August 9, 2008

Lafayette, Louisiana

The final official act of the 2008 meeting of the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) was to award its “Best of Show” award to the City of Youngsville for the controlled manner in which that city has expanded and grown during 2007 / 2008.  This selection was made from entries of municipalities from throughout the state.  The LMA selection committee reviewed entries for Basic Services, Community Development, and Economic Development.   Each subject matter received awards for entrants from four population categories, ranging from under 3,000 to the largest cities of the state.  Each entrant had designated which activity or area they had excelled in during the year.  The City of Youngsville had entered in the 3,001 to 10,000 population group for the Community Development category.  The LMA selection committee made its “Best of Show” selection from all entrants of all categories and all of the municipality populations.

Accepting the award for Youngsville were Mayor Wilson B. Viator, Jr, City Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tempore Paul Huval, City Councilman A.J. Bernard, and City Councilman Tim Barbier.

LAFAYETTE – These Louisiana municipal governments – Bossier City, Central, Covington, Gramercy, Jena, Monroe, Natchitoches, Pineville, Rayne, St. Francisville, Shreveport, and Sterlington – took home the Louisiana Municipal Association’s most prestigious award for outstanding municipal improvements and accomplishments.

In addition, the City of Youngsville won the LMA Seventh Annual “Best of Show Award” for its “Clean Sweep” campaign, a far-reaching public-private partnership which in the midst of rapid population growth has guided the city’s continued development as a safe and healthy community.  Clean Sweep seeks to protect property values, encourage orderly commercial development, and ensure sound environmental protection.

Chief components of this effort include a recycling program, a new fire station for the city’s volunteer fire department, a “good neighbor” program, proper care of residential property by homeowners, removal of abandoned motor vehicles and junk, construction site discipline for contractors and builders, updating the city’s noise and disturbing the peace ordinance, removal of hazardous structures, enforcement of the sign ordinance to eliminate unsightly and prohibited display signs.

The initiative has produced phenomenal results – a cleaners and healthier community for residents and businesses, new businesses arriving to serve the needs of the growing population, increased property values, and a new sense of community pride.

Announcement of LMA’s 2007 Community Achievement Awards was made Saturday night, August 9, at the annual banquet of LMA’s 71st annual convention at the Cajundome Conference Center here.  The convention drew some 1,600 delegates, spouses, dignitaries, exhibitors, and guests.

The LMA’s annual awards program recognizes municipalities for outstanding achievement in basic services, community development, and economic development.  Within these categories, awards were presented in four population subcategories.

The competition is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, Louisiana Development Executives Association, Louisiana Fire Prevention Bureau, and LMA.

Entries submitted were judged by a committee of judges from Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Workforce Commission, the state’s Planning commissions, Louisiana Fire Prevention Bureau, and Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association.

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.