|
Welcome to the Lafayette League! We are actively recruiting members and hope you will join the League and participate in its community activities.
Top Topics:
School Board Candidates Respond to League Questions
All the candidates for the contested seats on Lafayette's school board have answered a series of questions whose focus ranges from school performance and teacher evaluation to state funding and the condition of local facilities. The League has published their answers by council district to allow the voting public to easily compare their positions. The full text of their answers—and a brief biographical sketch—are available in the league's Voter Information section.
September 20,
"REBUILDING OUR LEAGUE" 
eANNUAL MEETING for members and potential members
Southside Library Large Meeting Room
6:00 gathering
6:30-7:30 business meeting with complimentary meal
Government Services Forum
The League of Women Voters of Lafayette's most recent event, a May 12 forum on "Government Services and Growth in Lafayette Parish" highlighting topics informing the current discussion around changing the city-parish charter has been archived after showing on AOC.i DVD's are available from the League also to view the one-hour forum by calling 337-504-2200.
How will the public reach an understanding of the findings of the upcoming Charter Commission? This forum hosted those knowledgeable in two parish service areas—water and parks & recreation—and two broader public quality of life issues—community development, and comprehensive planning and zoning. Maps and graphics clarified the service and affected areas. The forum moderator, Kathleen Espinoza is an Instructor of Geography at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Panelists were
- Don Broussard, Water Operations Manager, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette Consolidated Government
- Richard Poche, Chair, City-Parish Recreation Advisory Commission
- Ben Berthelot, Director, Community Development Department, Lafayette Consolidated Government
- Bruce Conque, LINC (Lafayette in a Century) Steering Committee, member, Traffic & Transportation Technical Advisory Committee
The panelists answered many questions from the public in the studio audience, following their discussion of these questions:
For the different political-geographical areas of Lafayette Parish:
- the City of Broussard, City of Carencro, Town of Duson, City of Scott, City of Youngsville
- the two parts of Lafayette Consolidated Government: City of Lafayette, unincorporated areas
- any special districts
1. What were these like before consolidation, i.e. did consolidation affect the amount or type given of this service and who or what controls or determines the services today?
2. Where does the money come from for the service and what level of service or impact does each political-geographic area receive?
3. What are the concerns, urgent issues, or limitations that the public and the Charter Commission should know about this governmental function?
The League has published the Guide to the Elected Officials for Lafayette Parish Voters, the only comprehensive source of its kind. It includes all the Louisiana officials who are elected, in whole or part, by the citizens of the parish. The Guide is presented in both html (for online reading) and pdf (for printing) formats.
Current Activities:
The League's study focusing on the potential of the Lafayette fiber project continues. League participation in the Communty Coalition for Lafayette Public Schools, which followed the League's previous study project "Everybody's Schools," remains a priority.
The League study projects are at the heart of the local League. Our studies take the point of view of the community; they are not associated with any special interest beyond local citizenship. The League members' engagement in a thorough and dispassionate exploration of local issues that seldom get such concentrated attention is one of the unique contributions of the League to its community.
The League's "Everybody's Schools"
The League School Facility Study, "Everybody's Schools," remains an active topic in Lafayette's civic and political conversation. The League continues its participation in advisory councils and makes presentations about the study in community forums. You can schedule a League speaker by email.
Of Interest: The Community Coalition for Lafayette Schools has produced its report following up the school facility issues initially addressed by the League's "Everybody's Schools." That valuable report, "State of our Schools," is availble online.
As always, public participation is encouraged and potential members sought!
|
