Agency brings $250M economic impact to area, SCPDC CEO tells Houma chamber

The South Central Planning and Development Commission in Gray carries out many different functions, said CEO Kevin Belanger, speaking in Houma last week to the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce.

The agency is one of eight public regional planning commissions and economic development districts in Louisiana that provides long- and short-range planning services; writes grants; acts as a liaison between the federal and state governments; and distributes federal money to local communities, Belanger said.

Created in 1972 by member parishes and municipalities, the commission covers Lafourche, Terrebonne, Assumption, St. James, St. Charles and St. John parishes, representing around 300,000 people. The Louisiana legislature formalized the eight state planning commissions in 1977.

The federal government pays $3.2 million of South Central Planning’s $8 million annual budget. The state contributes $2.8 million. Member parishes pay 38 cents in dues for each resident, amounting to around $129,000.

“We have a $250 million economic impact through the projects we bring in,” Belanger said.

The agency’s Economic Development Division, started several years ago, has lured more than $80 million of projects, he said.

Belanger said two federally-funded programs administered by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries researching the impact of recent hurricanes on the local commercial fishing industry could bring around $48 million to the region. The commission is working with the Wildlife and Fisheries Department, he said.

For the study on hurricanes Katrina and Rita, $18 million could be distributed to area fishermen and seafood dealers. That program has 3,000 participants; 2,000 have submitted applications.

The hurricanes Gustav and Ike study could distribute $30 million to the 2,800 dealers and fishermen participating; 2,200 applications have been submitted.

Additionally, the commission helps administer Business Recovery Grants and some federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

The business recovery program, run by the Louisiana Recovery Authority, distributes federal funds to businesses damaged by the recent hurricanes.

“Terrebonne Parish has its own CDBG administration, but we do it for the other parishes,” Belanger said.

The commission also has a revolving loan fund for businesses needing gap financing and startup money.

Businesses can receive loans of up to $250,000 from the fund at no more than 4 percent interest. Belanger said the fund has had only two defaults.

The commission has a $2.5 million revolving loan fund for businesses having to deal with environmentally sensitive areas.

“We do brownfields,” Belanger said. “We have a program that will pay for Phase One and Two to get (businesses) back into taxable use.”

The commission also performs building inspections with its 10 inspectors, reviews building plans, and issues building permits.

Belanger said the permitting process used to take a week or more but has been reduced to a day for residences and a week for commercial establishments.

“We cover 300,000 people but our budget is for 30,000,” he said.

The commission’s Information Technology Division offers technical assistance for $16 an hour, Belanger said. “We do it on an economy of scale,” he said.

The federal Metropolitan Planning Organization – the agency that develops state and federal road projects in the Houma – Thibodaux metropolitan area-is part of the commission as well.

“The (South Central) MPO does not get a lot of money,” Belanger said. The MPO has a $3.5 million annual budget. “Lafayette gets $80 million a year in local sales taxes to generate its highway program,” he said.

Other transportation-related projects involving the commission include developing transit systems and working with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, Belanger said.

In 2008, the commission performed a public transit feasibility study for the city of Thibodaux, and the South Central Safe Community Task Force, funded by the highway commission, promotes highway safety.

The South Central Planning board has public officials from parishes and municipalities and members from the private sector, such as Houma-Terrebonne Chamber President Drake Pothier.

Board members from the public sector include Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet, who is vice chairman; Terrebonne Parish Councilwoman Arlanda Williams; Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph; Thibodaux Mayor Charles Caillouet; Golden Meadow Mayor Joey Bouziga; and Lockport Mayor Richard Champagne.