Beauregard Parish - Community InvolvementBeauregard Parish was heavily impacted by evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Beginning with scoping meetings in November, the parish team has sought out every opportunity to invite participation by stakeholders. Because Beauregard Parish has no planning commission or planning staff, the Long-Term Community Recovery (LTCR) team leader encouraged the Beauregard Parish Police Council to form a group comprised of a cross-section of community members that could assume short-term planning duties. The LTCR team met regularly with elected officials and local staff and attended all regular police jury and city council meetings. With a local storefront as a base of operations and a location for the public to drop in and talk, the team continues to reach out to the community. Local involvement has been continuous and consistent. The comments from our meetings in the rural areas of the parish have been fruitful and consistent in the vision, issues and goals of residents throughout the parish. The city council and police jury have reviewed the draft principles, goals, issues and projects and support their submittal to the LTCR central office in Baton Rouge as the foundation of the local plan. StakeholdersBeauregard Parish
City of DeRidder
City of Merryville
State Government
Federal Government
Business, Industry and Other
Local Committee/Task ForceThe Beauregard Police Jury formed an advisory committee that includes elected officials, members of the private sector, not-for-profit organizations, the ministerial alliance, historical preservation enthusiasts, members of the Louisiana State University agriculture and 4-H programs, and prominent business leaders. Subcommittees were formed to focus on housing and urban design, transportation and infrastructure, economic development, and human services. Each subcommittee determined key parish issues through input from community meetings, informal conversations, their individual knowledge and history of the parish, review of staff input, and input gathered from the Louisiana Recovery Planning Day open house. Input Events Day-to-Day Interactions with Local Decision Makers, General PublicWhile committee interactions during meetings are fairly formal, there are also many impromptu conversations that take place throughout the parish in informal settings like church dinners, potlucks, local theater, restaurants, etc. In addition to the formal meetings, committee members phone the storefront and stop in to visit, ask questions, gather information, and take publications for distribution among clubs and groups. The parish LTCR team participates in every police jury meeting, at both the agenda-setting session and again at the formal public meetings. In addition, the parish team participates in meetings of the DeRidder and Merryville City Councils, Beauregard Parish School Board and the Beauregard Area Ministerial Alliance (BAMA). Local citizens and elected officials stop by regularly at the LTCR storefront to gather information, provide updates, and seek input. The storefront serves as a central meeting place for committee members as well as a place for interested citizens to stop in and receive updates, pick up literature and to speak with staff members individually or collectively. The local staff has spoken at local service clubs and organizations, including the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. The team also uses the original survey provided by the LRA to encourage input from the community. Local Leadership of ImplementationIn preparation for a smooth transition to local control of the recovery planning function, the LTCR team, Beauregard Police Jury, City of DeRidder, and committee members have discussed the establishment of a Recovery Task Force, a Parish Planning Commission and a locally sponsored planner/grant writer position. The Beauregard Police Jury will receive LTCR documentation when the LTCR storefront eventually closes. |