St. John Parish plan aims for continuity

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, February 2, 2011

By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A comprehensive citizens’ committee report documenting recommended goals for operation within St. John the Baptist government for the next five to 10 years was officially released to the public, said Parish President Natalie Robottom at a recent parish council meeting.

The wide-ranging review of governmental priorities regarding ethics, public safety, finances, recreation, infrastructure and economic and community development are the recommendations from Robottom’s Presidential Advisory Committee.

The group, composed of 70 appointees including council members, parish administrators, and various business, civic and faith leaders, was formed in May 2010 following Robottom’s election as parish president.

Based on this final report, which included recommendations that range from construction of an additional interstate interchange in Reserve to instituting a direct deposit program for parish employees, the parish can develop a strategic plan for the parish for the next decade and beyond.

“Right from the start, we wanted to develop something that would allow anyone, regardless of who they are, to come in and continue what was started here,” Robottom said. “Although there is still work to be done, some of the recommendations are already in place.”

A key component of the report is an aggressive review of governmental ethics within the parish administration. The report recommended adoption of a parish code of ethics modeled after the state code of ethics for public servants and transparency within government.

The report also recommended enhanced public access to information pertaining to parish projects. All contracts, contract notices, bid notices, requests for proposals and requests for qualifications should be posted on the parish’s website.

Many of the recommendations focused on better technology, particularly in the finance department. The report suggested the parish hire a full-time information technology director and recommended the parish employ a bar coding system to track inventory. There were also recommendations for overtime and vehicle usage monitoring.

There was also heavy emphasis on public safety, including creation of a parish fire department with four subservient districts under the direction of a single executive or chief. A single system would improve chain of command and communication issues and assist the department with equipment and budgetary management, according to the report.

The report recommended more educational programs for the parish’s public access channel that are modeled after the parish’s successful hurricane preparation program. The report indicated improved public awareness could strengthen response to potential life-threatening events that exist in the parish.

Some of the report’s recommendations, such as establishing uniform standards for contract procurement and enhancements to public information access, have already been implemented. There is also an online bill payment system already put in place on the parish website.

Robottom said the parish also has already held ethics seminars for top-level staffers in her administration. She said an additional seminar for parish managers is being scheduled. A new parish website is also in the works and will be launched by the end of February.

The report is available at the parish president’s office in LaPlace, at the parish courthouse in Edgard, at all parish libraries and on the parish website, www.sjbparish.com.