JEAN LAFITTE, La. –The Town of Jean Lafitte took home the top honor of the night, the “Best of Show” award, at the 85th Annual Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) Convention held July 30, 2022, in Lafayette.
The LMA awarded the Town of Jean Lafitte the Outstanding Community Improvement “Best of Show" award for the town's Louisiana Wetlands Educational Center. The LMA has over three hundred members across the state, and the “Best of Show” award is the highest honor a municipality can receive.
“Receiving the ‘Best of Show’ award is a major achievement for the town, and we couldn’t be happier that it was for our Wetlands Educational Center,” said Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. “Louisiana’s wetlands play a vital role in our state’s existence, and our Wetlands Center will help teach future generations about the area’s importance. This project would not have been possible without countless contributions from the following individuals and organizations: the Jean Lafitte Council, Jean Lafitte staff, Representative Tim Kerner, Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng, Councilman Ricky Templet, Councilman Marion Edwards and the rest of the Parish Council, the State Legislature, Speaker Clay Schexnayder, Representative Stuart Bishop, Representative Jerome Zeringue, Governor John Bel Edwards, and CPRA [Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority] Chairman Chip Kline.”
The Louisiana Wetlands Educational Center will tell the story of Louisiana’s wetlands, including its importance as one of the nation’s richest and most biodiverse environments, the enormous land loss and the frontline battle to rebuild our coast, and what it will take to save south Louisiana’s wetlands and way of life. The facility will play a major role in educating people about the ecology of the wetlands and the importance of rebuilding coastal Louisiana.
Construction of the town’s Wetlands Center began in early 2021 and is expected to be complete in early 2023. The 3,500-square-foot facility will have direct access to the town’s Wetland Trace and Boardwalk. It will also be located next to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Barataria Unit.
Founded in 1926, the LMA promotes local governments by shaping legislation, providing education on municipal issues, and exchanging ideas and experiences among elected official leaders throughout the state. Its mission is to advocate, educate and empower local governments to effectively serve the citizens of Louisiana. Today there are 305 LMA members consisting of 127 villages, 111 towns, 65 cities, and 2 parishes.
