Donaldsonville City Council names Charles Brown as chair, Raymond Aucoin co-chair

The Donaldsonville City Council unanimously selected Charles Brown to continue as chair, and Raymond Aucoin as co-chair in the first meeting of 2023, which was held Jan. 10.

The meeting was a busy one as the council heard several reports, authorized payment for invoices, and went over numerous resolutions.

AEDC update

Kate MacArthur, president and CEO of Ascension Economic Development Corporation, which promotes business growth and economic opportunity in Ascension Parish, presented an update on the previous year.

She said 2022 was successful as AEDC had 68 new leads, which were the most ever recorded.

Most leads have been generated from Louisiana Economic Development, according to MacArthur.

"It's very exciting for us right now," she said.

AEDC's website touts Ascension Parish's abundant access to the Mississippi River, railroad, and air transportation. It also points out the parish has access to four interstate highways, two commercial airports, and three deep-water ports within a 45-mile radius.

Recreation update

Michelle Templet of Ascension Parish Recreation provided an update on west bank recreational programs.

She said a full-time custodian has been employed to maintain the Lemann Memorial Center, which was renovated last year.

Templet told the council members the employee has been keeping both the inside and the outside of the facility clean.

She said the department is looking be more inclusive and bring more recreational opportunities to citizens of all ages.

Gonzales Weekly Citizen and Donaldsonville Chief, part of the USA Today Network of Louisiana, cover Ascension Parish and the greater Baton Rouge area. Follow at facebook.com/WeeklyCitizen and facebook.com/DonaldsonvilleChief.