Mayor Sharon Weston Broome wants to meet with supporters of the city of St. George movement in hopes of staving off another incorporation attempt.
“One of my goals has been to initiate a discussion with the citizens of St. George,” Broome said during a luncheon today sponsored by the Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System. “There has been a lot of talking. My goal would be to see if we could find a particle of common ground that we use as a way to defeat the breakaway.”
Broome’s comments came during a wide-ranging discussion of educational issues before a crowd of more than 100 business and civic leaders. Broome shared the microphone with East Baton Rouge Schools Superintendent Warren Drake, who also reiterated his support for keeping the city-parish united.
“I understand the people of St. George want better schools and we need to do a better job, and we will do a better job in the way the schools look and perform for our kids,” Drake said. “I truly believe we are better together as a community.”
Public education was the driving force behind the effort three years ago to create a separate city of St. George from unincorporated parts of East Baton Rouge Parish. The effort ultimately failed when organizers fell short of the signatures needed to put the measure on the ballot.
Supporters are expected to relaunch the effort later this year when they will legally be able to start a new petition drive.
Broome said she is aware of plans in the works to try to foil the incorporation effort but she declined to give specifics.
“Many people who love Baton Rouge are engaged in different plans of action we can take to prevent this from happening,” she said. “There is an emerging citizenry that is having dialog about how to keep this from happening in our community. … But my first option is to go talk to the people of St. George.”
On related education matters, Broome reiterated her commitment to strengthening the parish school system, even while acknowledging the mayor has little direct power to do so. As she frequently did on the campaign trail, Broome called for holding a joint meeting between the school board and the Metro Council.
“That hasn’t been done in history of Baton Rouge and it’s a good place to start,” she said, adding that such a meeting could be held in February or March. “It is very important that we keep the lines of communication open.”
Broome and Drake also both said they place a high priority on early childhood education and want to find ways to better coordinate city-parish and school system programs that serve the preschool population and those who are even younger.
—Stephanie Riegel
