In addition, the City of Baker garnered the LMA 11th Annual “Best of Show in Community Achievement” Award for its $3.3 million conservation project involving the placement of new state-of-the-art water meters at some 5,800 residences and businesses throughout the city as part of an effort to preserve fresh water resources and greatly reduce the growing threat of salt water intrusion.
The city’s mayor, city council, engineers and advisors launched a program of community involvement, public information and citizen education in order to publicize the benefits of the program and deal with public resistance, thereby converting a potentially unpopular decision by city officials in an election year into significant public recognition of the environmental and economic benefits of Baker’s automated water meter utility conservation program. According to Baker officials, water consumption is 21.4 million gallons of water per month less than this time last year, creating a savings of $32,000 or more per month.
The announcement of LMA’s 2011 Community Achievement Awards was made Saturday night, Aug. 6, at the annual banquet of LMA's 75th annual convention at The Lake Charles Civic Center here.
The convention drew some 1,800 delegates, spouses, dignitaries, exhibitors and guests.
The LMA's annual awards program, conducted for the 44th consecutive year, recognizes municipalities for outstanding achieve ment in basic services, community development, and economic development. Within these categories, awards are presented in four population subcategories.
The competition is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association and LMA.
Entries submitted were judged by a committee of judges from Louisiana Economic Development, the Capital Region Planning Commissions, the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association and the Louisiana Main Street program.
Dr. Brookie Allphin, communications and governmental consultant, said the awards pay tribute to the “vision and ingenuity of elected municipal officials and those who assist them in planning and improving citizen services, community life and economic conditions.”
"These awards truly reflect the hard work, dedication and sacrifice necessary to secure progress for the modern American municipality on a path of progress,” Allphin said.
The award winners and honorable mentions in each category and population group are as follows:
BASIC SERVICES
• Municipalities with population under 3,000:
Winner-Town of WISNER, Water Storage Tank and System Improvements
Honorable Mentions-Town of POLLOCK, Construction of 500,000-gallon Ground Storage Tank and Town of LOCKPORT, Comeaux Drive Sewer Improvements.
• Municipalities with population 3,001 to 10,000:
Winner-City of GONZALES, New Police Department and Emergency Operations Center.
Honorable Mentions-Town of RAYVILLE, Water Well Infrastructure Improvements and City of WESTWEGO, Conversion of old drugstore to a 14,000 square-foot Police Department Complex.
• Municipalities with population 10,001 to 25,000:
Winner-City of SULPHUR, West Calcasieu Business Center Project.
Honorable Mention-City of ZACHARY, Sewer Collection System Rehabilitation Project.
• Municipalities with population 25,001 and over:
Winner-City of BOSSIER CITY, Water Treatment Plant Construction Project.
Honorable Mention-City of MONROE, “Operation Waterflow” Projects to improve water service safety and reliability.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
• Municipalities with population under 3,000:
Winner-Town of JEAN LAFITTE, Lafitte’s Barataria Museum and Wetland Trace.
Honorable Mentions-Town of HORNBECK, New Town Hall Project and Town of LOGANSPORT, River Stage over the Sabine in River Park.
• Municipalities with population 3,001 to 10,000:
Winner-Town of SPRINGHILL, City Bicycle and Pedestrian Path I, II.
Honorable Mentions-City of SCOTT, City Comprehensive Resiliency Plan and City of PATTERSON, New Community Center.
• Municipalities with population 10,001 to 25,000:
Winner-City of BASTROP, Historic Bastrop High Housing Project.
Honorable Mentions-City of HAMMOND, Comprehensive Resiliency Strategy Project and City of PINEVILLE, Downtown Kansas City Railroad Beautification Project.
• Municipalities with population 25,001 and over:
Winner-City of LAKE CHARLES, Citywide City Parks Improvement Program.
Honorable Mentions-Parish of TERREBONNE, Island Road Floating Island Project and City of NEW IBERIA, “Timeless Treasures” Brownfields Cleanup Project.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Municipalities with population under 3,000:
Winner-Town of STERLINGTON, “Town at Work”: Funding and building new infrastructure for new economic growth and three retail developments.
Honorable Mentions-Town of GRAND CANE, An Internet presence for the town, www.VillageofGrandCane.com and Town of GRAND ISLE, Grand Isle Marketing and Public Relations Campaign.
• Municipalities with population 3,001 to 10,000:
Winner-City of BUNKIE, Louisiana Economic Development Certification for Bunkie Industrial Park.
Honorable Mentions-City of COVINGTON, Covington Commercial Properties Open House and City of DeQUINCY, DeQuincy Industrial Airpark Improvements.
• Municipalities with population 10,001 to 25,000:
Winner-City of NATCHITOCHES, Construction of Beau Jardin, new outdoor venue.
Honorable Mention-City of GRETNA, Westside-North Shopping Center Expansion Project: A Public-Private Partnership for Economic Growth.
• Municipalities with population 25,001 and over:
Winner-City of BATON ROUGE, North Boulevard Town Square: A Lively New Downtown Center.
"These municipal improvements reflect the vision, leadership, and hard work of the officials and leaders of these communities should be a source of deep pride for every Louisianian,” said LMA Immediate Past President Glenn L. Brasseaux, mayor of Carencro.
“Mayors and municipal officials have a proven understanding and knowledge of service delivery, community building, partnerships, and entrepreneurialism. Their innovativeness, leadership and ability to develop and execute these initiatives in basic government services, community development and economic development are efforts that truly achieve vision and progress for Louisiana’s municipalities,” Mayor Brasseaux remarked.
"We congratulate all of the municipalities which competed in this year's Community Achievement Awards Program," said Mayor Brasseaux. “Louisiana’s mayors and municipal officials work long hours and endure significant sacrifices to achieve tangible and measurable progress for their towns and cities.”
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