State of Jefferson 2020
W
hen Jefferson Parish leaders met in November 2019 to deliver the annual State of Jefferson, there was an overarching tone of optimism for the progress and innovation they hoped to bring to the region. Of course, no one had any idea that when Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng was sworn into office January 8, 2020, that the remainder of the year would bring about unprecedented challenges and interruptions. Despite that, the 2020 State of Jefferson, held on November 19, 2020 for a limited in-person audience and hundreds of digital viewers, delivered not a message of defeat but of unity, perseverance and hope. Sitting on the panel were Lee Sheng, Jefferson Parish Councilman-atLarge Division A Ricky Templet and Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto. Each had an opportunity to update business leaders, stakeholders and constituents on their progress throughout
24
Jefferson Review 2021
the COVID-19 pandemic and an election year that saw the region threatened by numerous hurricane-strength storms. Lee Sheng first took the stand to emphasize the tenacity of Parish leadership in pivoting resources to protect the community. She noted how the city’s Emergency Operations Team was involved with testing; librarians with call centers; property maintenance and zoning officials with mask enforcements; council offices with distributing masks and food, and several committees with providing rent, utility and food assistance. Additionally, Lee Sheng noted that the Emergency Operation Center was activated five times during the 2020 hurricane season, with Hurricane Zeta wiping out electricity service to 80% of residents mere days before the presidential election. She commended emergency management teams for providing essential support to Entergy in
order to to power polling stations. From there, Lee Sheng’s presentation focused on accomplishments that might have been overlooked in the shuffle, including the reorganization of the Jefferson Parish administration. Changes in management structure, she said, were made to elevate the resources available by strengthening internal efficiency and collaboration. “I believe problem solving starts with having good and frequent communication, along with a trusting relationship. This is how we give ourselves the best chance for success.” Regional transit has become the subject of a new initiative helmed by Lee Sheng’s administration in an effort to promote connections -- and in turn, a strengthened regional economy -- between Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. In addition to the JeT Bus Tracker mobile app,, which will map transit routes and times, RTA vehicles in Jefferson Parish have been equipped with
ultraviolet disinfection systems to prevent the spread of bacteria, a technology not yet in use by any other parish in Louisiana. Lee Sheng said that while efforts post-Katrina focused on drainage systems, the parish’s sewage systems are from the 1960s. “We need to start focusing on these public infrastructure systems,” she said, noting that an East Bank water treatment plant upgrade has begun, along with a $70 million update to the chemistry lab. She said that the Terrytown water site, which many residents use to pay bills, currently costs more money than it makes and is being removed. It will be replaced by a partnership with MoneyGram and Checkfree, which will allow residents to pay bills at 100 new sites throughout Jefferson Parish. Eventually, a mobile app will show users their water usage by the day and hour, as well as detect any water leaks without the need for dispatching personnel. “We’re not there yet, we don’t have the funds yet, but that’s what a future, modern water system looks like.” Lee Sheng rounded out her presentation by touching on issues that have long been central to her platform, like green infrastructure that reduces reliance on drainage, continued upgrades to the roads and landfills, more publiclyaccessible WiFi networks, updates to the parish’s recreation facilities, and public information and cross-culture outreach initiatives like a translator widget on the Jefferson Parish website, which will translate the site in over 100 languages. Council Chairman and Councilman-at-Large, Division A Ricky Templet took the stage next to deliver a central message that throughout such a challenging year, “We were able to keep moving Jefferson Parish in a positive way.”
