St. Mary Excel reports on first-quarter actvities
(Editor’s note: St. Mary Excel, a local citizens group, submitted this report on its first quarter 2024 activities.)
St. Mary Excel continues to implement recommendations of the Urban Land Institute panel, “Morgan City and Berwick Louisiana: Building the Foundation for a New Economy Along the Atchafalaya River.” See attachment at StMaryNow.com.
St Mary Excel:
—Made a presentation on local efforts to secure the Atchafalaya National Estuarine Research Reserve to the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERRA) Partners at a meeting in Baton Rouge on Jan. 9.
—Hosted a Local Interest Group at the South Louisiana Community College-Young Memorial Campus on Jan. 6 and posted the meeting on You Tube at: https://tinyurl.com/2ke5yh7x
—Worked with multiple university and public stakeholders to develop a plan to secure a resilience lab as recommended by the Urban Land Institute. The ULI panel visited and recommended that our area make “resilience a regional export.”
—Made a courtesy visit to ANERR state agency director Dr. Brian Roberts to share resilience lab initiative plans as the lab complements the ANERR, but is not directly connected.
—Made plans to join Dr. Brian Roberts on May 29 as the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce hosts him for their monthly luncheon. Dr. Roberts will update the community on ANERR process progress.
—Supported the City of Morgan City submission of a grant application to assist in seeking grant funds for cataloging and preserving documents and artifacts held in the Morgan City archives. The support was made possible through an H & B Young Foundation appeal.
—Followed meetings with St. Mary Parish Levee District to connect St. Mary Parish area students with field trip opportunities within the coastal ecosystem.
—Released, in conjunction with the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, the “2023 St. Mary Parish Quality of Life Survey”. Input was received from nearly 500 respondents on: economic development, health and wellness, safety, education, recreation and leisure,
Atchafalaya National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR), and a maritime residential high school.
St. Mary Excel shared results with local leaders (mayors, school board and hospital leaders, and parish leaders.) Results were summarized and posted on the St. Mary Excel website. See the results at: https://www.stmaryexcel.com/projects
—Made and submitted comments to the US Army Corps of Engineers concerning its Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Plan.
— Continued inquiries into current awarded bike/hiking trail grants: 1) placing pedestrian head crossings on three intersections identified as dangerous; 2) and placing trails from downtown Morgan City to South Louisiana Community College.