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Proposed changes to the City of Slidell’s charter on ballot for Nov. 18

When voters in the City of Slidell go to the polls on November 18 (or early voting starting Nov. 3), they will be asked to vote on several proposed charter amendments requested by the Slidell City Council.

Mayoral Residency: COS Prop. 1 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall Article III, Section 3-03.A. of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, be amended to read:  “The mayor shall be at least twenty-five (25) years of age, a qualified elector of the municipality and shall have been legally domiciled and shall have actually resided within the City for at least two (2) years immediately preceding the time established by law for qualifying for office.”, thereby changing the City residency requirement for the mayor from one year to two years, immediately prior to qualifying?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the current mayoral domicile/residency requirement, which is 1 year immediately prior to qualifying.

City Council Residency: COS Prop. 2 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall the first sentence of Article II, Section 2-01.D. of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, be amended to read:  “A council member shall have been legally domiciled and shall have actually resided within the City for at least two (2) years and, where applicable, within the district from which elected, for at least one (1) year, immediately preceding the time established by law for qualifying for office.”, thereby changing the City residency requirement for council members from one year to two years and, where applicable, the district residency requirement for council members from six months to one year, each immediately prior to qualifying?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the current city council domicile/residency requirements, which are 1 year immediately prior to qualifying, and, where applicable, 6 months immediately prior to qualifying within the specific district for which the council seat is sought.

Council Appointees: COS Prop. 3 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall Article II, Section 2-03.C.1. of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, be amended to read: “A vacancy on the Council shall be filled by appointment within fifteen (15) days after the vacancy occurs by a person meeting the qualifications for that office by the favorable vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Council. The appointee shall not have the right to seek any council office seat, whether district or at-large, at the next regular election held for the purpose of filling council offices.”, thereby restricting a person appointed to fill a vacancy in a council office seat from running for any council office seat, and not just the one he/she filled, at the next regular election for council?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the current restriction wording regarding council appointees, which restricts such any such appointee, at the next regular election, from seeking the council office in which he/she served.

Council Administrator: COS Prop. 4 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall Article II, Section 2-08. of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, be amended to read: “The council shall appoint a council administrator who shall serve in this capacity at the pleasure of the council. The council administrator shall give notice of council meetings to its members and the public, keep the journal of its proceedings, be official secretary of the council and perform such other duties as are assigned to the position by this charter or by the council. No officer or employee in the executive branch may serve as council administrator.”, thereby removing any option for an officer or employee in the City’s executive branch to serve as council administrator?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the city council’s right to choose an executive branch employee to serve as council administrator.

Ordinance Lay Over: COS Prop. 5 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall Article II, Section 2-11.B. of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, be amended to read: “All proposed ordinances shall be read by title and published in full or by title after introduction. Except as otherwise provided in this charter, no ordinance shall be considered for final passage until it has laid over at least seven (7) days from its publication and unless a public hearing has been held on the ordinance.”, thereby clarifying that reading and publishing of ordinances, as stated, is required after their introduction, and changing the time an ordinance must lay over from 14 days after publication to 7 days after publication, subject to any exceptions in the Charter?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the current general language regarding proposed ordinance publication, reading, and lay over, including the minimum 14 day lay over period from publication.

Emergency Ordinances: COS Prop. 6 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall Article II, Section 2-13.C. of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, be amended to read: “Emergency ordinances shall be effective for no longer than ninety (90) days. The council, however, upon a favorable vote of at least a majority of the authorized membership may extend the life of an emergency ordinance for an additional ninety (90) days, but no such ordinance may be extended beyond that period.”, thereby changing the maximum effective period for an emergency ordinance from 30 to 90 days and the maximum extension of such an emergency ordinance from an additional 30 days to an additional 90 days?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the current emergency ordinance effective period limitations of 30 days, with one 30 day extension.

Chief of Police Vacancy: COS Prop. 7 of 7

PROPOSAL: Shall Article IV, Section 4-05.H.4. be added to the Home Rule Charter of the City of Slidell, Louisiana, to read:  “4. In the event the chief of police, prior to his or her vacancy of the office, did not designate, in a signed writing on file with the city council office, an assistant chief of police duly qualified to serve as acting chief of police for the limited period set forth above, or if said designee is unwilling or unable to serve as acting chief of police, the mayor shall appoint, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the council’s authorized membership, a duly qualified acting chief of police to serve for the limited period set forth above. The person designated, or appointed and confirmed, as the case may be, to serve as acting chief of police for such limited time period shall be considered duly qualified if he or she is a qualified elector of St. Tammany Parish who has been legally domiciled, and actually residing, in Wards 8 or 9 for at least one (1) year prior to the vacancy and remains so domiciled and residing during his or her vacancy term.”?

  • A YES vote would adopt the above proposal.
  • A NO vote would maintain the current Charter silence on the process to fill a vacancy in the office of chief of police if there is no designated assistant chief of police.
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Section of Bayou Lane in Heritage Park closed to traffic in preparation of Christmas events

In preparation for Christmas events in Heritage Park, a portion of Bayou Lane (from Pennsylvania Ave. to the Heritage Park Boat Launch) that runs through Heritage Park will be closed to vehicular traffic starting on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, to Monday, November 20, 2023.

Access to the Heritage Park Boat Launch will not be obstructed. The children’s playground area will also remain open, but parking immediately next to the playground will not be accessible. Guests should park in the shell parking lot on the corner of Bayou Lane and Pennsylvania Ave. or near the boat launch.

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Section of Carey Street closed for construction

Starting Wednesday, November 1, a section of Carey Street will closed to traffic going northbound from Old Spanish Trail to Guzman Street for roadway construction. The southbound lane will remain open.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the construction should be completed by Wednesday, Nov. 22.

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Olde Towne Slidell Event Street Closures, Oct. 27 – Oct. 29

There are many great events happening in Olde Towne Slidell this weekend and several streets in Olde Towne will be closed for each event.

NO PARKING ZONES:

Due to public safety, once bollards and barricades are in place, any vehicle that is inside the No Parking Zone will not be able to leave the area until the event ends and bollards are removed. It is also possible that vehicles will be towed. “Special Event No Parking” signs are placed throughout Olde Towne to notify everyone of the closures.

Friday, October 27: Olde Towne Slidell Zombie Crawl starting at 5 p.m.

For the Zombie Crawl, sections of Cousin, First, Robert and Carey will be blocked from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. See the map for more details.

Saturday, October 28: Slidell Antiques & Crafts Street Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For the Antique Street Fair, sections of Erlanger, First, and Second will be closed starting Friday at 5 p.m. and reopening Sunday at 5 p.m. See the map for more details.

Sunday, October 29: Slidell Antiques & Crafts Street Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For the Antique Street Fair, sections of Erlanger, First, and Second will be closed starting Friday at 5 p.m. and reopening Sunday at 5 p.m. See the map for more details.
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Registration now open for the Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart Parade

Calling all golf carts! Mayor Cromer is inviting you to be a part of the Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart Parade. All you have to do is decorate a golf cart and you and your family and friends can be a part of the fun. This year’s parade is Saturday, Dec. 2 starting at 5 p.m. in Olde Towne. Registration is free but limited to the first 100 golf carts.  See the form below for more information.

2023 Olde Towne Slidell Community Christmas Golf Cart Parade form

 

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Vince Vance Bayou Jam concert rescheduled for Dec. 1

Vince Vance and the Valiants return to Heritage Park on Friday, Dec. 1 for the City of Slidell’s Bayou Jam Christmas Spectacular! starting at 6 p.m. Admission is free!

“Vince is known as the King of Christmas with his popular holiday hit ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ so we decided to bring him back for the Bayou Jam Christmas Spectacular! on Friday, Dec. 1,” said Alex Carollo, Director of Cultural & Public Affairs. “That unfortunately means that the concert scheduled for Oct. 27 has been rescheduled. But don’t worry! There are many great events happening on Halloween weekend, including the Olde Towne Zombie Crawl and the  Slidell Antique and Craft Street Fair.”

Vince Vance and the Valiants are a country, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll group from New Orleans. This year, they are celebrating their 50th anniversary of performing. The group is known primarily for the single “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts on six separate occasions. In 2005, Country Music Television proclaimed “All I Want for Christmas is You” the No. 6 Merriest Video of All Time.

Performances by Vince Vance and the Valiants are never short on entertainment, with costume changes, comic skits, and a vaudeville flair that make Vance’s shows unique and highly memorable. Vance is also widely recognized for his single “I am New Orleans,” a song composed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

Concert goers are invited to bring their chairs, blankets, ice chests, picnic baskets and sweaters and jackets to the park to enjoy the free concerts. Concessions will be available. 

For more information about this event, please call the Department of Cultural & Public Affairs at (985) 646-4375. For City of Slidell news and events, please visit MySlidell.com and sign up for our e-news updates, and follow us on the “City of Slidell” Facebook page.

In the event of inclement weather, please check the city’s website or Facebook page for the latest information. Cancellation decisions will be made by 1 p.m. on the day of the event.

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Slidell recognized with Excellence Award from American Planning Association Louisiana Chapter for Olde Towne Slidell Main Street Master Plan

Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer is proud to announce that the City of Slidell is the recipient of the Excellence Award for a Plan from the American Planning Association Louisiana Chapter (APA-LA) for the city’s Olde Towne Slidell Main Street Master Plan. Each year, the APA-LA recognizes a plan that focuses on a specific area or topic with an emphasis on plans that advance the science and art of planning.

The Olde Towne Slidell Main Street Master Plan was developed in 2022 by Philip Walker with the Walker Collaborative. At a Main Street conference in 2021, Mayor Cromer attended a presentation featuring Walker and was impressed with his knowledge and experience of developing master plans. Walker was an integral part of designing plans for cities such as Covington, LA; Topeka, KS; Starkville, MS; and Natchez, MS. The City of Slidell hired Walker as a consultant to design a plan to revitalize the Olde Towne Slidell Main Street area.

Johnny Bordelon, from JV Burkes & Associates and Daniel McElmurray, Slidell Planning Director, accept the Planning Excellence Award on behalf of Mayor Cromer and the City of Slidell

Walker held numerous public meetings and charettes with elected and city officials; Olde Towne residents, businesses, and property owners; Olde Towne organizations; stakeholders and members of the public. Important issues such as parking, streetscape projects, signage, lighting, special events, and connecting Olde Towne to Heritage Park were discussed. The final master plan was based on the public input from each of the public meetings.

Since the initiation of the plan in late 2022, several projects have already been completed. New directional signage on I-10 and I-12 were added by LADOTD along with signage on Fremaux Avenue and Hwy. 11 added by the city, help both residents and visitors locate the Olde Towne Slidell Main Street area. And brick paver crosswalks installed at several of the main intersections in Olde Towne help improve pedestrian safety and make Olde Towne Slidell Main Street more walking friendly.

“The City of Slidell is honored to receive this award from the American Planning Association. We had a lot of great input and support from the public and the fact that we were able to complete several of the projects helped our plan stand out from the rest,” said Mayor Cromer. “I would like to thank Phil Walker and his team at the Walker Collaborative, Olde Towne Slidell Main Street, and the Slidell departments of Planning, Building Safety, Engineering and Public Operations for all of their hard work on this project. But most importantly, I want to thank all of the Olde Towne residents, businesses, organizations and the members of the public who participated in this process by sharing with us their vision for Olde Towne Slidell Main Street.”

Olde Towne Slidell Main Street is a non-profit organization with the mission to help preserve and enhance the historic and economic integrity of the Olde Towne Slidell Main Street District, and promote Olde Towne Slidell as a center of cultural activity with a cohesive community identity. As a Main Street America™ accredited program, Olde Towne Slidell Main Street is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.

“Congratulations to Mayor Greg Cromer and the City of Slidell for winning this award,” said Beth Bowman, President of Olde Towne Slidell Main Street. “Main Street is so appreciative that the City of Slidell understands the important role that Olde Towne Slidell Main Street plays in our community. We are excited about all the progress that has been made in the Main Street district, and even more excited about the improvements to come in the future.”

The complete Olde Towne Slidell Main Street Master Plan can be viewed at MySlidell.com/cultural-and-public-affairs/olde-towne-slidell-main-street-master-plan.

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Mayor Cromer and city officials unveil new improvements at the Terrace Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant

Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer was joined by city officials this morning to cut the ribbon and unveil all of the new improvements at the Terrace Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2023.
The improvements to the Terrace Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) include construction of a completely new headworks facility and rehabilitation of major, critical equipment utilized by the plant to treat sewage to acceptable levels for discharge into the environment.
This project was funded through a Department of Environmental Quality State Revolving Fund Loan. The total cost of the project is $8.8 million. The project engineer is H. Davis Cole & Associates, LLC.
The Terrace Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant has enjoyed a long standing record of compliance with the requirements of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ). With LDEQ requirements becoming increasingly strict with regards to the protection of the environment, this significant investment into the WWTP represents a proactive approach to compliance with regulations putting the City of Slidell ahead of the curve and continuing its record of compliance far into the future.
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New tennis courts now open at the Henry J. Calamari Memorial Tennis Center

Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer was joined by members of the Slidell City Council, Slidell Tennis Association and the public on Monday, Oct. 2, to officially open the new Henry J. Calamari Tennis Center in Slidell.

The new tennis facility now includes eight tennis courts, a small pavilion, and new walkways that allow easy access to restroom facilities and Veterans Memorial Park. The City broke ground in February of 2023 and construction was completed in September 2023. The tennis courts were designed by Kyle Associates, LLC, and built by Cobalt Construction, Inc. for a cost of $2.4 million.

“This is one of the premier tennis facilities in our area. We wanted to make sure that this was a first class facility for our community and we fortunately had some surplus money and grant opportunities to make this project a reality,” said Mayor Cromer. “These new tennis courts, along with the planned outdoor pickleball courts and skate park at John Slidell Park, shows that we listen to what the public asks for. We heard you and we delivered!”

The original tennis courts were built in the 1960s. Over the years, the old courts were repaired and resurfaced numerous times, but the crumbling concrete slabs eventually needed to be replaced. When the orginal courts opened, it cost $1 an hour to play, and players had to go to Slidell City Hall to reserve a court and purchase the ticket. Over the years, Mr. Henry Calamari and his wife Gayle organized many family fun play days, tournaments, and United States Tennis Association events on the courts. They were both instrumental in forming the Slidell Tennis Association in 1977.  Their daughter, Julie Calamari Champagne, taught junior tennis camps during the summers and has been teaching those camps for the last 29 years. She has also been the tennis coach for Pope John Paul II High School for the last 29 years, and Pope students have been practicing on the courts for 40 years.

In 1995, Mr. Calamari tragically passed in a boating accident. Former Mayor Sam Caruso and the Slidell City Council voted to rename the tennis courts in his honor. On Sept. 24, 1995, the Sidell Tennis Courts were officially named the Henry J. Calamari Memorial Tennis Center.

The tennis courts are located at 2600 Second Street in Olde Towne Slidell. The courts are open to the public from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is free.

For more information about the Slidell Tennis Association, please visit their website at SlidellTennis.com.

 

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UPDATE: Boil Water Notice issued rescinded for small section of Gause Blvd.

UPDATE: The Boil Water Notice has been lifted.

The City of Slidell has issued a Boil Water Advisory due to a loss of pressure while repairing a water main for the following addresses:

  • 1662 Gause Blvd. – TA Truck Stop
  • 1682 Gause Blvd. – Red Roof Inn

All affected addresses have been notified by the City of Slidell. The Boil Water Advisory will be in effect until the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals analyzes all the water samples. It usually takes several days. Everyone will be notified once the advisory has been lifted.

For more information on what to do during a Boil Water Advisory: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/drinking/drinking-water-advisories/boil-water-advisory.html.

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