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Residents may soon encounter new approaches to basic city services—including robotic lawn mowers, private contractors and new technology—as Baton Rouge leaders look for ways to stretch capacity amid budget pressures.
Mayor Sid Edwards says his administration is exploring a range of options to streamline public works, including expanding the use of private contractors, evaluating emerging technologies used by other municipalities and making workflow adjustments. He cites a February seminar on robotic lawn mowers as one example of the kind of ideas under consideration, noting they are not a silver bullet but part of broader efforts to increase efficiency. “Everything is on the table,” Edwards says.
At the same time, Metro Council members are warning residents to expect an adjustment period. District 3 councilman Rowdy Gaudet says highly visible services such as drainage, grass cutting and road maintenance are among his primary concerns, as even modest slowdowns will be noticeable.
“There will be an adjustment period,” Gaudet says, adding that some service interruptions should be expected as rapid budget cuts in the wake of the failed Thrive EBR tax proposal take effect.
To mitigate potential disruptions, Gaudet says the Metro Council plans to maintain open lines of communication with residents, the mayor’s office and department heads and to continuously revisit service delivery throughout 2026.
