Let the counting—and waiting—begin.
The East Baton Rouge Registrar of Voters office estimates it will be at least a few weeks before an update can be given on the signature count for the petition to incorporate a new city of St. George. Just before the 4:30 p.m. deadline to turn in signatures on Thursday, organizers of the incorporation effort turned in 4,630 additional signatures to the registrar’s office. That’s nearly 2,000 more signatures than are expected to be needed to get the item on a ballot later this year. However, a group that is fighting the incorporation effort—Better Together—also submitted to the registrar’s office the signatures of 810 people who want to withdraw their previous signatures in favor of the incorporation effort.
Now the registrar’s office begins work to validate the signatures. Office administrative assistant Amy Pourciau says the petition drive signatures will be validated first, then the signatures on the withdrawal form will be verified and names will be removed from the petition. Pourciau says the office will update its progress in two weeks.
Also Thursday, the BREC Board of Commissioners voted to roll forward the property tax approved by voters several years ago, a move that will generate nearly $1 million in additional revenues annually for the park system.
The Metro Council, meanwhile, kicked two high-profile issues down the road this week. At its meeting Wednesday evening, council deferred taking action on an ordinance that would have required the Baton Rouge Police Department to equip officers with body cameras. Concerns over the timeline set out in the ordinance—which would have required implementation by the start of next year—as well as the cost of implementation ultimately led to the deferral.
Also deferred by council was a measure to place on the Oct. 24 ballot a renewal of the dedicated property tax for the East Baton Rouge Parish Library System that would raise property taxes from 10.78 mills to 11.1 mills. The council will take up the issue again at its next regular meeting on Wednesday, June 10.
Here’s a rundown of some of the other top stories making headlines in Daily Report this week:
- TPG Special Situations Partners, the Texas-based investment firm that acquired Perkins Rowe about 18 months ago and spent untold millions on improvements to the mixed-use development, is putting the property on the market. A spokeswoman for Stirling Properties, which manages Perkins Rowe, confirms the 710,896-square-foot development is for sale. HFF Dallas, a national commercial real estate brokerage firm, is listing the property. There is no asking price, according to Stirling spokeswoman Donna Taylor.
- Park 7 Apartments, a 280-unit apartment complex planned outside the South Gates of LSU, is a step closer to reality following a New York development firm’s $9,325,000 purchase of roughly 2.6 acres for the project. The land was purchased in four separate transactions by CD/PARK7 Baton Rouge Owner LLC, represented by Paul Levine. He is executive vice president of development for Park 7 Group, the New York-based firm that has filed applications to develop the complex.
- More than one-third of Baton Rouge residents are obese, giving the city the dubious distinction of being the fattest in America. According to new data from Gallup-Healthways on obesity in the United States, Baton Rouge’s 35.9% obesity rate is highest among America’s 100 largest metro areas. On the flip side, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is said to have the nation’s lowest obesity rate, at 19.6%.
- The Capital Area Transit System has terminated its contract with the local construction company that was supposed to build and install 30 prefabricated bus shelters by the end of March. The transit system took the action after CATS officials claimed the contractor failed to complete 10 of the shelters on time. CATS officials say it is not clear why First Millennium Construction, which was awarded the $126,690 contract for the shelters last September, was unable to complete the work. But the agency is seeking legal advice as to how to proceed.
- After less than six months in business, Spice Bistro & Bar has shut down. The restaurant, which was at 8342 Perkins Road in the Perkins Panache shopping center, opened last October and closed earlier this spring without bothering to give notice to property manager David Persac. The restaurant was co-owned by Terral Jackson Jr. and Nathian Hossley, who is also co-owner of First Millennium Construction.
- LSU athletics generated an estimated $133.7 million during the 2013-14 school year. The total placed the school sixth in the nation among all university athletics programs and second in the SEC to Alabama, which produced revenue of $153.2 million and was fourth overall. LSU athletics revenue last school year grew by 13.8% from revenue in the 2012-13 school year, the data show, while athletics expenses—at roughly $123 million—climbed 16.7% over the same period.
- The partners in the Dudley DeBosier law firm have purchased the 10,000-square-foot building at 1075 Government St. where it has been headquartered since its inception about six years ago. In a deal that closed Tuesday, the partners bought the building for $2.3 million from 1075 Government LLC, represented by Thomas Pittenger.
- Local restaurateur Stephen Hightower plans to open a craft brew pub and beer garden later this summer in the space at 11445 Coursey Blvd. that Happy’s Irish Pub formerly occupied. The establishment will be called Bottle and Tap and will feature a rotating selection of regional craft beers, as well as a rotating selection of 50 bottled beers from around the world.
—Steve Sanoski
