LAPLACE  —  Potential projects for  improving St. John Parish’s recovery efforts will be unveiled at a series of three open houses in March where residents will have an opportunity to vote on proposed plans they favor.
Drawn from hundreds of suggestions offered by the community earlier this year, the potential projects are part of the “One Parish, One Future: Building Back Better and Stronger” initiative.
The effort seeks to continue St. John Parish’s recovery from Hurricane Isaac and improve resiliency in future storms.
The proposed projects, which include an emergency water supply for LaPlace, interim and long-term flood protection for residents and Interstate 10 and transit options to medical facilities, were formulated by volunteers on the St. John Citizens Advisory Committee. The group has been meeting and planning for the parish’s recovery from Hurricane Isaac and proposing plans for building back better and stronger. In addition to the three open houses held in January, additional input was gathered through an online survey, smaller community meetings and other outreach efforts.
“We hope all of the attendees from the January sessions will come back to see what they helped create and that they bring their friends and neighbors. We can always use good ideas,” said Dr. Wayne Robichaux, CAC chairman.
Residents, business owners and other stakeholders are welcome any time between 5:30 and 8 p.m. at the following open houses:
• Monday, March 18 – West Bank Community Center, 173 E. Third St., Edgard
• Tuesday, March 19 – St. John Parish Civic Center, 2900 U.S. Highway 51, LaPlace
• Wednesday, March 20 – Regala Gymnasium, 200 Regala Park Road, Reserve
“The Citizens Advi-
sory Committee has taken this unique opportunity to gather  community input and quickly transform it into specific projects. They have worked well with our state, federal and private sector partners to facilitate our rebuilding and revitalization initiative,” said Parish President Natalie Robottom.
The Building Back Better and Stronger effort is supported by state and federal partner agencies under the new National Disaster Recovery Framework that was launched in Louisiana following the August 2012 storm.