From the Mayor’s Desk: April 14, 2011

COOKING IN CENTRAL 2011:

    My sincerest gratitude goes out to all the many volunteers that worked throughout the year to make this “Cooking In Central” event such a tremendous success!

With so many people coming together for the betterment of this community, we experienced the most successful event ever.  We brought in over $220,000.00 this year! 

    Congratulations to our $10,000.00 Raffle winner: Mr. Gary Henderson!
    To all that donated auction items, food, time and your love for this community: THANK YOU!! 
    Looking forward to next year’s event.  As always, we need volunteers to make this happen.  We would welcome you aboard anytime!

BUILDING TO A HIGHER STANDARD IN CENTRAL

    The primary reason that so many citizens joined forces in the incorporation of Central as a municipality was to “control our own destiny.”  We wanted Central to be a unique place where people would want to live and raise their children without fear of crime; substandard schools; a declining job market; and stagnant or decreasing property values.  In addition we wanted Central (and its 66 square miles) to become an “island of opportunity” for Louisiana residents who want the very best for themselves and their families.  In just five short years, we believe we have already laid the foundation correctly to accomplish most of this.

    Let’s turn our attention to the areas of Economic Development.  We are focusing our efforts currently on retail development and service sector jobs that complement our community’s workforce needs.  This is not to say that we’re disinterested in blue collar (manufacturing or light assembly) jobs, but our primary focus in March 2011 was to ‘slow down’ our sales leakage in order that we can grow our sales tax base and prevent citizens from having to leave Central to purchase essential items.

    We have a tremendous opportunity to bring in another “big box”; more clothing and apparel stores; and a wealth of specialty shops to meet the needs of our citizenry and its per capita income.  Based upon a 2009 Feasibility Study we had done, the City of Central is poised to add between $30M and $90M in additional retail spending and between 40-71 new retail stores and restaurants.  This will result in an additional $1.5M to $4.5M in city sales tax revenues as well as create 234-522 new jobs in construction activities alone.  The longer term effect is the creation of 436-867 new jobs as a direct result of new retail and food services.  Central also has the potential to add between 530-3,700 new jobs based on expected regional growth through 2020 which could produce 440,000 square feet in industrial and office space.

    In order to reach a ‘higher standard’ for a community, you must also reach a ‘higher standard’ in your economic development program.  We believe we are on the right track here, based upon a number of good decisions made over the past 3 years.

KIDS TIME WITH THE MAYOR

    We are holding our second annual “Kids Time with the Mayor” Saturday, May 21, 2011, 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M., at Village at Magnolia Square.  There will hotdogs, cotton candy, spacewalks, Kleinpeter Ice Cream, Kenny Acosta’s wonderful music and lots more!  Each child will be appointed “Honorary Mayor of Central” for the day and will receive a certificate from the Mayor.

   Please make plans to come by and join us!

And as always;
God Bless Central,
Mac Watts
Mayor

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