Inspired by Baton Rouge’s A6, a group of West Feliciana Parish residents has founded a policy advisory panel so new it doesn’t even have a name yet. But it does have a mission: to serve as an advisor to residents and governmental entities in the parish on issues such as housing, industry, education and health care, while also helping form a vision of what West Feliciana wants to be. Owen Kemp, a Realtor and the group’s facilitator, says the panel is open to anyone who wants to participate. Members are encouraged to pursue any issues “that spark passion in their hearts,” she says.
The advisory council met for the second time Wednesday, when the 30 or so people who showed up were divided into committees to tackle individual issues. Kemp says the idea for the group came from the West Feliciana Police Jury, which had sought input on policy issues. Kemp says it’s a critical juncture for West Feliciana, with the new John James Audubon Bridge getting nearer to completion and tax income from the Entergy nuclear plants ratcheting down. An advisory panel makes sense to make sure the parish sticks with the comprehensive plan it already has, and to find out what types of economic development opportunities the parish should pursue, she says. “That’s the point: We don’t know, but we’d like to know,” Kemp says. “What are the options? What is the best thing for the parish, and what do citizens want?”—Steve Clark
