By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish’s 2002 annual report slipped out into the community with little fanfare besides inclusion with utility bills and a mention at the May 14 parish council meeting. However, the report offers a rich selection of project updates, designed to impress the citizens with visible signs of economic progress.

A letter from Parish President Nickie Monica is one major feature, in which he detailed long-range plans for improvements across the parish. Among these he mentioned are the Veterans Home for Southeast Louisiana, an $18 million, 200-bed facility to be built near Airline Highway in Reserve, recreational park upgrades, new pumping stations to improve drainage a new West Bank community center and recreation complex and a community center/multi-purpose complex in LaPlace.

All this growth, Monica pointed out, comes as the parish continues to grow. Record home building rates followed census reports that St. John Parish increased its population 8 percent to nearly 44,000 people in the last 10 years. Monica said, as example, that 250 new houses were built during 2001 in the parish, at a value of nearly $27 million. Still other signs of progress are evident, the report added, including the planned Sempra Energy power plant, an $800 million facility to be located in the vicinity of Bayou Steel. Ground-breaking is set in 2003 and will take two years to complete. The facility will use natural gas as its fuel source and river water for cooling, it is designed to be one of the most efficient and environmentally clean facilities in the nation.

Still other projects are either in progress or imminent, including the new Louisiana National Guard transportation facility, to be located near the St. John Parish Airport in Reserve. At this facility, some 55 Guardsmen will train to operate trucks and military vehicles. The parish will, at first, provide a temporary building until the permanent $2 million facility is completed.

This will also provide a sales tax revenue boost for the parish, helping local schools and government.

The new St. John Parish Library facility on U.S. 51 in LaPlace is expected to open later this summer, including a meeting facility and expanded services and amenities.

Three drainage pump stations are under construction at this time, and the extension of Railroad Avenue from West 19th Street to La. Highway 3179 in Reserve will open up new tracts of land south of Airline Highway to commercial and residential development.

Other infrastructure improvements include improved pumping facilities at the Ruddock wells, where a 1 million-gallon water tank there ensures a reliable freshwater supply.

The Belle Terre water tower has been refurbirshed and 22 new fire hydrants, joined with the replacement of 45 other hydrants, will improve public safety. In addition, the Pleasure Bend community has its new fire station under construction.

All this comes, Monica said, with improved bond interest rates and better financial record-keeping.

Copies of the St. John the Baptist Parish 2002 annual report are available at the parish president’s office in LaPlace.