15/Jan/2009
Mayor Henry Martinez Outlines City of Zachary’s Plans For 2009
By Claire Ohlsen
Zachary Mayor Henry Martinez admits he is often criticized for not always reporting what the government is doing. “That’s because I don’t take an inventory of what we do,” he said. “With me it’s more of what we need to do, and let’s attack those issues,” he said.
Martinez said, however, that in 2009 he plans to let Zachary citizens know more of what he is working on for the city. The mayor’s plans for 2009 include:
But how does Martinez plan to tackle all these tough issues? He confronts the long-standing drainage problem in Zachary first. The sewer system, or waste water system, is old and ineffective for a city the size of Zachary, according to the mayor. “It is terrible if you can’t depend on flushing your toilet or pulling the plug on your bathtub. I mean, if you have to fear the waste water coming back in rather than going back out, that’s a quality of life issue. And we want to remove that as a concern for our citizens,” he said.
The city government’s plan is to identify where the bad pipes are, which are old or too small, and what must be done to fix them. Martinez said it will take in excess of $20 million to ultimately fix the system, and he is looking for more state and federal dollars to fund the project. Selling bonds could also contribute some of the needed funds, but Martinez is against levying new taxes.
The city government has also been working all year on a comprehensive development plan for Zachary. “Ours is a continually fast-growing community, and we want to be able to not necessarily manipulate that growth, but we certainly want to be able to manage our growth,” Martinez said.
Mayor Martinez thinks the education system in Zachary is responsible for much of that growth. Its success has caught the attention of many people who have become new residents due to Zachary schools’ recent top-performance ratings for the fourth year in a row.
“The good news about our schools is attracting people from all over the region,” Martinez said. “And as new people move into the state, the Zachary School System is a very positive attraction.”
Martinez attributes the success of the education system to the education leaders and community leaders, but especially the parents. “You’ve got to give our citizens a lot of credit because they have proven they are willing to pay the price,” he said, “Most of our tax dollars go to the school system. As a result, our kids are getting a top quality education.” Approximately $79 million plus a 2 percent sales tax goes toward education in Zachary each year, explained the mayor.
Even with the larger-than-average commitment to education, Zachary’s city budget made it possible to increase pay for city employees by 3 percent in 2008. This occurred because Zachary has a healthy economy, according to the mayor. He said the economic downfall in our nation has not been seen in Zachary, but he does have an economic plan prepared in case a slowdown comes. “When the economy slows, so does spending at the check-out counters,” he said. “And when that happens, then the revenue drops off that is coming in to operate our city government.”
Martinez met recently with department heads to make sure spending is where it should be and that revenues are progressing as expected.
“Money is a problem, no matter where you go. When you deal with city government, it just takes a lot of dollars to get things done,”explained the mayor. Martinez added that time is also very important for accomplishing things in a government because “a lot of preparation and planning has to go into getting anything accomplished.”
Many citizens work unpaid on city committees, and Martinez said they are pertinent to the success of the community because they are always willing to help. Other issues Martinez would like to begin work on in the New Year include:
He considers 2008 a successful year, but wants to continue to better organize and improve Zachary’s city government. “We want to make sure that what we’re doing internally in city government is cost effective and that it is benefiting our citizens. And as mayor it is my responsibility to know that everybody understands what’s expected of them,” Martinez said.
By Claire Ohlsen
Zachary Mayor Henry Martinez admits he is often criticized for not always reporting what the government is doing. “That’s because I don’t take an inventory of what we do,” he said. “With me it’s more of what we need to do, and let’s attack those issues,” he said.Martinez said, however, that in 2009 he plans to let Zachary citizens know more of what he is working on for the city. The mayor’s plans for 2009 include:
- Working to solve the waste water issue;
- Addressing traffic and road concerns;
- Helping to continue the excellent achievement of the Zachary School System; and
- Continuing economic preparation in case the recession comes to Zachary.
But how does Martinez plan to tackle all these tough issues? He confronts the long-standing drainage problem in Zachary first. The sewer system, or waste water system, is old and ineffective for a city the size of Zachary, according to the mayor. “It is terrible if you can’t depend on flushing your toilet or pulling the plug on your bathtub. I mean, if you have to fear the waste water coming back in rather than going back out, that’s a quality of life issue. And we want to remove that as a concern for our citizens,” he said.
The city government’s plan is to identify where the bad pipes are, which are old or too small, and what must be done to fix them. Martinez said it will take in excess of $20 million to ultimately fix the system, and he is looking for more state and federal dollars to fund the project. Selling bonds could also contribute some of the needed funds, but Martinez is against levying new taxes.
The city government has also been working all year on a comprehensive development plan for Zachary. “Ours is a continually fast-growing community, and we want to be able to not necessarily manipulate that growth, but we certainly want to be able to manage our growth,” Martinez said.
Mayor Martinez thinks the education system in Zachary is responsible for much of that growth. Its success has caught the attention of many people who have become new residents due to Zachary schools’ recent top-performance ratings for the fourth year in a row.
“The good news about our schools is attracting people from all over the region,” Martinez said. “And as new people move into the state, the Zachary School System is a very positive attraction.”
Martinez attributes the success of the education system to the education leaders and community leaders, but especially the parents. “You’ve got to give our citizens a lot of credit because they have proven they are willing to pay the price,” he said, “Most of our tax dollars go to the school system. As a result, our kids are getting a top quality education.” Approximately $79 million plus a 2 percent sales tax goes toward education in Zachary each year, explained the mayor.
Even with the larger-than-average commitment to education, Zachary’s city budget made it possible to increase pay for city employees by 3 percent in 2008. This occurred because Zachary has a healthy economy, according to the mayor. He said the economic downfall in our nation has not been seen in Zachary, but he does have an economic plan prepared in case a slowdown comes. “When the economy slows, so does spending at the check-out counters,” he said. “And when that happens, then the revenue drops off that is coming in to operate our city government.”
Martinez met recently with department heads to make sure spending is where it should be and that revenues are progressing as expected.
“Money is a problem, no matter where you go. When you deal with city government, it just takes a lot of dollars to get things done,”explained the mayor. Martinez added that time is also very important for accomplishing things in a government because “a lot of preparation and planning has to go into getting anything accomplished.”
Many citizens work unpaid on city committees, and Martinez said they are pertinent to the success of the community because they are always willing to help. Other issues Martinez would like to begin work on in the New Year include:
- More equipment to deal with emergencies.
- A new ladder truck for the fire department.
- More recreational opportunities for Zachary citizens.
- Increased commercial development, including a new hotel and some “very interesting” restaurants that are looking to open in Zachary.
He considers 2008 a successful year, but wants to continue to better organize and improve Zachary’s city government. “We want to make sure that what we’re doing internally in city government is cost effective and that it is benefiting our citizens. And as mayor it is my responsibility to know that everybody understands what’s expected of them,” Martinez said.
