[StBernard] Governor Blanco appoints Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West Bank

[Westley Annis]

Governor Blanco appoints Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West Bank


BATON ROUGE - Continuing her push for levee reform, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco today appointed the new Southeast Louisiana Flood Authority-West Bank. 

"The citizens of Louisiana demanded change and levee reform is now a reality," Governor Blanco said. "For the safety of our citizens and their homes, it is important that this professional board immediately get to work. I have charged them with a critical focus and that is flood and hurricane protection. Their success is vital to keep our communities safe."

After careful review of the candidates submitted by the nominating committee, Gov. Blanco has appointed the following members to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West Bank:


Category One, Engineers or professional in a related field - 3 members, including one civil engineer and one hydrologist or geologist 

1. Mark Lee Morgan, Civil Engineer, Baton Rouge 
2. Michael Louis Merritt, Geologist, Baton Rouge 
3. Joannes Jacobus Westerink, Professor/Water Resources, South Bend, Indiana

Category Two, Other Professionals, 2 members, including one who is a resident of Orleans Parish on the west side of the Mississippi River

1. Susan Helen Maclay, Executive Director-Nonprofit, Harvey 
2. Robert Edward Howson, Retired CEO, New Orleans 


Category Three, At-Large, 2 members, including one who is a resident of Orleans Parish on the west side of the Mississippi River

1. David Joseph Binewald, Sr., Project Manager, Harvey 
2. Kerwin Edred Julien, Entrepreneur, New Orleans 


The law provides that appointments for the west bank authority shall include no more than two persons from each of the two parishes within the territorial jurisdiction of the authority. The statute also requires that the members from Orleans Parish reside on the west bank of the Mississippi River. An opinion by Attorney General Charles Foti provided that the members from Jefferson Parish be residents of the west bank of Jefferson Parish. 

In February 2006 Gov. Blanco called a special session, with levee board consolidation at the top of her agenda. Voters strongly supported this consolidation in September 2006, and Gov. Blanco pushed forward with appointing the new consolidated levee board members. 

After appointing members to the East Authority, Gov. Blanco immediately requested a second round of nominations to the West Bank Authority in order to create a diverse board to include flood protection professionals and West Bank area residents.


"I thank the nominating committee for their hard work in recommending this new slate of professional authority board members. Their work has been critical in bring levee reform to a reality." Gov. Blanco said.

An orientation meeting is being planned for the new Southeast Louisiana Flood Authority-West Bank later this month. 

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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People
www.louisianahelp.org