Community leaders in Eunice have turned their attention to the present and future of the city as they begin forging a strategic plan.
The city last developed a plan to guide its future in 2010, but it rested largely untapped.
Mayor Scott Fontenot has set in motion an effort to develop a new strategic plan building upon the 2010 document.
The St. Landry Economic Development is assisting in creating the plan, which will be the stepping stone to a comprehensive plan for the city, Lorna Guynn, development planner.
On Feb. 26, about a dozen people including the mayor were involved in a discussion on quality of life issues in a meeting on the LSUE campus.
The conversations ranged from leadership development to recreation and communications.
They topics over an hour’s time showed the breadth of the effort to establish where the city stands today and where it is headed.
In a discussion about reducing crime. the topics ranged from the rapidly developing neighborhood watches to trying surveillance cameras.
The process began with what was called a “listening” session in October 2018 at Acadian Medical Center attended by more than 70 people.
Since then there have been discussions about economic development, education and infrastructure.
Guynn said by March 12 she should have a draft plan.
The strategic plan is the beginning of a next phase that will involve public hearings and creating a comprehensive plan.
Goals presented at the Feb. 26 meeting are:
Economic development. Promote a business-friendly environment to diversify and grow the economic base; support and build on existing businesses; attract new industry; capitalize on the cultural economy; and create job opportunities for an educated, ready workforce.
Education. Embrace LSU Eunice as the state-wide leader in two-year universities. Increase access to advanced education, workforce development, and job training opportunities. Continue to lead and improve the quality of K-12 education.
Infrastructure. Provide a well-maintained infrastructure that is clean, safe, and supports the city’s current and future needs.
Quality of life. Maintain a beautiful and unique community, with a strong sense of belonging and a high quality of life.
Among the proposed metrics are to increase employment by 10 percent; help all schools receive an A grade; upgrade water, sewer and roads to accommodate growth; and study the economic impact of recreation.
The plan is to be submitted to the Board of Aldermen and LSUE for review.
