More than a decade after its last involvement in Baton Rouge public life, the civic group A6 has announced it is getting back together with hopes of attracting a new generation of citizen leaders willing to undertake new projects and initiatives that will make Baton Rouge a better, more progressive community.
In an email with a short video link sent out to 2,100 of its original members, the group says “Baton Rouge can improve, must improve, needs to improve,” and welcomes anyone with a passion for change to join, as “A6 rides again.”
“It’s really about energizing people, not just business people but just whoever wants to be physically involved and find where they can contribute,” says businessman Mike Polito, one of the founders of the original A6 who is also behind its new iteration. “We’re old now and we’re trying to bring in new, younger blood, young talent.”
A6, which originally stood for the Austin 6, was created by Polito, Michael Trufant, Loren Kleinpeter, Tim Mockler and others following a 2003 canvas trip to Austin sponsored by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. Then in their late 30s and early 40s, the group’s leaders formed the organization to focus primarily on quality-of-life issues in Baton Rouge.
Though they were all businessmen, they did not promote a specific business or political agenda. Nor did A6 accept money or fund political campaigns. Rather, the group held a lot of forums and town halls that engaged the community in discussions about issues they felt were important at the time.
In their first three years, the group jumped on several high-profile issues and notched its most significant win—the creation of term limits for those serving on governmental boards and commissions.
The group also supported the development of Rouzan and L’Auberge Casino, both, at the time, controversial projects in the community.
A6 efforts to create two at-large seats on the Metro Council and to bring about certain education reforms were less successful.
After 2009, the group unofficially disbanded for various reasons. But Trufant says the leadership has remained in contact for the past decade and that it’s time to reengage.
“It’s a different time,” he says. “I think we have a track record. I think people are frustrated and I think that creates a scenario for people to at least give us a look.”
In the coming weeks, the group plans to announce several projects and initiatives it wants to tackle. One will be to create an A6 slate of Metro Council candidates, who are committed to supporting a “list of things we’d like to see done,” says Polito, though the group hasn’t come up with the list yet.
Repurposing the underutilized City Park nine-hole golf course, long a bone of contention in the community, is another likely project the group will tackle. But the leaders of A6 2.0 are open to all sorts of ideas that will make Baton Rouge better, Polito says.
“We’re going to let people decide what they want to do then give them support and the cover to do it,” he says. “If you want to bring a grocery store to north Baton Rouge, go do it. We’ll help. If you want to create a race relations project, beautification of Third Street, pick it and go. We’ll help. It’s all about energizing people.”
If the original A6 was so successful one might wonder why there is a need for the group to reconvene. Polito says A6 accomplished some good things but that more needs to be done. He is hopeful a new generation of citizen activists will bring about more meaningful and sustainable changes.
“Hopefully, the next generation is smarter, brighter, more engaged than we were and is more passionate,” he says. “That’s what we’re looking for: passion, smart, enlightened.”
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