Zachary Post Jan 14 by Zachary Post

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BREC to Outline Plans, Ask for Tax Zachary residents, taxpayers asked for input on future expansion in the area

The Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) will hold a series of community meetings from January through March to gather input about the future direction of the park system. BREC’s new strategic plan, titled “Imagine Your Parks 2: Better Parks – Better Living” will begin with a kick-off meeting on January 16 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Independence Community Park Theatre, 7800 Independence Blvd. Nine years ago, BREC implemented the “Imagine Your Parks” strategic plan, which was created after a year and a half of surveys, community meetings, brainstorming sessions and public planning meetings. Voters in 2004 approved

a $70.5 million; 20-year tax that BREC has used to cover the costs of upgrades through immediate and borrowed funding that will be paid back through the tax stream. During the past decade, BREC built the Zachary Community Park and Raising Cane’s Dog Park off of Scenic Hwy. The results have provided East Baton Rouge Parish with a better park system featuring 12 new community parks, five dog parks, Liberty Lagoon Water Park,

By James Ronald Skains

truck, pipeline, train and barge.” When the Genesis project was first announced in February 2013, it was projected to be a $125 million investment creating 50 new direct jobs with an annual salary of $80,000 plus benefits. In other benefits, 45 construction jobs were anticipated being created and 220 new indirect jobs. Unconfirmed reports indicate that those numbers may grow slightly by the time the operation is online. The original plans for the Genesis project called for the construction of an 18 mile 20 inch diameter pipeline from the Port Hudson operations to connect to ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge Refinery. The plans call for modernizing and expanding the Genesis terminal in Port Hudson and building a new crude oil unit

skateboard parks, fishing ponds, a new conservation area for hikers and nature lovers, improved playgrounds, a growing trails system, a mobile playground unit as well as renovations to our neighborhood parks and special use facilities. A Tax to Fund BREC is ending this year, and now BREC is asking for a new 6.2 mil property tax on the April Ballot to continue current operations levels. Because Zachary taxpayers pay a disproportionate share of the tax

burden for East Baton Rouge parish because of elevated property values compared to the rest of the parish, BREC leaders are looking for more input from Zachary area residents. As part of BREC’s accreditation process, the agency creates and implements a strategic plan every 10 years to guide the progress of the system. The new strategic plan will be used from 2015– 2024. BREC is one of only 106 nationally accredited park systems in the country and was recently recognized as among the top ten recreational systems in the nation. “During the last strategic planSee BREC page 2

BRAC Oultines Bright Future for Zachary Adam Knapp, President and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce (BRAC), told the Zachary POST on January 6: “2014 should be a very good year for the northern parts of East Baton Rouge Parish, the Feliciana’s and even St. Helena Parish.” “The driving force will be the expanding Tuscaloosa Shale development,” Knapp said. “We are already seeing substantial infrastructure developments taking place, such as the Genesis Company Storage and Pipeline Project at Port Hudson. “We think the Tuscaloosa Shale development will move forward at a steady pace with more oil and gas support companies moving into the area as the expected exploration intensifies. The project in Port Hudson positions Genesis to be a major player in the transportation of crude oil by

See BRAC on page 7

Baton Rouge area Chamber President Adam Knapp addresses the Baton Rouge Press Club Monday about economic Developments in the greater Zachary Area.

Zachary POST Tuesday, January 14, 2014

BREC

continued from page 1 P.O. Box 1637 Zachary, LA 70791

Phone (225) 654-0122 Fax (225) 208-1165 Email stories and photos to info@zacharypost.com Published Tuesdays 52 weeks a year Publisher & Editor Daniel Duggan Graphic Designer Tina Adams Account Executives Georgiana Walls Ashley Evans Contributing Writer James Ronald Skains New Year Historian Calla Duggan Minecraft Hackmaster Chandler Duggan The Ginger Avenger Cecelia Duggan Stunt Man in Training Colton Duggan

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ning process, BREC staff heard loud and clear that East Baton Rouge Parish residents wanted more quality parks, a higher level of maintenance and the development of a trail system among other things,” said Superintendent Carolyn McKnight. “The staff has worked tirelessly to implement this plan and the result is one of the most successful tax initiatives in Parish history. Now it’s time to build on that imagination and we ask that you attend at least one of these meetings, participate in our online conversations and make your voice heard as we plan the future of parks in East Baton Rouge Parish.” BREC will utilize an online tool called Mind Mixer for people who aren’t able to attend a community meeting, or who want to participate in all phases of the development of the strategic plan. Along with the public meetings, the agency will meet with stakeholder groups; compile the results of community surveys and work toward the creation of a plan, which will require Commission approval by the end of 2014.

The Northwestern Middle School Dazzlers Dancers placed first in Junior High Hip Hop and fifth in Junior High Pom in the Louisiana State Dance Championship on Sunday , January 6th in Hammond Louisiana. The dancers are: (bottom sitting) Kendal Kelley, Ava Martin , Hallie Breau , Kaleigh Hutchinson; (top row) Lexi Kennedy , Kaitlyn Alsander, Charlyse Scott, Mahogany Thomas, Pashen Barrow, Racquel Jiles, MiMi Allen, Kamryn Stewart, Brea Bonin, Madison Harris , and Lindsey Webb. The team is coached by Julie Anne Estep.

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Freedom Eagle Official Dedication Set for Arbor Day Join Zachary Mayor David Amrhein, Zachary Council Members, John Coghlan, Francis Nezianya, Brandon Noel, Dan Wallis and Tommy Womack, along with Metropolitan Councilman Trae Welch and LA National Cemetery Director, Rex Kern for the Official Dedication of the “Freedom Eagle” art sculpture, carved from the 100 year old decaying oak tree on Arbor Day, Friday, January 17, 10 a.m. at the Gazebo near Corner of Church Street and Rollins Road. According to a commemorative bronze plaque located near the site, the tree was originally planted “In Memory of the Comrades of our Community Who Fought During The World War For God and Country”. The bald eagle represents Freedom, and is the official mascot of the United States. “This eagle will serve as a lasting tribute to military Veterans in our community who serve or have served our country in the U.S. Armed Forces. The eagle honors our past veterans, salutes our current Veterans and inspires future Veterans,” says Mayor Amrhein. In addition to the dedication, a 20 foot live oak will be planted near the

eagle, culminating Zachary’s 2014 Arbor Day Celebration.

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Tuesday, January 14, 2014 Zachary POST 3

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Zachary POST Tuesday, January 14, 2014

First South Farm Credit Opens New Office on Old Scenic Highway By James Ronald Skains

First South Farm Credit is now open for business in their new office building at 19550 Old Scenic Highway near the Copper Mill School in Zachary. “We plan on having a grand opening on February 27th from 2-4 PM,” Russell Kent, Assistant Vice President of Lending, told the Zachary POST. “This building is a huge improvement over the office building where we were located previously on Hwy 19. It’s much easier for people to find us, plus we have enough room to host small groups and events.” Kent, an LSU Agribusiness graduate, is a Clinton native who still lives in the hills of Feliciana. He and his wife, Amelia, have a cattle operation spread across a few pastures in the Feliciana’s. On the other hand, Kent’s loan officer, Tim Losavio is a city boy having graduated from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge before attending LSU. “I didn’t grow up on a farm or have a direct connection to agriculture; however, I gravitated to agriculture enterprises during my teenage years,” Losavio told the POST. “My mentor was Buddy Miller who owns Plantation Pecan Company in Waterproof.” “Mr. Buddy is regular at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market in downtown Baton Rouge. I began helping him at his booth at the Market on Saturday’s, and then had the op-

Seven of the First South Farm Credit employees pose in front of their new building on Old Scenic Hwy. Left to right are: Russell Kent, Kathy Summers, Cynthia Miller, Christi Dellouci, Tim Losavio, David Wilson, and Ben Sanders.

portunity to work for him a couple of summers on his farm in Waterproof. When I started to LSU, I was pursuing other academic courses but the more I worked with Mr. Buddy, the more I came to realize how much I liked agriculture business. In fact, Mr. Buddy was the one who told me of the job opening with First South Farm Credit.” First South Farm Credit is the

Farm Credit System’s largest lending institution in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and the only institution offering uninterrupted loans and financial services since it was chartered in 1933. The corporate office is located in Jackson, Mississippi and has 48 offices system wide throughout the 3 states with 205 employees. The loan volume is $1.4 billion with 5,000

members. “I think we are one of the best kept secret in Louisiana,” Kent acknowledged. “Most people, even in agriculture and forestry, aren’t aware of all the types of financing we have available.” “We have financing available for purchasing land as well as refinancing land you have already purchased. We also finance land for

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 Zachary POST 5 recreational and hunting purposes. Also we finance timber tracts of land and land improvements such as ponds, lakes and barns. In additional to our mainstay of financing crop production, cattle, and poultry production, we offer loans for agribusiness such as equipment financing and all aspects of agriculture and forestry with long term amortizations.” “We also have specialized lending programs for the young farmer provided they are age 35 or younger or they are a beginning farmer who is classified as having less than ten years’ experience in farming, ranching or aquatics,” Kent explained. We also have special lending programs for the small farmer who has an annual gross income of less than $250,000 in agriculture, cattle or aquatics.” Once a qualified borrower secures a loan from First South Credit, they become a stockholder in the agricultural cooperative. The borrower receives the right to share in the profits of First South Credit, which are referred to as patronage

refunds. “Within the last 20 years, First South Credit has returned $209 million in patronage refunds,” Kent emphasized. “In 2011, First South Farm Credit returned $9 million in patronage refunds. In 2012, the refund was $12 million.” After each year, the Board of Directors of First South Farm Credit may choose to retain net income to strengthen its capital position or distribute some or all of the net income to members by declaring a patronage refund. Each of the three states that make up the First South Farm Credit cooperative have seven members each on the Board of Directors with two Directors from outside the cooperative. Each shareholder in the cooperative has one vote for a Director. The Board of Director members from Louisiana are Daniel Mattingly, James M. Norsworthy, Amy C. Ellender, Thomas Parker, Ted S. Passmore, Gaston L. Lanaux III, Dale Thibodeaux, and Daniel Viator. Roger Chappell is the President/CEO of the Jackson based ag-

riculture cooperative. “We have 12 offices in Louisiana,” Kent noted. “The Zachary office is a branch office as well as the division office for Louisiana. David Wilson is our Division Manager.” “Our loan to value ratio is 80% of either the appraised value or the purchase price, whichever is the lower amount. We have in-house processors so the turnaround for a borrower with a verified salary is 48 hours or less. When we get into other entities it takes longer to get all the financial information together, but we still have a quick turnaround when compared to the

market place.” “My job, as well as Tim’s job, is to get out and meet as many potential loan customers as we can in the area and let them know how we can help their agricultural or forestry operations,” Kent explained. “We can even finance sawmills and logging equipment. Tim and I are working on trying to get First South Farm Credit to not continue to be the best kept secret in Zachary and the Feliciana’s. We are active with the 4-H, Farm Bureau groups, cattle and forestry groups See FIRST SOUTH page 8

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Zachary POST Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Milestones

Births • Engagements • Weddings • Awards Obituaries • Anniversaries • Reunions

Briggs Thomas Sale “From the fullness of grace we have received one blessing after another.” John 1:16 Rob and Amanda Sale, along with big brother Tripp, are proud to announce the birth of Briggs Thomas Sale. Briggs was born on November 25, 2013 at 8:17 am at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital in Lake Charles, LA. He weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and was 20 ¾ inches long. Proud grandparents include Greg and Kim Denson of Zachary, Rocky and Cynthia Batley, and Bob and Sandy Sale both of Monroe, LA. Great grandparents are Claude and Mary Adams, Neva Durbin, and Louise Sale.

SEND IN YOUR MILESTONE TO info@ZacharyPost.com

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 Zachary POST 7

BRAC

continued from page 1

train facility. An overlay map of the Genesis Port Hudson Facilities shows 3 distinct areas of operation: Port Hudson Truck Facilities, Port Hudson Tank Facility, and the Port Hudson Dock Facility. Genesis is scheduled to add 200,000 barrels of crude oil storage capability to its existing 216,000 barrels of storage capacity. At the time of announcement of its plans for Port Hudson, Genesis Energy Chief Executive Officer Grant Sims said in a prepared statement: “This project positions Genesis as an

efficient conduit for crude oil supply and logistics in the region.” The Genesis project at Port Hudson provides Zachary and the Feliciana’s with a huge potential economic upside as the Tuscaloosa Shale development comes on line. Expansion of the facilities could happen in the very near future for the storage tank, blending and logistics operation. Genesis has made a huge long term commitment to the Zachary/ Port Hudson area. The new Genesis pipeline will connect the Port Hudson facility to ExxonMobil properties that include the Maryland Terminal, the Anchorage Tank Farm in West Baton Rouge and the ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge.

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Pt. Hudson, Louisiana Pipeline System, purchased from BP Pipeline in 2007, consists of approximately 3.25 miles of pipeline delivering both trucked and field produced crude oil to a barge dock on the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge. This system has approximately 216,000 barrels of above ground storage.

Genesis also secured preferential rights for throughput at the facilities noted above. The pipeline will have an ultimate capacity of 350,000 barrels per day. “With the expansion of our operations in Louisiana, Genesis looks forward to a strong future in the state and an increase in our contribution to the local economy,” Steve Nathanson, President of Genesis, said at the time of the announcement of plans for Port Hudson. “This project positions Genesis as an efficient midstream provider for crude oil supply and logistics in the region. Genesis is committed to being a good neighbor. We intend to hire locally where possible, during the construction phase and long-term operations of the facilities.” Knapp, the President of BRAC, also pointed out that the future of the KPAQ Paper Mill looked bright, especially with the re-opening of the railroad from KPAQ to Baton Rouge. According to the BRAC information, the operation of the GP mill at Port Hudson was very positive. Knapp in his presentation to the Baton Rouge Press Club noted, “The economic boom that we are experiencing is truly amazing. Some areas in BRAC’s nine parish area may be getting a little more economic development at the moment than other areas, but all of the parishes in the

Baton Rouge Metro Area are seeing positive economic development. We must look at economic development as a regional event. After seeing how well BRAC’s plans have worked in the nine parish region, we are thinking of super-regional economic development plans that would include New Orleans and Lafayette.” Governor Bobby Jindal addressed the Baton Rouge Press Club at a special Wednesday luncheon. Governor Jindal noted the economic boom in the Baton Rouge Metro area: “Never in my lifetime have I seen so much great economic development in the Baton Rouge area. I never thought that I would see a time when we had more good jobs to fill and not enough qualified workers to immediately fill the jobs. During the 2014 Legislative session, our top priority will be Work Force Development.” Governor Jindal also announced that he and a small team including LED Director Steve Moret will be leaving on the January 11 for a weeklong trip to three Asian countries promoting Louisiana as the best place for investments and plant locations. Jindal and his small team of economic development experts will visit South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. During the trip, Jindal and his group will meet with CEO’s of 10 companies headquartered in those countries.

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Zachary POST Tuesday, January 14, 2014

1ST SOUTH

continued from page 5

in the area.” “We want to be very market oriented,” Kent concluded. “That is why First South Farm Credit has added recreational land to its portfolio. We also realized that to be market oriented, we needed to develop specific programs for young farmers, first time farmers, and small time farmers.” Writer’s note: First South Farm Credit has a low turnover in employees. Some employees have been employed with First South for dozens of years which allows long time relations to be built with their customers. When there are job openings, First South seems to look toward filling specific positions with young people who possess either a background in agriculture or agribusiness degrees.

20th Judicial District Attorney to Sponsor Upcoming Boating Safety Course The 20th Judicial District Attorney’s Office is sponsoring a Boating Safety Course on Saturday, February 15, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Jackson Civic Center, 2084 Hwy. 10, Jackson, Louisiana. The course will be taught by Agents from The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. The course includes information on choosing a boat, classification, hulls, motors, legal requirements

BREC STRATEGIC PLAN CALENDAR

Thurs., Jan. 16– Kick-Off Meeting Independence Park Theater, 6–8:30 p.m.

Second Parish-Wide Meeting–Details TBA All meetings below are area meetings, to be held from 6–7:00 p.m.

January Tues., Jan. 21–Flannery Recreation Center Tues., Jan. 28–Highland Road Community Park, Church Street Park, and Hamilton Park Thurs., Jan. 30–T.D. Bickham Jr. Park, Perkins Road Community Park, and Sharp Road Park

February Tues., Feb. 4 – Independence Road Park, Antioch Boulevard Park, and Pride-Chaneyville Branch Library Thurs., Feb. 6– Anna T. Jordan Community Park, Plank Road Park, and Gus Young Park Tues., Feb. 11– City Park, Ben Burge Park Thurs., Feb. 13 – Jackson Park, Baker Recreation Center, and McKinley Middle School Tues., Feb. 18– Forest Community Park, Cadillac Street Park, Barringer Road Park Thurs., Feb. 20– North Sherwood Forest Community Park, Louisiana School for the Deaf and the Visually Impaired, and Flanacher Road Park Tues., Feb. 25– River Center Branch Library (Downtown), Greenwood Community Park

March Tues., Mar. 11–Howell Community Park, Santa Maria Golf Course, and Jefferson Methodist Church Thurs., Mar. 13–Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library, Cedar Ridge Avenue Park Tues., Mar. 18–Monte Sano Park, Lovett Road Park

www.brec.org/ImagineYourParks2

and equipment requirements, many navigations rules, navigation charts, trailering, sailboats and related subjects that include canoeing, personal watercraft and more. Completion of the course will result in the student being issued a vessel operators certification card. All persons born after January 1,

1984, must complete a boating safety course and carry proof of completion to operate a motorboat in excess of 10 horsepower. The person may operate the boat if accompanied by someone over 18 years of age who if required has completed the course. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 16 to operate a personal watercraft (PWC). Please contact Crystal at 225683-8563 to register, seating is limited.