I’d like to begin by thanking the citizens of St. John the Baptist Parish for supporting the two recent millage renewals funding the  Public Libraries and the Parish Health Unit for the next ten years.

Your vote of confidence is important to me and other elected officials, as well as employees and patrons of both facilities. Special thanks goes to my staff for their efforts in getting out accurate information about the propositions and their importance to the community.

The millages are critical sources of funding, and the renewals allow us to continue providing much needed services to residents of all ages.

With the continued support of our residents and business owners, we are continuing to work toward completion of millions of dollars of infrastructure projects and facility improvements while managing the $94 million operational budget. Many of these projects are funded through bond issues, which were approved by the voters.

Construction of a new state-of-the-art Eastbank Government Complex is anticipated to begin in the upcoming months. The 44,130 square foot building will centralize all government offices including the Register of Voters, Planning and Zoning, Code Enforcement, Clerk of Court, Assessor, Utility Billing, Finance, Grants and Council Offices.

It also includes a new Council Chamber and Courtroom and is funded in part through the 2009 and 2015 Bond Issues. Once constructed, residents will have a one-stop-shop for government services.

I am extremely pleased that the Waterline under the Mississippi River project is complete. It provides connectivity between the East and West Bank water systems and will serve as a backup water supply in the event of emergencies. Funded through a LDHH low-interest loan and the 2009 Bond Issue, this $2.1 million project also satisfied LDHH’s requirement for redundancy at the Edgard Water Plant.

Also in place is a backup water supply for LaPlace that was completed through an interconnecting waterline, which allows the Parish to receive 1 to 1.5 million gallons of water per day from St. Charles Parish during emergencies.

Each water system was separate, but now through completion of a number of projects each area has a backup source if needed.

The Recreation Improvements Project is complete just in time for the summer months. Funded through the 2014 Bond Issue, improvements were made at all parish parks. Improvements include new gazebos, play sets, fitness stations, restroom facilities and other aesthetic upgrades. We are extremely excited to introduce new spray parks at REGALA and Thomas F. Daley Memorial Parks.

These additions offer new opportunities for youth and their families to enjoy time together outdoors. The new spray parks and the dog park at the Thomas F. Daley Memorial Park are set to open in the coming weeks.

These are just some of the projects being completed with your tax dollars. Since 2010, a concerted effort has been made to refinance bonds resulting in millions of dollars in savings and lower interest rates for our debt service. This week, the transaction to refund the 2009 General Obligation Bonds was finalized, saving the parish slightly less than $100,000 annually with a total savings of $1.2 million dollars over the life of the bonds.

With sound financial practices and a good credit rating, we hope to maintain your trust and confidence in working to make St. John the Baptist Parish the best place to live, work and raise a family.

For more information about ongoing projects and to sign up for news updates and emergency notices, please visit the Parish website at sjbparish.com.

Natalie Robottom is St. John the Baptist Parish President. She can be reached at communications@sjbparish.com.