerk’s Institute (LMCI) and the 

Technical Assistance Program (TAP). 

The LMCA is the organization that provides critical training 

and mentorship opportunities for clerks. The LMCI will 

take place on October 21-26, 2018 at the Embassy Suites 

in Baton Rouge. Through generous contributions from 

LMA, LaMATS, and LMCA, clerks who might not otherwise 

be able to participate, due to limited financial resources 

of their municipality, are given the opportunity to attend 

and gain the knowledge needed to be effective municipal 

clerks. This year, ten scholarship applicants were awarded 

Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial LaMATS scholarships, and 

eight applicants were awarded Gloria King Memorial LMA/ 

LMCA scholarships to attend LMCI training. 

The LMCI is a full week of classes and discussions on 

topics that affect all sizes of municipalities. It is of vital 

importance that we, as clerks, keep up with the laws that 

affect our cities, towns, and villages. For example, the 

LMCI provides training on public records and records 

retention. It is imperative 

that municipalities create 

record retention schedules 

so that they do not have an 

abundance of out of date 

files taking up much needed 

space. This is also important 

when public records requests 

are received so that the 

clerk, as custodian, knows 

exactly what records are 

available and where they are 

located. Additionally, LMCI 

classes allow clerks to gain 

points that accrue toward 

obtaining status as a Certified 

Municipal Clerk and eventually 

a Master Municipal Clerk. 

Friday morning sessions have 

been added to this year’s institute to provide even more 

points toward certification. We are hopeful for a record 

turnout this year, as the committee has booked some new 

speakers and topics, as well as fun activities. 

For new or fledgling clerks, the LMCA provides a program 

to gain expert assistance from an experienced certified 

clerk. Through the Technical Assistance Program, 

experienced clerks travel to other municipalities to mentor 

new clerks with hands-on knowledge about the municipal 

clerk’s responsibilities. This has been a very successful 

program that has enjoyed the full support of the LMA, and 

has been especially helpful for those new clerks unable to 

attend LMCI training. It is imperative that these new clerks 

know their responsibilities, and the legal and technical 

expertise of a certified clerk is essential to maintain 

operations within the boundaries of Louisiana law. For 

more information about the Technical Assistance Program, 

please contact LMCA Past President Sherry McCann at 

mccann.sherry@bellsouth.net, or LMA Member Services 

Coordinator Kelly Drone at kelly@lma.org. 

Every month, the LMCA features information in this 

publication through the “Clerk’s Corner.” We aim to 

apprise our members of upcoming events and provide a 

little levity through a “Lagniappe” section. For example, 

October is Health Literacy Month and Pizza Month. We 

encourage you to learn ways to stay physically and socially 

healthy, but to also leave room for the occasional slice or 

two of good pizza! 

Thank you to all of the municipal clerks who are indeed 

unsung heroes. Our united superpowers are keeping 

Louisiana strong! 

Page 18 


Sunday, October 21 

12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Registration 

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. [4] 

Basics of Being a Clerk 

LMCA Panel 

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Evening Reception 

Monday, October 22 

7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Registration 

7:45 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. [.25] 

Opening Remarks 

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. [1] 

TBD 

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. [1] 

Dear Younger Me 

Nancy Boudreaux 

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. 

BREAK 

10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. [1.75] 

MERS Municipal 

Responsibilities 

Susita Suire, Retirement 

Benefits Administrator 

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

Lunch (on your own) 

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. [1] 

Topic TBD 

Leman Raphael 

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. [1] 

Red Flags of 

Investment Scams 

Nancy Boudreaux 

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. 

BREAK 

3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. [.75] 

Records Retention 

Carrie Martin 

4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. [1] 

TBD 

Program Schedule 

6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. 

Pizza & Game Night 

Please bring a gift not to 

exceed $10 

Tuesday, October 23 

7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Registration 

7:45 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. [.25] 


8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. [7] 

Education Excursion to 

Myrtles Plantation & 

Angola Prison 

St. Francisville 

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. [1] 

Nnamdi Thompson, 

Government Consultants 

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. [.5] 

Technical Assistance Program 

Sherry McCann, MMC, 

LMMC, Clerk Town of Sibley, 

Past President 

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. [.5] 

Certification Application 

Process 

LMCA Certification Committee 

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. [.5] 

LA Government Assistance 

Program (LGAP) 

Traci Watts, Director Office of 

Community Development 

Wednesday, October 24 

Crazy Hat Day 

7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Registration 

7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. [1.25] 


Lawrason, Homerule & 

Legislative Charters 

John Gallagher, Executive 

Director, LMA 

LMCI Agenda 

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. [1] 

Special Elections & 

Appointments 

Ray Wood, Attorney, 

Secretary of State 

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. 

BREAK 

10:15 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. [.75] 

Legislative Updates 

Karen White Executive 

Counsel, LMA 

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. [1] 

Best Practices: Taking 

Minutes & Writing Skills 

Yvonne Lewis Day 

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 


1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. [1] 

Utility Policy & Procedure 

Rusty Reeves, Deputy 

Director, Louisiana Rural 

Water Association 

2:30 p.m. – 3:30p.m. [1] 

Three W’s of Social Media 

Anita Tillman, Communications 

Consultant, LMA 

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. 

BREAK 

3:45 p.m. – 4:45p.m. [1] 

LMCA Business Meeting 

4:45 p.m. [1] 

Skits 

5:45 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. 

Sponsor Reception 

Thursday, October 25 

LMCA Polo Shirt or 

Black Shirt Day 

7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Registration 

7:45 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. [.25] 


Sponsor Introductions 

Feature 

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. [2] 

Public Relations & Public 

Information Requests 

Karen White, Executive 

Counsel, LMA 

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. 

BREAK 

10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. [.75] 

TBD 

11:15 a.m. [1] 

GROUP PHOTOS 

11:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 


LMCA Executive Board 

Mtg. 

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. [2] 

Programs and Services 

Cliff Palmer, Executive 

Director, LaMATS 

3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. 

BREAK 

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. [1] 

Roundtable Discussions 

6:30 p.m. 

Banquet Reception 

7:00 p.m. [1] 

Banquet & Graduation 

Ceremony 

Friday, October 26 

8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. [.25] 


9:00 a.m.– 10:00 a.m. [1] 

TBD 

10:00 a.m. –10:15 a.m. 

BREAK 

10:15 a.m. –11:30a.m. [1.25] 

TBD 

Friday classes are at the LMA 

building, 700 North 10 th St. 

Baton Rouge, LA 70802. 


Mid Term Elections Preview 

Mid-Term Elections Preview 

Early voting will take place from October 23-30 for the November 6, 2018 mid-term elections. 

Secretary of State 

Kyle Ardoin Baton Rouge Republican Male 

Heather Cloud Turkey Creek Republican Female 

'Gwen' Collins-Greenup Clinton Democrat Female 

A.G. Crowe Pearl River Republican Male 

'Rick' Edmonds Baton Rouge Republican Male 

Renee Fontenot Free Baton Rouge Democrat Female 

Thomas J. Kennedy, III Metairie Republican Male 

Matthew Paul 'Matt' Moreau Zachary No Party Male 

Julie Stokes Metairie Republican Female 

U.S. Representative - 1 st Congressional District 

Lee Ann Dugas Kenner Democrat Female 

'Jim' Francis Covington Democrat Male 

Frederick 'Ferd' Jones Ponchatoula Independent Male 

Howard Kearney Mandeville Libertarian Male 

Tammy M. Savoie New Orleans Democrat Female 

Steve Scalise Jefferson Republican Male 

U.S. Representative - 2 nd Congressional District 

Belden 'Noonie Man' Batiste New Orleans Independent Male 

Cedric Richmond New Orleans Democrat Male 

Shawndra Rodriguez Baton Rouge No Party Female 

Jesse Schmidt Gretna No Party Male 

U.S. Representative - 3 rd Congressional District 

'Rob' Anderson DeQuincy Democrat Male 

Aaron J. Andrus Westlake Libertarian Male 

'Josh' Guillory Lafayette Republican Male 

Clay Higgins Lafayette Republican Male 

Mildred 'Mimi' Methvin Lafayette Democrat Female 

Larry Rader New Iberia Democrat Male 

Verone Thomas Lake Charles Democrat Male 

U.S. Representative - 4 th Congressional District 

Mark David Halverson Bossier City No Party Male 

'Mike' Johnson Bossier City Republican Male 

Ryan Trundle Shreveport Democrat Male 

U.S. Representative - 5 th Congressional District 

Ralph Abraham Archibald Republican Male 

Billy Burkette Pride Independent Male 

Jessee Carlton Fleenor Loranger Democrat Male 

Kyle Randol Monroe Libertarian Male 

U.S. Representative – 6 th Congressional District 

Justin Dewitt Baton Rouge Democrat Male 

Devin Lance Graham Gonzales Independent Male 

Garret Graves Baton Rouge Republican 

'Andie' Saizan Springfield Democrat 

26 th Senatorial District 

10 th Representative District 

Jerry Gaspard Abbeville Republican Male 

'Bob' Hensgens Gueydan Republican Male 

Jean Menard Church Point Democrat Female 

Wayne McMahen Springhill Republican Male 

33 rd Representative District 

'Les' Farnum Sulphur Democrat Male 

Teri A. Johnson Sulphur Democrat Female 

Stuart Moss Sulphur Republican Male 

90 th Representative District 

Mary DuBuisson Slidell Republican Female 

Brian Glorioso Slidell Republican Male 

Sean Morrison Slidell Democrat Male 

John Raymond Slidell Republican Male 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16: 

TREASURY NOTES 

$2.5 million. There is no state tax break or 

state match for the K-12 program, but there 

are federal tax advantages. 

At the end of the last year there were 59,774 

START accounts and $841 million in assets. 

If you don’t already have a START account, 

I highly encourage you to consider opening 

one. For more information, visit www. 

startsaving.la.gov or email start@la.gov today. 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17: 

REFUNDING 

lower rates to pay off their older bonds and 

realize those annual savings. Most bonds 

have a “lock-out” period of ten years from 

the beginning. However, prior to the Act, 

the Federal government would allow the 

City to refinance during the lock-out period 

once during the life of the bond. This was an 

advance refunding. Since this is no longer 

allowed by the Act, some cities are not able 

to achieve savings and are stuck with their 

current debt payments. With municipal 

bond rates still at all time lows, this means 

billions of dollars of bonds are unable to be 

refinanced, thus the loss of millions of dollars 

in savings for local governments. 

"We’d like to get Congress to put advance 

refundings back on the table,” said NLC 

President Mark Stodola, the mayor of Little 

Rock, Ark. “It’s big money to every city.” 

Stodola said he was able to give workers in 

his city a raise last year because of the $1.5 

million in savings it realized from a 2017 

advance refunding. 

In contrast, Stodola reports that Little Rock 

is going to have to come up with an extra $3 

million or $4 million to balance the budget 

this year because revenues are not as much 

as had been projected. 

The NLC recommends that local governments 

speak to their U.S. Congressmen for help in 

changing this part of the Act. 

Page 20 


Feature 

Statement Of Proposed Constitutional Amendments 

November 6, 2018 

In compliance with R.S. 18:431 and R.S. 18:552, a statement of the 

Proposed Constitutional Amendments in the order in which they will 

appear on the ballot for the November 6, 2018 election is provided as 

follows: 

1. “Do you support an amendment to prohibit a convicted 

felon from seeking or holding public office or appointment within 

five years of completion of his sentence unless he is pardoned?” 

Act 719 (2018 Regular Session) adds Article I, Section 10.1. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides that the following 

persons shall not be permitted to qualify as a candidate for elective 

public office or hold elective public office or appointment of honor, 

trust, or profit in this State: 1) a person who is actually under an order of 

imprisonment for conviction of a felony; or 2) a person who has been 

convicted within Louisiana of a felony and who has exhausted all legal 

remedies, or who has been convicted under the laws of any other state 

or of the United States or of any foreign government or country of a 

crime which, if committed in Louisiana, would be a felony and who has 

exhausted all legal remedies and has not been pardoned either by the 

governor of Louisiana or by the officer of the state, nation, government, 

or country having such authority to pardon in the place where the person 

was convicted and sentenced. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides an exception and 

shall not prohibit a person convicted of a felony from qualifying as a 

candidate for elective public office or holding such elective public office 

or appointment of honor, trust, or profit if more than five years have 

elapsed since the completion of his original sentence for the conviction. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment relating to felony convictions 

shall not prohibit a person from being employed by the state or a political 

subdivision. 

2. “Do you support an amendment to require a unanimous 

jury verdict in all noncapital felony cases for offenses that are 

committed on or after January 1, 2019?” 

Act 722 (2018 Regular Session) amends Article I, Section 17(A). 

Present Constitution provides that a noncapital criminal case for an 

offense in which the punishment is necessarily confinement at hard 

labor shall be tried before a jury of twelve persons, ten of whom must 

concur to render a verdict. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides that a noncapital 

criminal case for an offense committed prior to January 1, 2019 in 

which the punishment is necessarily confinement at hard labor shall 

be tried before a jury of twelve persons, ten of whom must concur to 

render a verdict. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides that a noncapital 

criminal case for an offense committed on or after January 1, 2019, in 

which the punishment is necessarily confinement at hard labor shall 

be tried before a jury of twelve persons, all of whom must concur to 

render a verdict. 

3. “Do you support an amendment to permit, pursuant to written 

agreement, the donation of the use of public equipment and 

personnel by a political subdivision upon request to another political 

subdivision for an activity or function which the requesting 

political subdivision is authorized to exercise?” 

Act 717 (2018 Regular Session) amends Article VII, Section 14(B). 

Present Constitution prohibits the funds, credit, property, or things 

of value of the state or of any political subdivision from being loaned, 

pledged, or donated, except as otherwise provided by this constitution. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment retains present constitution 

and adds an exception that allows, pursuant to a written agreement, 

the donation of the use of public equipment and personnel by a political 

subdivision upon request to another political subdivision for an 

activity or function the requesting political subdivision is authorized to 

exercise. 

4. “Do you support an amendment to remove authority to appropriate 

or dedicate monies in the Transportation Trust Fund to 

state police for traffic control purposes?” 

Act 720 (2018 Regular Session) amends Article VII, Section 27(B)(1). 

Present Constitution provides that monies in the Transportation Trust 

Fund shall be appropriated or dedicated solely and exclusively for the 

costs for and associated with construction and maintenance of the 

roads and bridges of the state and federal highway systems, the Statewide 

Flood-Control Program or its successor, ports, airports, transit, 

state police for traffic control purposes, and the Parish Transportation 

Fund or its successor and for the payment of all principal, interest, premium, 

if any, and other obligations incident to the issuance, security, 

and payment in respect of bonds or other obligations payable from the 

trust fund. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment removes the authority to appropriate 

or dedicate monies in the Transportation Trust Fund to the 

state police for traffic control purposes. 

5. “Do you support an amendment to extend eligibility for the 

following special property tax treatments to property in trust: the 

special assessment level for property tax valuation, the property 

tax exemption for property of a disabled veteran, and the property 

tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a person who died 

while performing their duties as a first responder, active duty 

member of the military, or law enforcement or fire protection officer?” 

Act 721 (2018 Regular Session) adds Article VII, Sections 18(G)(6), 21(K) 

(4) and (M)(4). 

Present Constitution provides the assessment of residential property 

receiving the homestead exemption which is owned and occupied by 

any of the following, if the owner has an adjusted gross annual income 

that does not exceed the income threshold, shall not be increased 

above the total assessment of that property for the first year that the 

owner qualifies for and receives the special assessment level, provided 

that such person or persons remain qualified for and receive the special 

assessment level: 1) people who are sixty-five years of age or older; 2) 

people who have a service-connected disability rating of fifty percent 

or more by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; 3) members 

of the armed forces of the United States or the Louisiana National 


Guard who owned and last occupied such property who are killed in 

action, or who are missing in action or are a prisoner of war for a period 

exceeding ninety days; or 4) any person or persons permanently totally 

disabled as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court 

or as certified by a state or federal administrative agency charged with 

the responsibility for making determinations regarding disability. 


and provides that a trust shall be eligible for the special assessment 

level if the trust would have been eligible for the special assessment 

level prior to the most recent reappraisal, the total assessment of the 

property held in trust shall be the assessed value on the last appraisal 

before the reappraisal. 

Present Constitution provides an additional exemption from ad valorem 

taxation of seven thousand five hundred dollars of the assessed valuation 

of property receiving the homestead exemption that is owned 

and occupied by a veteran with a service- connected disability rating of 

one hundred percent unemployability or totally disabled by the United 

States Department of Veterans Affairs or the surviving spouse of the 

veteran. 


and provides an additional exemption for a trust. 

Present Constitution provides that for ad valorem taxes due in 2017 

and thereafter, an unmarried surviving spouse of a person who died 

while on active duty as a member of the armed forces of the United 

States or the Louisiana National Guard, or while performing their duties 

as a state police officer, or a law enforcement or fire protection officer 

who qualified for the salary supplement authorized by Article VII, Section10(D)(3) 

of this constitution is entitled to an exemption from ad valorem tax for 

the total assessed value of their homestead. 


and provides an additional exemption for a trust. 

6. “Do you support an amendment that will require that any 

reappraisal of the value of residential property by more than 

50%, resulting in a corresponding increase in property taxes, be 

phased-in over the course of four years during which time no additional 

reappraisal can occur and that the decrease in the total 

ad valorem tax collected as a result of the phase-in of assessed 

valuation be absorbed by the taxing authority and not allocated 

to the other taxpayers?” 

Act 718 (2018 Regular Session) amends Article VII, Section 18(A) and (F). 

Present Constitution provides that property subject to ad valorem 

taxation shall be listed on the assessment rolls at its assessed valuation 

which shall be a percentage of its fair market value and all property 

subject to taxation shall be reappraised and valued at intervals of not 

more than four years. 


and provides for the phase-in of additional tax liability in the year of implementation 

of a reappraisal resulting from the increase in the property’s 

assessed value over a four-year period, if the assessed value of the 

immovable property increases by an amount which is greater than fifty 

percent of the property’s assessed value in the previous year as follows: 

a) For the first levy following reappraisal, the collector shall use the 

property’s assessed value from the previous year, which is called the 

base amount, and shall increase the portion of the assessed value of 

the property used to calculate ad valorem taxes by adding an amount 

which is equal to one-fourth of the amount of the increase in the 

assessed value as a result of the reappraisal to the base amount, and 

the resulting amount shall be the property’s taxable value and shall be 

used solely for purposes of calculating ad valorem taxes for that taxable 

year. 

b) For the second levy following reappraisal, the collector shall increase 

the portion of the assessed value of the property used to calculate 

ad valorem taxes by adding an amount which is equal to one-half 

of the amount of the increase in the assessed value as a result of the 

reappraisal to the base amount, and the resulting amount shall be the 

property’s taxable value and shall be used solely for purposes of calculating 

ad valorem taxes for that taxable year. 

c) For the third levy following reappraisal, the collector shall 

increase the portion of the assessed value of the property used to 

calculate ad valorem taxes by adding an amount which is equal to 

three-quarters of the amount of the increase in the assessed value as a 

result of the reappraisal to the base amount, and the resulting amount 

shall be the 

property’s taxable value and shall be used solely for purposes of calculating 

ad valorem taxes for that taxable year. 

d) For the fourth levy following reappraisal, the collector shall calculate 

ad valorem taxes based on the property’s full assessed value. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides that the phase-in of 

additional ad valorem tax liability following reappraisal shall cease to 

apply on the transfer or conveyance of ownership of the property, and 

the collector shall calculate ad valorem taxes based on the property’s 

full assessed value after the transfer or conveyance. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides that property subject 

to the four-year phase-in of additional ad valorem taxes shall not be 

subject to reappraisal by an assessor until after the four-year phase-in 

of the amount of the increase in the property’s assessed value is complete. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment provides that notwithstanding 

any provision of this constitution to the contrary, the increase in 

assessed valuation of property phased- in shall be included as taxable 

property for purposes of subsequent reappraisals and valuation for 

millage adjustment purposes under Article VII, Section 23(B) of this 

constitution, and the decrease in the total amount of ad valorem tax 

collected by a taxing authority as a result of the phase-in of the assessed 

valuation shall be absorbed by the taxing authority and shall 

not create any additional tax liability for other taxpayers in the taxing 

district as a result of any subsequent reappraisal and valuation or millage 

adjustment. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment further provides that the implementation 

of the phase-in of increase in assessed valuation shall neither 

trigger nor be cause for a reappraisal of property or an adjustment 

of millages pursuant to Article VII, Section 23(B) of this constitution. 

Proposed Constitutional Amendment shall not apply to the extent 

the increase was attributable to construction on or improvements to 

the property. 

Page 22 


Feature 

Pre-Disaster Training and Development 

BY BRETT KRIGER, LMA DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DISASTER RESPONSE 

The thin silver lining to the March and August floods of 

2016 has been a new FEMA focus and priority on predisaster 

training and development for more effective 

recovery plans, specifically by and for Louisiana. For 

the past two years, LMA has been working closely with 

several state and federal agencies to help the federal/ 

state/local disaster response and recovery effort 

become more effective and easier to implement. The 

team we are working with includes: 

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

• Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and 

Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) 

• Office of Community Development – Disaster 

Recovery Unit (OCD-DRU) 

• Department of Transportation Development 

(DOTD) 

• LSU - LA Technical Assistance Program / 

Transportation Research Center (LTAP/LTRC) 

Over the past two years LMA has been a sponsor 

and developmental partner with these agencies in 

delivering community planning workshops, municipal 

recovery plans, Louisiana Watershed Resiliency 

Study, regional flood mitigation planning webinars, 

an international study of damage to submerged 

roads, consolidated training for Emergency Disaster 

Recovery Process for Transportation Assets, week-long 

course for state agency leads on Supporting Local 

Governments in Disasters, and a new FEMA national 

course on Disaster Recovery Operations for Local 

Governments. 

To focus on one of the most unique activities 

mentioned, I want to highlight the groundbreaking 

work of the LTAP/LTRC partnership with LMA that 

was formed over 18 months ago to provide better 

information to municipalities on maximizing disaster 

recovery and cost reimbursements from FEMA and 

FHWA. The complexities of understanding and 

following all of the damage documentation and 

reporting requirements through these overlapping and 

conflicting federal programs, has historically led to 

delays in cost recovery/reimbursement and even lost 

opportunities for potentially eligible loses. 

LTAP took the lead on building a collaborative team 

to develop a single Resource Guide that combines 

FEMA and FHWA “rules” and policy along with 

documentation guides and checklists. DOTD and 

GOHSEP then were able to package this first-inthe-nation 

consolidated information into a 4-hour 

workshop that has been delivered in 10 regional 

locations to nearly 500 municipal officials, public works 

departments, emergency managers, management 

officials, and consulting engineers. The workshop 

content and resource guide is sanctioned by all of 

the state and federal agencies listed above and the 

workshop presentation is a multi-agency delivery. 

The proposal by FEMA to develop a full-scale 

Disaster Recovery Operations course, formatted for 

independent study and webinar delivery in small 

bites as a disaster develops and progresses, is also 

unique. The concept is to create 60 to 90-minute 

YouTube-type videos and/or webinars for “just-intime” 

delivery to governmental leaders, emergency 

operations responders, damage documentation 

teams, public works leads, and disaster management 

personnel. Historically, local officials and operators 

trying to manage the disaster response and recovery 

are overwhelmed with disaster information about 

laws, rules, regulations, and policy at a point they are 

least able to absorb it. This new approach packages 

key content – limited to immediate priority items 

appropriate to the progressive phases of disaster 

preparedness, response, and recovery. FEMA has asked 

LMA to play key role in course management strategy, 

content development, and ultimately a pilot delivery in 

Louisiana. 

These are highlights of some innovative approaches 

to actually learning the lessons of past disasters and 

developing new approaches to dealing with their 

aftermath. With Louisiana always being at the top of 

the list for catastrophic disasters, LMA welcomes the 

opportunity to help improve the federal/state/local 

response and we value the relationship we have with 

our Federal and State partners in these pioneering 

efforts. 


LMA Transportation and Infrastructure Summit 

We are excited to announce the Transportation and 

Infrastructure Summit, which will provide important 

information on federal and state funding resources, 

update attendees on the status of federal and state 

infrastructure programs, and allow attendees to vocalize 

their transportation needs to state and federal leaders. 

It is a jointly-sponsored event between the Louisiana 

Municipal Association, Louisiana Conference of Mayors, 

and National League of Cities. The summit will take place 

at the Holiday Inn Alexandria Downtown, 701 4th Street, 

Alexandria, LA 71301. Visit the LMA website at www. 

lma.org to register for this FREE event! Contact Richard 

Williams or Brandon Brewer by email or at (225) 344- 

5001 for more information. 

Schedule: 

10:00 am - 11:00 am Opening Session featuring 

Congressman Garret Graves 

11:00 am – 12:00 pm Federal Infrastructure Initiatives and 

Funding, Brittney Kohler, NLC Federal Advocacy 

Program Director, moderator 

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch with Eric Kalivoda, Deputy 

Secretary, LA DOTD 

1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Marie Walsh, Director, Louisiana Local 

Assistance Technical Program on DOTD Funding 

Opportunities 

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm Breakout roundtable discussions on 

local infrastructure needs 

PRESORT 

STANDARD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

BATON ROUGE, LA 

PERMIT #319 

Page 24

LMR_October FINAL 2018

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