MARCH 2024

02.24Louisiana Louisiana 

MUNICIPAL 

REVIEW 

VOL. 89 

ISSUE 3 

COMMUNICATION | COORDINATION | 

COLLABORATION

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

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from Association. this publication Publication may of be any reprinted advertisement without shall the not express be considered permission an of endorsement the editor. of the product or service involved. No material 

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

Derrick Johnson, LMA President Rick Allen, First Vice President Ray Bourque, Second Vice President 

Mayor, Cheneyville Mayor, Leesville Mayor, Broussard 

Page 2 

Immediate Past President Michael Chauffe, Grosse Tete 

Immediate Past President – Michael Chauffe, Grosse Tete 

District Vice President Kim Gaspard, Mayor, Haughton 

District A Vice President – Kim Gaspard, Mayor, Haughton 

District Vice President Ronny Walker, Mayor, Ruston 

District B Vice President – Ronny Walker, Mayor, Ruston 

District Vice President Staci A. Mitchell, Mayor, West Monroe 

District 

District 

C 

D 

Vice 

Vice 

President 

President 

– Staci 

Howard 

A. Mitchell, 

“Keith” Lewing, 

Mayor, 

Mayor, 

West Monroe 

Anacoco 

District E D Vice President – Rich Howard Dupree, “Keith” Mayor, Lewing, Pineville Mayor, Anacoco 

District E F Vice President – Charles Rich Dupree, James, Mayor, Mayor, Pineville Sunset 

District F G Vice President – Charles Chuck Robichaux, James, Mayor, Mayor, Sunset Rayne 

District G H Vice President – Edwin Chuck Robichaux, “Ed” Reeves, Mayor, Rayne Plaquemine 

District I H Vice President – Jean Edwin Pelloat, “Ed” Reeves, Mayor, Madisonville 

Mayor, Plaquemine 

District I J Vice President – Jean Rodney Pelloat, Grogan, Mayor, Mayor, Madisonville Patterson 

District J Vice President – Rodney Grogan, Mayor, Patterson 

LMA Past President Barney Arceneaux, Mayor, Gonzales 

LMA Past President – Barney Arceneaux, Mayor, Gonzales 

LMA Past President Johnny Berthelot, Councilman, Gonzales 

LMA Past President – Johnny Berthelot, Councilman, Gonzales 

LMA Past President David Butler, Mayor, Woodworth 

LMA Past President – David Butler, Mayor, Woodworth 

LMA Past President David Camardelle, Mayor, Grand Isle 

LMA 

LMA 

Past 

Past 

President 

President 

– David 

Harry Lewis, 

Camardelle, 

Mayor, 

Mayor, 

Rayville 

Grand Isle 

Vice LMA President Past President at Large – Harry – Julius Lewis, Alsandor, Mayor, Mayor, Rayville Opelousas 

Vice President at Large – Belinda Julius Alsandor, Constant, Mayor, Mayor, Opelousas Gretna 

Vice President at Large – Kevin Belinda Kately, Constant, Mayor, Mayor, Parks Gretna 

Vice President at Large – David Kevin Kately, Toups, Mayor, Parks Addis 

Vice President at Large – Darnell David Toups, Waites, Mayor, Addis Baker 

Vice President at Large – Darnell Waites, Mayor, Baker 

LMR | MARCH 2024

CONTENTS | MARCH 2024 

DEPUTY DIRECTOR’S 

LETTER 

Applying the Principles of St. 

Patrick 4 

LAMATS 

LaMATS Mid-Winter Conference 

Report 19 

9 

HARNESSING THE 

POWER OF SOCIAL 

MEDIA IN TIMES OF 

CRISIS 

PRESIDENT’S 

MESSAGE 

Seeing the Beauty in Change 5 

IT’S YOUR MONEY 

Treasury: Louisiana’s Biggest ‘Bank’ 6 

INSURANCE 

Insurance Challenges Bring 

Opportunities for Growth 8 

RMI 

RMI-LMA Response Regarding MPERS 

Legislation 21 

USDA RURAL 

DEVELOPMENT 

VAPG Program Assisting State 

Agricultural Producers 24 

14 

MID-WINTER 

CONFERENCE 

RECAP 

lOUISIANA MUNICIPAL REVIEW EDITORIAL STAFF 

Managing Editor Anita Tillman | atillman@lma.org | AMCorp International 

Editor Charlotte Smith | Editor@LMA.org | AMCorp International 

Advertising: Ginger Eppes | geppes@lma.org | LMA CorporatE relations 

Design & Layout: FRANK NIXON 

Publisher: Louisiana municipal associatioN 

Editorial offices: Louisiana Municipal Association, 6767 Perkins Road, Post Office Box 4327, Baton Rouge, 

LA LMR 70821- | MARCH 4327, 2024 editor@lma.org, www.lma.org, (225) 344-5001, (800) 234-8274, FAX (225) 344-3057. Page 3

DEPUTY DIRECTOR’S LETTER 

Applying the Principles of St. Patrick 

How many times have you 

heard various citizens give 

various accounts of an issue? 

Let’s look at March for 

example. Is it correct to say it 

is more like summer or more 

like winter? “It was one of 

those March days when the 

sun shines hot and the wind 

blows cold: when it is summer 

in the light, and winter 

in the shade.” (Charles Dickens 

from Great Expectations) 

You as an effective leader 

must not only hear various 

opinions but really listen to 

what the person is saying. 

Often there is a part of truth 

on both sides – like Dickens’ 

opinion of March quoted 

above – part summer, part 

winter. So how apt that it’s 

now March, and around the 

world, people will be celebrating 

the tales of St. Patrick 

(c. 385 – c. 461). We’ve all 

heard of him driving snakes 

from Ireland, and the stories 

are light-hearted and sweet. 

But what many people may 

not realize, is that through 

the long-lasting memory of 

St. Patrick, numerous lessons 

in leadership can be found. 

St. Patrick was a passionate 

visionary. As a teenager, he 

was enslaved by Irish Raiders 

and taken from England 

to serve at the whim of the 

Irish. In a strange twist of 

fate though, when he escaped, 

he found he’d gained 

an appreciation and an understanding 

of his captors. 

He wanted to return and 

work with them so they 

could improve and progress. 

So, that’s exactly what he 

did after becoming a cleric. 

He returned to spread the 

message of Christianity 

in northern 

and western 

Ireland, as 

he firmly 

believed it 

would better 

them as 

a people. His 

passion for the 

Irish led to a vision 

where he could 

be of service to them. 

St. Patrick was also a man of 

courage, and as we all know, 

courage in abundance is 

necessary to be a great leader. 

He wanted to help the 

Irish, but he wasn’t sure of 

how or whether or not he 

was worthy of leading their 

charge of change. He was 

faced with threats and discouraged 

by setbacks, but 

he also worked hard to remain 

courageous and forge 

ahead. As public servants, 

it’s not off base to know 

you’ll at times have doubts 

or even fears about how to 

move your municipalities 

forward. But much like St. 

Patrick, a great leader will be 

there for his or her people 

no matter what. 

Leaders who can 

not only listen, 

but genuinely 

hear, from 

all constituents 

are of 

great value. 

St. Patrick was 

one such leader. 

He didn’t harp 

on differences and instead 

listened to, and heard all, as 

the people within the community 

often knew the ins 

and outs of situations far 

better than he. He encouraged 

open communication, 

as it helped motivate and 

encourage everyone. 

Are you a good leader if 

you can talk the talk but not 

walk the walk? The answer 

is no. St. Patrick was a master 

of both. He had a way of 

speaking that encapsulated 

every facet of a story so that 

nothing could be taken out 

of context. It made him relatable, 

which is a trait highly 

trusted by people. He talked 

the talk and walked the walk 

in a way that made everyone 

We are always striving 

to grow and better our 

offerings to you because you 

are striving for the same. 

It’s a partnership we value 

greatly. 

Richard Williams 

Deputy Director 

feel a part of his ideas. 

Taking charge and leading 

are skills that can be honed 

over time. As public servants, 

they’re traits that the 

LMA assists with improving 

through our many resources, 

workshops, conferences, 

and conventions. We are always 

striving to grow and 

better our offerings to you 

because you are striving for 

the same. It’s a partnership 

we value greatly. 

St. Patrick’s courage, persistence, 

and effective 

leadership were largely responsible 

for establishing 

Christianity in Ireland. One 

mile at a time, he, and several 

other priests with him, 

traveled peacefully and unarmed 

through the dangerous 

realms of the warlike 

Celts and Druids. He founded 

hundreds of churches 

and monasteries. In your 

municipalities, take it one 

mile or issue at a time, travel 

peacefully, build a coalition 

to take others with you, and 

effect the change you desire 

to make your hometown the 

best it can be. 

Page 4 


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

Seeing the 

Louisiana 

Beauty 

Rural Water 

in 

Association 

Change 

There’s a quote that I think 

of at this time of year, and 

as I think of it now, it’s fitting 

&Bellemin for who we are as an organization. 

use in the following issues: 

“Spring: a lovely reminder of 

how beautiful change can 

truly be.” 

– by an anonymous writer 

Change can be scary, but it 

can also be beautiful. As we 

delve into a spring season 

that’s seeing much change, I 

ask you all to see the beauty 

in change and not be fearful 

of the unknown. We’ll embrace 

it together, and we’ll 

master the journey. 

ONSULTANTS 

I wanted to thank all of you 

who joined us in Marksville 

for our Mid-Winter Conference. 

It’s always a pleasure 

to talk with you face to face 

in an effort to better know 

how I, or the LMA as a whole, 

2018 Roster Edition 

Official Publication of the 

LWR-R0018 

Ad Order # 1636839 

Adv Code 179697 

S. Rep: Jason Zawada (C) 

I ask you to all see the beauty in 

change and not be fearful of the 

unknown. We’ll embrace it together. 

Authorized Signature: 

Date: 

can be of assistance. Our for such a seamless event. 

conference highlighted Artwork the Contact: 

As the state began Regular 

Session this month, I’m 

importance of communication, 

collaboration, and cooperation 

in times of crisis, 

asking for member participation 

in joining our Legislative 

Committee. We need 

and I hope the knowledge 

you gained from our workshops 

can be applied pro- 

people to assist with viewing 

introduced legislation, 

ductively within your own 

assessing that information, 

communities. 

and working together to 

Speaking of our workshops, 

a lot of time and effort goes 

see if the LMA should be involved 

in advocating for or 

into the organization of against issues. It’s a rewarding 

them, and the material within 

them, so I’d like you to 

thank the LMA staff and all 

of our workshop presenters 

opportunity to be at the 

forefront of making a difference 

for the betterment of 

all LMA members. If you’re 

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LMA President 

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interested, please reach out 

to Paulette Bailey Wilson at 

pbaileywilson@lma.org for 

more information. 

This month will also see 

our search for a new Executive 

Director come to an 

end. We narrowed down 

our many applicants and 

interviewed five people on 

March 6. We’ll make a formal 

announcement of the chosen 

candidate shortly. I look 

forward to working with our 

new Executive Director, and 

I was pleased to see such a 

high interest in the position. 

It goes to show just how 

well-received and worthy 

people believe our mission 

to be. 

I’ll see you in May at our 

Municipal Day and Crawfish 

Boil, so if I missed the 

opportunity to talk one-onone 

with you at Mid-Winter, 

please look for me then. It’s 

my pleasure to listen and to 

serve. If you need to talk before 

then, feel free to reach 

out. 

LMR | MARCH 2024 8/21/14 8:33 PM 

Page 5 

707693_Thornton.indd 1

IT’S YOUR MONEY 

Treasury: Louisiana’s Biggest ‘Bank’ 

It was an honor to be sworn in 

as Louisiana’s Treasurer by our 

new Speaker of the House, 

Congressman Mike Johnson. 

Mike is very special to me. 

Not only are we close friends, 

but he succeeded me as Congressman 

from the 4th District 

eight years ago. 

Together, we have had the 

privilege of representing the 

great people of Northwest 

and Central Louisiana, and 

parts of Acadiana, in our nation’s 

Capital for the past 16 

years. 

I want to thank you for choosing 

me as your state Treasurer! 

It is a wonderful opportunity 

and a tremendous responsibility. 

Many people probably 

think the Treasurer’s job is 

mainly ceremonial and that he 

simply affixes his signature to 

checks and other documents. 

The truth is, there is much 

more to it than that. 

Complying with State Law 

The Treasurer’s signature is indeed 

attached to almost every 

check issued by the State of 

Louisiana, and more than $60 

billion in checks are written by 

the Treasurer every year. That’s 

$60 billion with a B! More importantly, 

the Treasurer is responsible 

for making sure that 

those state funds are spent in 

accordance with the Louisiana 

Constitution and statutory 

law. On some days, the Treasurer 

writes more than $400 

million in checks! All expenditures 

have to be authorized by 

appropriation bills passed by 

the Louisiana Legislature. 

The Treasurer also collects $60 

billion in revenue each year. In 

fact, every day at the close of 

business, the bank account of 

every state agency is zeroed 

out and the funds are transferred 

at that moment to the 

state’s General Fund maintained 

by the Treasurer. 

Technically speaking, the state 

Treasury is not a bank, but if 

it were, it would be by far the 

largest bank in Louisiana. 

Staff Doing a Good Job 

Since being elected your Treasurer 

in November, 

I have been preparing 

to make 

the transition. I 

want to thank 

Treasurer John 

Schroder and 

the staff at the 

Department of 

Treasury for the 

good job they 

have done and for 

their cooperation and 

help during this period. 

As a young doctor just out of 

medical school, I learned the 

importance of surrounding 

myself with a strong team of 

professionals. The good news 

is we have a strong team of 

professionals in place in the 

Treasurer’s office. 

We have inherited an agency 

with a history of success and 

without major scandals. I do 

not plan major upheavals in 

the department, but rather to 

find ways to build on that 

history of success. 

In Louisiana, we 

have had conservative 

Republican 

Treasurers 

for the 

past 20 years 

(John Kennedy 

and John 

Schroder), and 

even before that, our 

Treasurers made many important 

improvements to the 

office. Two of our last three 

United States senators from 

Louisiana were State Treasurer 

before their election to the 

Senate — John Kennedy and 

Mary Landrieu. 

John Fleming, MD, 

State Treasurer 

Many of the current staff were 

hired by John Kennedy, and 

I am very impressed with a 

program begun under Mary 

Landrieu, which is called 

Bank-at-School. Under this 

program, community banks 

in our state have established 

branches in many schools. 

This allows students to open 

a bank account and learn the 

value of savings and handling 

money carefully. 

Page 6 


Reaching Young People 

Bank-at-School, which is strongly supported 

by the Louisiana Bankers Association, 

fits well with a bill passed by the 

legislature last year requiring that every 

student in Louisiana public schools pass 

a one-year course on Financial Literacy 

in order to qualify for TOPS. The new 

course starts this fall. I am excited that 

the Treasury will be involved in developing 

this course. Hats off to Representative 

Nicky Muscarello, the members of 

the Louisiana Legislature, and Governor 

Edwards for approving this important 

legislation. Also, to State Education Superintendent 

Cade Brumley and his staff 

for their work on this course. 

Investing the People’s Money 

Another very important duty of the 

2024 LMA Meeting Dates 

State Treasurer is investing nearly $16 

billion in state funds. The Investments 

Division of the Treasury is a fascinating 

place where decisions are made almost 

every day that affect the financial health 

of our state. 

How those funds are invested is controlled 

by state law, but the Treasurer 

sometimes has the discretion to make 

policy decisions regarding these investments. 

In recent years, the legislature 

and the Treasurer have divested funds 

that discriminate against Israel or penalize 

gun manufacturers or dealers. We intend 

to look more closely at such issues 

as well such as how more of our investment 

dollars can be moved to community 

banks serving Louisiana citizens 

and businesses. 

Below please find the dates for the 

2024 LMA Executive Committee and 

LMA Executive Board meetings. 

All meetings are at 10:00 a.m. and are 

held at the LMA offices in Baton 

Rouge unless otherwise noted. 

Board meetings in conjunction with 

the LMA Convention will be held at 

the convention location. 

LMA Executive Committee Meetings 

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 

Wednesday, September 11, 2024 

Wednesday, November 6, 2024 

LMA Executive 

Board of Directors Meetings 

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 

(Municipal Day and Crawfish Boil) 

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 

(LMA Annual Meeting, August 1-3, 2024 

in Shreveport) 

Wednesday, October 9, 2024 

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 

State Bond Commission 

The Treasurer serves as chairman of the 

State Bond Commission. In this way, he 

plays a very significant role in the approval 

or disapproval of the issuance of debt 

by the state, state agencies, local governments, 

and even some private entities. 

Local tax elections also have to get approval 

of the bond commission. The staff 

of the commission works within the Treasurer’s 

office. 

State law requires the Treasurer to serve 

on 30 different boards and commissions. 

Besides the bond commission, the Treasurer 

serves as president of the Louisiana 

Asset Management Pool, or LAMP, and as 

a member of important boards such as 

the Interim Emergency Board, the State 

Employees Retirement System, the Teachers 

Retirement System, and many others. 

Unclaimed Property 

Without question, the most popular function 

of the Treasurer’s office, and the one 

that gets the most public attention, is the 

Unclaimed Property Division, which helps 

Louisiana citizens and businesses claim 

property that they have lost track of, such 

as old bank accounts, forgotten deposits, 

and tax refunds. So far, Louisiana’s Treasurers 

and the hard-working staff at Unclaimed 

Property have helped get more 

than $700 million into the hands of the 

rightful owners. 

Over the next four years, we will work to 

find ways to provide all of these services 

to the people of the state even more efficiently. 

Cutting Waste, Fraud 

We also want to be a force for finding 

ways to save taxpayer dollars and eliminate 

waste, fraud, and abuse from state 

government. 

It is exciting to be part of a new team of 

statewide elected officials in Louisiana. 

We plan to work closely with Governor 

Jeff Landry, all of our statewide officials, 

and the legislature to provide excellent 

service to the people of our state. 

Stay in Touch with Us 

Please follow us on Facebook at Louisiana 

State Treasurer and subscribe to our new 

YouTube channel, Dr. John Fleming, Louisiana 

State Treasurer. If you have ideas or 

suggestions for the Department of Treasury, 

please email me at comments@treasury.la.gov. 

LMR | MARCH 2024 Page 7

Insurance Challenges Bring Opportunities for Growth 

I’d like to begin my first 

Commissioner’s Column 

by thanking readers for the 

overwhelming amount of 

support and encouragement 

I’ve received in the 

months since becoming 

commissioner-elect last 

summer. When it comes to 

insurance, there’s a clear 

consensus that we need to 

find a way to lower insurance 

rates for property owners 

in Louisiana. 

I look forward to working 

together on a roadmap of 

solutions that revitalize our 

state’s insurance market. I 

am excited about the opportunities 

we have at the 

Louisiana Department of 

Insurance to usher in an “Insurance 

Renaissance” that 

makes a positive impact on 

the lives of our state’s residents 

and business owners. 

The challenges we face today 

provide a unique opportunity 

to build a more stable 

and predictable insurance 

environment. My priority 

is to make our state a more 

desirable destination for 

insurance companies to do 

business while protecting 

consumers. 

I learned throughout my 

20-plus year journey in the 

insurance industry that it 

takes everyone to be part 

of the solution, whether you 

are a consumer, insurance 

company, claims adjuster, or 

agent. 

After graduating from 

Southern Methodist 

University in 

1993, I worked 

as an insurance 

agent 

in Shreveport 

and later 

helped businesses 

recover 

from the devasting 

BP oil spill in 2010. I 

served as chair of the Louisiana 

Committee of 100 for 

Economic Development and 

as President of Temptan, a 

family-owned investment 

management business in 

Baton Rouge. 

I first learned the value of 

teamwork from my father, 

Aubrey, who cofounded 

Amerisafe, which is headquartered 

in my hometown 

of DeRidder and provides 

specialty workers’ compensation 

insurance in 27 states. 

My father also served as the 

founding Chairman of the 

Board of the Louisiana Workers’ 

Compensation Corporation 

(LWCC) for the first 23 

years of its existence. 

During the mid-1980s, my 

father and his business partner 

saw a need for a workers’ 

compensation writer in the 

logging industry. He identified 

the problem, brought 

stakeholders together to 

tackle it, and developed a 

plan to fix it. I plan to take 

a similar approach 

to addressing 

our state’s insurance 

crises 

in the 

homeowners, 

property, and 

auto insurance 

markets. We will 

identify the issues, 

bring the right people 

together, and create solutions 

that directly address 

the problems. 

A dozen insurers that wrote 

policies in Louisiana have 

gone insolvent over the past 

couple of years, and several 

more have indicated they 

are not going to do business 

in our state any longer. We 

must work hard to attract 

companies by cultivating 

a predictable, stable, and 

healthy regulatory environment. 

Our state’s hurricane risk 

and coastal exposure will always 

be factors that insurers 

consider when determining 

where to write insurance, 

but until we address some 

of the fundamental challenges 

facing our state, affordability 

and availability 

will continue to frustrate 

Louisiana consumers. With 

Tim Temple 

Commissioner, Louisiana 

Department of Insurance 

the right reforms, we can 

begin stabilizing our market 

immediately. 

Though we can’t control the 

weather or the global factors 

increasing the cost of 

capital for insurance investment, 

we can still improve 

our regulatory and legal 

environment while focusing 

on mitigation to reduce our 

actual risk. 

By attracting more insurance 

companies to our state, 

we will help lower insurance 

rates to provide a better 

quality of life for every Louisiana 

resident. I look forward 

to working with Governor 

Jeff Landry, our friends at 

the legislature, consumers, 

the industry, and stakeholders 

like you to rebuild Louisiana’s 

insurance market. 

My priority is to make our state a more desirable 

destination for insurance companies to do 

business while protecting consumers. 

Page 8 


Leveraging 

Social Media in a Crisis 

In today’s world, where staying connected is often 

taken for granted, unexpected crises like the recent 

cell phone network outage remind us just how much 

we rely on communication networks. As local leaders, 

you must take a hard look at your crisis management 

plans and find better ways to use digital platforms 

to keep in touch with the people you serve, no matter 

what happens. 

Social media has 

come a long way 

from being just a 

place for personal 

connections 

and fun. Platforms 

like Facebook, 

Instagram, 

and X (formerly 

Twitter) aren’t 

just for playing 

games and sharing 

funny cat videos 

anymore – 

these are powerful, 

free tools that 

can keep people 

informed and 

connected when 

things get rough. 

Anita Tillman addresses attendees on the 

importance of utilizing social media in crises. 

Social media is now a powerful crisis management tool 

that can spread information in real-time, rally community 

support, and create back-and-forth conversations. 

When traditional communication methods break down, 

social media can be a real lifesaver. 

To make social media a key part of your emergency response, 

you need to focus on strategic planning, community 

engagement, and constant learning. This means 

building a strong digital presence before a crisis hits, 

communicating clearly and with compassion, and tapping 

into the huge network of social media influencers. 

Creating a thorough social media crisis plan is a must. 

We need to know our target audience, set clear goals, 

and have a step-by-step plan to get important information 

out there quickly, accurately, and to as many 

people as possible during emergencies. By regularly 

engaging with our community on these platforms, we 

build trust and make social media a go-to source for 

reliable information. 

To be ready for anything, we must make social media a 

standard part of our emergency management process. 

This includes training staff, running practice drills, and 

Harnessing 

the Power of 

Social Media 

in Times 

of Crisis 


always checking to see if our social media strategies are 

working. By working closely with nearby cities and parishes, 

we can streamline communication and have a bigger 

impact. 

Social media isn’t just useful during a crisis; it’s a powerful 

tool for building and keeping the trust and confidence of 

our communities every day. By being open and honest 

in our communication and purposefully sharing both our 

successes and challenges, we create a bond based on 

mutual respect and understanding. 

As we face the ups and downs of emergencies, let’s take 

the lessons we’ve learned to heart and work to unlock 

the full potential of social media. By connecting with, informing, 

and empowering our communities through these 

digital platforms, we can change the way we communicate, 

work together, and overcome any crisis that comes 

our way. 

The message from the recent LMA Mid-Winter Conference 

is loud and clear: by collaborating, innovating, and 

staying dedicated to our communities, we can make it 

through any storm. With its incredible reach and flexibility, 

social media is ready to be our partner, making sure local 

leaders have what it takes to tackle challenges head-on 

and keep those vital connections with the people they 

serve in this digital age. 

Five Steps to Leverage 

Social Media in Crisis Management 

1. Create a Social Media Crisis Plan 

• Analyze your community demographics to understand 

who you need to reach during a crisis 

• Consider factors such as age, occupation, and 

preferred social media platforms 

• Segment your audience based on their communication 

needs and preferences 

• Determine the primary goals and objectives of 

your social media crisis communication 

• Identify the most effective social media platforms 

for reaching your target audience 

• Establish a clear chain of command for content 

creation, approval, and dissemination 

• Create pre-approved message templates for 

common crisis scenarios to ensure quick response 

times 

• Develop a content calendar that outlines the frequency 

and type of updates to be shared during 

a crisis 

• Assign roles and responsibilities to your social 

media crisis team 

• Establish guidelines for engaging with the public 

• Implement a system for monitoring social media 

channels and tracking public sentiment during a 

crisis 

• Collaborate with local influencers, community 

organizations, and media outlets to amplify your 

message and reach a wider audience 

• Plan for post-crisis communication to keep your 

community informed about recovery efforts and 

resources 

2. Build a Strong Social Media Presence 

• Consistently post content that is relevant, informative, 

and valuable to your audience 

• Encourage two-way communication by asking 

questions, seeking feedback, and responding to 

comments 

• Host live Q&A sessions, webinars, or virtual 

town halls to foster direct interaction with your 

constituents 

• Celebrate community successes, milestones, 

and events to showcase the positive aspects of 

your locality 

• Recognize and appreciate community members, 

organizations, and businesses that make a positive 

impact 

• Participate in local hashtags, trends, and discussions 

to show that you are actively involved in the 

community 

• Be transparent about the challenges your community 

faces, such as budget constraints, infrastructure 

issues, or public safety concerns 

• Provide regular updates on how your administration 

is addressing these challenges and the progress 

being made 

• Acknowledge and take responsibility for any mistakes 

or shortcomings, and outline the steps being 

taken to rectify them 

• Share success stories and positive outcomes resulting 

from your administration’s efforts to showcase 

the good work being done 

• Encourage open dialogue and solicit feedback 

from your constituents on how to tackle community 

issues collaboratively 

• By being transparent about both successes and 

challenges, you build trust and credibility with 

your audience 

Page 10 


3. Establish Your Social Media as a Reliable 

Source of Information 

• Consistently share accurate, timely, and verified information 

from official sources 

• Provide links to official websites, documents, and 

resources to support the information you share 

• Clearly distinguish between official statements and 

personal opinions to avoid confusion 

• Regularly update your social media channels with 

the latest information, especially during rapidly 

evolving situations 

• Monitor your social media channels for misinformation 

and rumors, and quickly address them with 

facts and official sources 

• Partner with local media outlets, influencers, and 

community organizations to amplify your message 

and reach a wider audience 

• Develop a consistent visual brand across all your 

social media channels to make your content easily 

recognizable and trustworthy 

What’s happening?!?! 

4. Integrate Social Media into Emergency 

Procedures 

• Train Your Staff on Social Media Crisis Management 

Develop a comprehensive training program that 

covers: 

o Your social media crisis communication plan 

and objectives 

o Platform-specific best practices and features 

o Crafting effective crisis messages and updates 

o Responding to public inquiries and comments 

with empathy and professionalism 

o Identifying and reporting misinformation or 

harmful content 

Conduct regular training sessions to ensure staff 

members are up-to-date with the latest social 

media trends, tools, and best practices 

Provide resources such as guidelines, templates, 

and case studies to support staff in their social 

media crisis management roles 

• Conduct Practice Drills and Simulations 

Schedule regular drills and simulations to test 

your social media crisis response plan 

Create realistic crisis scenarios that cover a 

range of potential emergencies, such as natural 

disasters, public health crises, or infrastructure 

failures 

Assign roles and responsibilities to staff 

members during these practice drills to mirror 

real-life crisis situations 

Evaluate your team’s performance during the 

drills, identifying areas for improvement and providing 

constructive feedback 

Use insights from practice drills to refine and 

update your social media crisis communication 

plan 

• Monitor and Evaluate Your Social Media Strategies 

Regularly assess the effectiveness of your social 

media crisis communication efforts using metrics 

such as: 

o Reach and engagement (e.g., likes, comments, 

shares) 

o Message clarity and consistency across platforms 

o Response time to public inquiries and comments 

o Sentiment analysis of public reactions and 

feedback 

Gather feedback from your staff, community 

members, and partner organizations to identify 

areas for improvement 

Stay informed about the latest social media 

trends, features, and best practices, and adapt 

your strategies accordingly 

Continuously update and refine your social media 

crisis communication plan based on your 

evaluations and lessons learned 


5. Collaborate with Neighboring Cities and 

Parishes 

• Coordinate Social Media Efforts 

Establish lines of communication and collaboration 

with the social media teams of nearby 

cities and parishes 

Develop a shared understanding of each other’s 

social media crisis communication plans, objectives, 

and protocols 

Coordinate messaging and content to ensure 

consistency and avoid conflicting information 

Collaborate on creating and sharing resources, 

such as graphics, videos, or information packets, 

to streamline content creation efforts 

• Share Information and Resources 

Establish a system for regularly sharing relevant 

information, updates, and resources with neighboring 

cities and parishes 

Create shared databases or repositories for 

storing and accessing crisis-related content, 

templates, and best practices 

Participate in regional forums, meetings, or 

conference calls to exchange insights, experiences, 

and lessons learned 

Collaborate on identifying and addressing regional 

challenges or issues that may impact 

multiple communities 

• Amplify Impact Through Collaboration 

Coordinate joint social media campaigns or initiatives 

to maximize reach and engagement 

Cross-promote each other’s crisis-related content 

and resources to expand your audience 

and support network 

Partner on hosting virtual town halls, Q&A sessions, 

or webinars to provide a regional perspective 

on crisis management efforts 

Advocate for regional support, resources, and 

partnerships to strengthen your collective crisis 

response capabilities 

By integrating social media into 

your emergency procedures and 

collaborating with neighboring cities 

and parishes, you can build a 

more resilient, coordinated, and 

effective crisis communication 

strategy. This approach ensures 

that your staff is well-prepared, 

your strategies are continually refined, 

and your impact is amplified 

through regional cooperation. 

For more information or for 

assistance with developing your 

social media plan, contact Anita 

at (225) 324-5444 or by email at 

anita@teamamcorp.com. 

by Anita 

Tillman 

Managing Editor 

Anita is the CEO of AMCorp International 

and has served as the LMA’s Communications 

Consultant since 2016. She can be 

reached at anita@teamamcorp.com or by 

phone at 225-324-5444. 

Page 12 


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We are incredibly 

thankful 

for the many 

attendees 

who joined 

us at our annual Mid-Winter 

Conference, “Crisis Management: 

Communication, Coordination, 

and Collaboration,” 

on February 27 and 28. 

Marksville’s Paragon Casino 

was a welcome retreat, and 

the many workshops on offer 

were well received. 

An enormous show of appreciation 

goes to the following 

for their dedication to our 

mission of supplying our 

members with top-tier educational 

opportunities. 

Leslie Durham, LITACorp Executive 

Director; Ebony Bailey, 

South Central Planning 

and Development Commission 

Planner 1; Dr. Chuck 

Carr Brown, G.E.C. Inc. Senior 

Vice President; Bliss Bernard 

P.E., G.E.C. Inc. Vice President; 

Heather Paul, Office of 

Community Development 

Assistant Director; Fenishia 

Favorite, Office of Community 

Development Policy and 

2024 MID-WINTER CONFERENCE 

Our 2024 Mid-Winter 

Conference Remembered 

Page 14 



Program Coordinator; James 

L. Hilburn, Erlingson Banks 

APLC; Deidre Deculus Robert, 

Rural Development/US Department 

of Agriculture State 

Director; Cliff Palmer, LaMATS 

Executive Director; John Littler, 

GovDeals Senior Manager 

for Business Development; 

Rebecca Otte, Louisiana Department 

of Environmental 

Quality Statewide Brownfields 

Coordinator; Captain 

Kyle Webb, Firearms Training 

Unit/East Baton Rouge Parish 

Sheriff’s Office; Paul Holmes, 

LaMATS Procurement Consultant; 

Richard Williams, 

LMA Deputy Director, Erin 

Walker, LMA LMLA Program 

Manager; Matthew McKey, 

GOHSEP Cybersecurity Program 

Manager; Anita Tillman, 

AMCorp International CEO/ 

LMA Communications Consultant; 

and Kathleen Allen, 

Louisiana Board of Ethics Administrator. 



We wouldn’t be able to hold our conference each year without the unwavering 

support of our many sponsors, so a huge thank you goes to: 

Acadian Ambulance Service 

Cenla Environmental Science 

DDG 

Foley & Judell 

Gallagher 

Hammonds, Sills, Adkins, Guice, Noah & 

Perkins LLP 

Kelar Consulting 

Kincade Recreation Miracle 

LaMATS 

Louisiana Asset Management Pool 

Louisiana Housing Corporation 

Model 1 Commercial Vehicles 

Material Resources, Inc. 

Risk Management, Inc. 

Sustainability Partners 

Thornton, Musso & Bellemin 

Water Treatment Consultants 

Underground Utility Supply 

Winwater Company of Lafayette and Baton 

Rouge 

We would also be remiss for not taking 

the time to show our sincere appreciation 

for the LMA staff. What they do 

behind the scenes to not only organize 

our Mid-Winter Conference, but to also 

ensure we stay on schedule, is a huge 

task. We thank them, and we ask that 

you reach out to staff members with 

your words of appreciation. 

Former Louisiana Secretary of State and 

current Director of Intergovernmental 

Affairs for the Office of Louisiana 

Governor Jeff Landry, Kyle Ardoin, also 

gave of his time to join us in bringing 

welcome remarks from the Governor’s 

Office. A good friend to the LMA conference 

and convention circuit, CEO of 

Strategic Government Resources Ron 

Holifield, was back again offering words 

of wisdom to empower local governments 

to succeed by developing innovative, 

collaborative, and authentic 

Page 16 



local leaders. We were graced with a 

very warm welcome by Marksville Mayor 

John Lemoine, and former LMA Executive 

Counsel, Karen Day White, was 

thanked for her many years of service as 

she journeys into a new career. 

The LMA’s newest training initiative, the 

Louisiana Municipal Leadership Academy 

(LMLA) was also officially implemented 

during our Mid-Winter Conference. 

“The academy is a program that we have 

envisioned for several years and is the result 

of research and collaboration with 

state municipal leagues throughout the 

country. It is a means of rewarding attendance 

at LMA trainings, conferences, and 

conventions, while also incentivizing continued 

engagement in these important 

educational opportunities” You can read 

about the academy in its entirety in our 

February Louisiana Municipal Review. 

We thank you all again for joining us at 

our 2024 Mid-Winter Conference, and 

we look forward to hearing about all 

you’ve applied to your own neck of our 

fair woods! 

(Photos courtesy of Anita Tillman and Cliff 

Palmer.) 

by Charlotte 

Smith 

Editor 

Smith is a Senior Communications 

Consultant for AMCorp and is the Editor 

of the Louisiana Municipal Review. 

Contact: charlotte@teamamcorp.com 



Page 18 


LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ADVISORY AND TECHNICAL SERVICES 

LaMATS Mid-Winter Conference Report 

Going Live in 3, 2, 1… 

The February 27 LaMATS breakout session 

at the LMA Mid-Winter Conference 

was shared online in a first-ever simulcast 

via Facebook Live. The broadcast allowed 

more than 100 additional viewers 

to join the live audience and learn about 

LaMATS’ numerous municipal services 

and benefits. 

Joining Executive Director Cliff Palmer 

were LaMATS popular surplus property 

vendor GovDeals, represented by Senior 

Manager for Business Development 

John Littler, and by our partner Rebecca 

Otte, Statewide Brownfields Coordinator 

at the Louisiana Department of Environmental 

Quality. 

View future live broadcasts and online 

recordings of LaMATS presentations 

and partnership events as advertised. 

You can view the entire LaMATS Mid- 

Winter 2024 presentation at https:// 

www.facebook.com/LaMATSnet/ 

videos/923732885723510/ 

LaMATS Board Names LRPA 

Scholarship for Jimmy Williams 

At the February 28 meeting of the La- 

MATS Board of Directors, officers approved 

funding for a new scholarship 

program in honor of the late Mayor Jimmy 

Williams of Sibley, a longtime LaMATS 

Rebecca Otte of LDEQ informs municipal leaders on the state Brownfields Program benefits 

and recent success stories at the LaMATS 101 breakout session. 

Board member 

and LMA Past 

President. 

The annual 

scholarships will 

support up to 

ten municipal 

parks and recreation 

staff from 

Louisiana towns 

and villages to 

Jimmy Williams 

receive specialized 

training from the Louisiana Recreation 

and Park Association (LRPA). 

LaMATS Secretary/Treasurer Mayor Michael 

Chauffe of Gross Tete introduced 

the new Jimmy Williams Scholarship 

as a way 

to honor his 

dear friend 

of many 

y e a r s , 

whom he 

praised for 

his integrity 

and character. 

LaMATS President Mayor David Butler of 

Woodworth called the honor “well deserved,” 

noting Williams’ love of sports 

and dedication to public parks and recreation. 

“There could be no more fitting 

honor for our good friend,” said Butler. 

Woodworth’s Lisa Aymond Joins La- 

MATS Leadership 

LaMATS welcomed Woodworth Town 

Council Member 

and lifelong 

native Lisa 

Gunter Aymond 

to its Board of 

Directors in a 

unanimous vote 

of officers and 

members at its 

quarterly meeting 

on Wednesday, 

February 28. Lisa Gunter Aymond 

LaMATS Board President, Woodworth 

Mayor David Butler, praised Aymond’s 

qualifications for the Board seat, which 

fills the position formerly held by the 

late Jimmy Williams. 


John Littler of GovDeals gives the audience an overview of the LaMATS Surplus Property Program, highlighting more than $1M in revenue 

now returned to La. municipalities through the popular service. 

LaMATS broadcasts the Mid-Winter breakout session 

“LaMATS 101” via Facebook Live technology. 

“Lisa will be a great asset to this Board,” 

said Butler. “She brings years of municipal 

leadership experience and a passion 

for Parks and Recreation, which 

our dearly departed friend would appreciate.” 

Cooperative Purchasing 

Commission (LACPC) Meets, 

Approves By-Laws 

Immediately following the La- 

MATS Board Meeting, members 

of the LACPC held their 

first Semi-Annual meeting 

of the new year. Leading the 

day’s agenda was the adoption 

(passed unanimously) of 

the Commission’s By-Laws, 

which officially state the definition, 

purpose, and governance 

structure of the statewide 

cooperative purchasing 

commission as accepted by 

the Louisiana Secretary of 

State’s Office in January. The 

tax-exempt LACPC is designed 

to facilitate joint cooperative 

purchasing contracts 

on behalf of its Louisiana local government 

members under LA. R.S. 33:1324. 

In addition to Commissioners in attendance 

were the LACPC’s Commission 

Chair Suzanne Williams, LaMATS 

Administrators Paul Holmes and Cliff 

Palmer, and Designated LACPC Secretary 

Matt Mullenix. 

The full membership and other information 

about the LACPC can be found 

at lamats.net/lacpc. 

by Cliff 

Palmer 

LaMATS Executive 

Director 

Palmer leads the Louisiana Municipal 

Advisory and Technical Services Bureau 

(LaMATS) - a subsidiary of LMA. He can 

be reached at cpalmer@lamats.net. 

Page 20 


RISK MANAGEMENT, INC. 

RMI – LMA Response Regarding MPERS Legislation 

HB 42 and HB 52 

Recently, MPERS issued a 

Legislative News Alert purporting 

to summarize the 

contents of Regular Session 

Bills HB 42 and HB 52. Their 

representations are disappointing 

and paint an incomplete 

picture of the system, 

its members, and the 

proposed legislation. 

Unlike other statewide 

retirement systems (like 

MERS), the Municipal Police 

Employees Retirement 

System (MPERS) is a mandatory 

system, whereby all qualifying 

police department personnel must 

be enrolled in the system, compelling 

employer contributions for each 

employee of 33.925% for FY23 and a 

whopping 35.60% for FY24. The convoluted 

statute (La. R.S. 11:157) allows 

for individual employees to opt out of 

participation in the system by affidavit. 

However, MPERS has secured legislation 

mandating that even those who 

wish to opt-out must be enrolled anyway 

subject to the return of only the 

employee’s contributions, even if the 

affidavit is forwarded to MPERS on day 

one of their employment. 

This system has resulted in a chaotic, 

piecemeal landscape of system membership 

– in some municipalities, all 

eligible personnel must be enrolled; in 

others, some employees are enrolled, 

and some have opted out. 

Important points to note are: 

• HB 42 seeks to bring MPERS into 

parity with other statewide retirement 

systems (such as MERS), 

converting the system to an opt-in 

system. 

• Under the proposed framework, 

if a municipality opts into MPERS 

participation, all eligible employees 

must be enrolled and employer/employee 

contributions must 

be tendered accordingly (i.e., no 

individual opt-outs) 

• The bill provides for a winding 

down whereby all current members 

remain enrolled, and all municipalities 

must bear their proportionate 

share of the UAL. 

• This will create clarity and certainty 

in the system through administrative 

changes and more. 

MPERS’s recent collection attempts 

were initially collaborative in nature, 

but those actions were replaced by 

threatening demand letters (often 

including no calculations to demonstrate 

the sums allegedly owed), and 

ultimately, lawsuits against municipalities 

for alleged past-due contributions. 

Importantly, MPERS has initiated all 

lawsuits in the 19 th JDC (East Baton 

Rouge Parish), regardless of where the 

employer is located. MPERS incorrectly 

indicates that the Louisiana Supreme 

Court issued a ruling finding that the 

venue is appropriate in the 19 th JDC. 

The truth is the Supreme Court declined 

to grant a writ to hear that issue, 

at that time, in that particular 

case. Nonetheless, by filing suit in the 

19 th JDC, MPERS seeks to take advantage 

of conflicting provisions of law: 

• La. C.C.P. Art. 84 provides that “actions 

involving” MPERS shall be 

brought in the 19 th JDC, BUT 

• The Louisiana Governmental 

Claims Act, specifically La. R.S. 

13:5104, provides, “All suits filed 

against a political subdivision of 

the state . . . shall be instituted before 

the district court of the judicial 

district in which the political subdivision 

is located or in the district 

court having jurisdiction in the 

parish in which the cause of action 

arises.” 

• HB 52 attempts to resolve this issue 

by providing that suits against municipal 

employers must be instituted 

in the district court in which the 

municipality is located as provided 

by the Louisiana Governmental 

Claims Act, instead of compelling 

all municipalities, no matter how 

far removed from the 19 th JDC, to 

appear there. 

In its myriad of lawsuits, MPERS alleges 

past-due contributions going back for 

years (sometimes a few years, sometimes 

decades), and they refuse to ac- 


knowledge that there is any applicable 

prescriptive period for recovery of system 

contributions. Here, the Louisiana 

Supreme Court has thought otherwise, 

providing, unequivocally, that contributions 

to retirement plans are a form of 

deferred compensation and are therefore 

subject to a liberative prescription 

of three years under La. C.C. Art. 

3494 (see Fishbein v. TRSL, 2004-C-2482 

(La. 4/12/05), 898 So.2d 1260 et al.) 

• HB 42 would codify this clear judicial 

finding, specifically providing 

that claims by MPERS for past-due 

contributions are subject to a 3-year 

liberative prescription and are subject 

to the provisions of the Louisiana 

Governmental Claims Act 

• To argue that a 3-year prescriptive 

period is somehow unfair to MPERS 

further demonstrates the system’s 

failure to manage contributions 

promptly and efficiently – if indeed 

those are contributions owed 

to the system from over a decade 

ago, why has MPERS done nothing 

to pursue those contributions until 

now? 

Employers who are alleged to owe 

past-due contributions are entitled 

to an accounting to show how MPERS 

derived the represented sum, as opposed 

to assumptions and estimates. 

Current law does not incentivize such 

transparent math, however, since it 

empowers MPERS to force the State 

Treasurer to withhold any state monies 

that would otherwise be distributed 

to a municipality based SOLELY 

on MPERS’s representation that a certain 

amount is owed. That process is 

currently provided in La. R.S. 11:2227 

requires NO judicial finding and NO 

court order – a simple certification 

from MPERS is sufficient to deprive 

municipalities of capital outlay and 

other critical state funding that legislators 

fight so hard to obtain on behalf 

of their constituents. 

• HB 42 would remedy that grossly 

disproportionate and patently unfair 

provision, providing that such 

enforcement authority with the 

State Treasury may only occur upon 

presentation of a final judgment 

from a court of competent jurisdiction, 

i.e., there must be due process 

to deprive municipalities of state 

funding which they are owed. 

MPERS seeks to malign the addition of 

municipal representatives to the Board 

of Trustees, arguably deeming that two 

employers on a 15-member board give 

municipal employers sufficient voice. 

This disregards the fact that it is those 

employers who must use taxpayer dollars 

to submit system contributions 

(which, as noted above, will soon top 

35%). With only two municipal employer 

representatives, the MPERS 

Board is disproportionately composed 

of those who benefit from the system 

to the detriment of those who mostly 

fund the system (nine of 15 seats are 

occupied by current and retired MPERS 

members). 

• HB 42 would address this inequity 

by providing four more seats for 

municipal mayors on the MPERS 

Board of Trustees so that the employers 

who fund the system would 

have 6 of 19 seats on the Board (importantly, 

beneficiaries of the system 

would still have 9 of 19). 

by Patrick 

Cronin 

General Manager, 

RMI 

Cronin leads Risk Management, Inc. (RMI) 

- a subsidiary of LMA. He can be reached at 

pcronin@rmila.com. 

LDAF Accepting Grant Applications 

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and 

Forestry (LDAF) is now accepting grant applications 

for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure 

program (RFSI). 

The LDAF will work in partnership with the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) to award 

$4.6 million for equipment and infrastructure 

projects to Louisiana food and farm businesses, 

as well as other eligible entities including 

nonprofits, local government entities, tribal 

governments, schools, and hospitals. 

You can apply until April 15. For more information, 

visit www.ldaf.la.gov. 

Page 22 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – RURAL DEVELOPMENT 

VAPG Program Assisting State Agricultural Producers 

The Rural Development Value-Added 

Producer Grant (VAPG) program allows 

agricultural producers to receive 

funding to help improve the quality 

of life in rural communities. This program 

helps Agricultural producers enter 

value-added activities related to 

the processing and/or marketing of 

bio-based, value-added products. The 

goals of this program are to generate 

new products, create and expand marketing 

opportunities, and increase producer 

income. 

Applications are categorized into two 

funding groups: Planning Activity 

grants and Working Capital Activity 

grants. This program will also allow 

grant funds and matching funds to be 

utilized for planning activities or working 

capital expenses. The grants are 

awarded through a national competition. 

Each fiscal year, applications are 

requested through a notice published 

in the Federal Register and through an 

announcement posted on Grants.gov. 

Recently funded projects in Louisiana: 

Bonanza Crawfish LLC, Henderson 

received the FY23 VAPG award of 

$250,000. The funds will be utilized 

for working capital expenditures to 

expand live crawfish sales through direct 

retail and increased marketing. 

The grant will help the company grow 

by expanding direct sales throughout 

the state over the next three years. The 

project is expected to save and sustain 

17 existing jobs and create two new 

jobs. 

T. Moise Farms, Sunset, received a FY20 

VAPG grant award of $183,441. The 

funds are utilized for working capital 

added value to the agricultural producers’ 

farming operation. Berkshire hogs, 

known for quality pork, will enhance 

the production of value-added products 

such as pork chops, sausage, and 

boudin. Grant and matching funds will 

be used for processing, labor, supplies, 

packaging, labeling, advertising, and 

marketing via direct retail channels of 

local and regional farmer’s markets, 

wholesale food establishments, and 

restaurants. The project is expected 

to create two new jobs and assist the 

agricultural producer with expanding 

their customer base, as well as boost 

revenue to support a thriving small rural 

business operation. 

Rural Development is continuing outreach 

efforts to promote this program 

and provide guidance to eligible applicants. 

To apply for the Value-Added Producer 

Grant, completed applications must be 

submitted in either paper or electronic 

format. Electronic applications e-filed 

through https://www.grants.gov must 

be filed by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) 

on April 11. Completed paper submissions 

must be turned in to the USDA 

Rural Development State Office, 3727 

Government Street, Alexandria, by 

April 16 at 4:30 p.m. Interested parties 

must adhere to deadlines to ensure 

consideration for the grant program. 

By Diedre 

Deculus 

Robert, Esq. 

USDA Rural 

Development 

Louisiana State 

Director 

Robert can be contacted by emailing 

Deidre.Robert@usda.gov. 

Page 24 


7 

- REGISTRATION FORM- 

L o u i s i a n a M u n i c i p a l C l e r k s A s s o c i a t i o n 

6 3 r d A n n u a l S p r i n g C o n f e r e n c e 

D o u b l e t r e e H o t e l 

L a f a y e t t e 

A p r i l 2 4 - 2 5 , 2 0 2 4 

NAME 

MUNICIPALITY 

EMAIL 

TITLE 

TELEPHONE 

Please help facilitate conference planning by answering the following questions: 

Is this your first LMCA Spring Conference? Yes No 

Will you attend the group tour on Wednesday? Yes No 

Will you attend Thursday night’s Annual Banquet? Yes No 

$175 Delegate fee 

$225 Non-Delegate fee 

$25 Tour Guest fee 

$50 Banquet Guest fee Guest Name: 

DISCLAIMER 

In registering for and attending this event, I agree to abide by state and local health mandates as well as any rules put in 

place by the Louisiana Municipal Clerks’ Association or event venues. I understand that by attending this event in person, 

it is possible that I may be exposed to coronavirus, and I hereby assume that risk. 

ACCOMMODATIONS 

A block of rooms has been reserved Doubletree at a rate 

of $134 Single/Double, $154 King. Please call (800) 222- 

8733 and identify the group as 'LA Municipal Clerks 

Association' or give the code 'LMC' to secure the 

discounted rate. The reservations cut-off date is April 9, 

2 024. Hotel check-in time is 4:00 p.m. and check-out is 

12:00 p.m. Guests checking out prior to the departure 

date will result in a $50.00 early departure administrative 

fee. Recommended arrival is Tuesday, April 23rd and 

departure Friday, April 26th. 

REMINDERS: 

Email Ginger Eppes if you are 

eligible for a service award: 

5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc. 

Bring a door prize to participate 

in a door prize exchange! 

Exchange your municipal lapel pins. 

QUESTIONS? 

Ginger Eppes (225) 344-5001, geppes@lma.org 

REGISTER ONLINE 

WWW.LMA.ORG 

or 

REGISTER BY MAIL 

Complete this form and return with your registration 

payment in full no later than April 10, 2024. 

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: 

Louisiana Municipal Clerks Association 

P.O. Box 4327 

Baton Rouge, LA 70821 

REFUNDS 

An administrative fee of $45 will be charged for all 

cancellations of the LMCA Spring Conference including 

medical emergencies. 

Refunds will be issued only if the LMA office receives your 

cancellation request in the form of a letter on your official 

letterhead mailed, emailed, faxed, or delivered to our 

office with a postmark date no later than 04/10/2024. 

Telephone requests for refunds will not be accepted. 

There will be no exceptions to this policy. 


Annual Parks & Rec Day 

at the Capitol 

April 30, 2024 

LOUISIANA RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION 

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Registration 

Lt. Governor’s Apartment 

1051 N 3 rd Street, Baton Rouge 

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Rotunda 

Louisiana State Capitol 

Rotunda Lobby and 

Outdoor Capitol Alario Plaza 

10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

Networking with Legislators 

Gather in the Rotunda for networking with 

your local legislators 


Rotunda Lobby 

1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 

(Times may vary) 

Legislative Update 


Rotunda 

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

(Times may vary) 

Networking with Legislators 

Resolution signed 


House & Senate Floor 

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Evening Event 

Food catered by La. Bayou Bistro 

Transportation will not be provided. 

Stay Connected! 

Lt. Governor’s Apartment & 

Pentagon Barracks Courtyard 

1051 N 3 rd Street, Baton Rouge 

Emergency Telephone Numbers: 

LRPA Executive Director, Susanne Diez: (225) 975-2975 

Page 26 


- REGISTRATION FORM- 

Louisiana Recreation and Park Association 

Annual Parks and Rec Day at the Capitol 

Tuesday, April 30, 202 4 

Louisiana State Capitol Building 

10:00 a.m. – 8:0 0 p.m. 

NAME 

BADGE NAME 

TITLE 

COMPANY/MUNI 

ADDRESS 

(STREET OR P.O. BOX) (CITY) (STATE) (ZIP CODE) 

TELEPHONE ( ) GUEST NAME 

EMAIL 

MEMBER REGISTRATION FEE: $30 per LRPA member 

* The member registration fee includes all events. 

NON-MEMBER REGISTRATION FEE: $50 per non-member 

* The non- member registration fee includes all events. 

TABLE IN ROTUNDA 

$130 per table (LRPA members only) 

* The registration fee includes one table in the rotunda ( 2 members per table) 

and 2 registrations to all events. 

Registration & table set- up is 8:3 0 a.m. – 10:0 0a.m. 

Registration pickup will be located at the Lt. Governors apartment. 

ACCOMMODATIONS: 

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Downtown at a rate of $107 

Single/Double. Call (225) 906- 0595 to make your reservations and mention that 

you are with L ouisiana Recreation and Park Association to secure this special 

rate or go to the registration website HERE to reserve a room. The reservation 

cut- off date is Tuesday, April 1 6 , 2024 . Reservations made after this date are 

subject to higher prevailing nightly rates. Hotel check-in time is 3 :00 p.m. and 

check-out is 11:00 a.m. unless special arrangements are made in advance. 

Overnight guest valet parking with in/out privileges is $37 a day per vehicle. Day 

parking for up to 12 hours is $20 per vehicle. 

Complete this form and return with 

your registration fee payment in full, 

no later than April 16, 202 4 . 

REFUND POLICY: 

Registration fees are non-refundable. An administrative fee of $15 per 

registrant will be charged for all cancellations, including medical emergencies. 

No refunds will be given after April 16 (two weeks prior to the start of the event). 

Refunds will be issued only if the LRPA office receives your cancellation request 

in the form of a letter on your official letterhead mailed, emailed, faxed, or 

delivered to our office with a postmark date no later than April 16. Telephone 

requests for refunds are not accepted. There will be no exceptions to this policy. 

HAVE A QUESTION? 

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: 

L a. Recreation & Park Association 

Parsk & Rec Day at the Capitol 

P.O. Box 4327 

Baton Rouge, LA 70821 

REGISTER ONLINE: 

WWW.LRPA.NET 

Contact : Susanne Diez, LRPA Executive Director, sdiez@lma.org, P.O. Box 4327, Baton Rouge, LA 70821. (225) 332- 7632 


PRESORT 

STANDARD 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

BATON ROUGE, LA 

PERMIT #319 

Page 28

MARCH 2024

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