1. Building Back
BetterKevin Belanger
CEO South Central Planning
And Development
Commission
September 9, 2013

6. Every disaster provides
opportunities.
For South Louisiana, that growth
was in the areas of:
• Community Development
• Economic Development
• Building Codes
• Transportation Initiatives
• Information Technology
Initiatives

9. Land Use Planning
Help communities develop
plans that recognize the
need for disaster mitigation

10. Infrastructure Development
Over 70 CDBG disaster projects in addition to
regular CDBG program
Over $100 million dollars in improvements

11. SCPDC facilitates grant management of State Homeland
Security Grant funds awarded by GOHSEP.
The Mutual Aid Task Force has collected $7.9 million in
grants to distribute to OEPs and other first responders
throughout the region.

12. Small Business Loans:
$12 million in loans were made
to 350 businesses for
restoration, expansion, and
sustainability.
Fishermen and other business
owners received grants to cover
losses due to hurricanes.

14. CEDS
Revitalized and streamlined the
planning process.
Increased involvement with social
and civic organizations.

15. Covering a Five-Parish Region, the revenue
neutral program reduces costs to member
jurisdictions through an economy of scale
approach.

16. Provides same day inspections, residential plan
review in 24 hours, and commercial plan review
in 72 hours.

17. Unbiased approach in reviewing plans and
permitting construction. Process provides
consistency and comprehensiveness.

18. Development of the Regional
Transportation Safety Plan
A performance-based plan focusing on
Education, Law Enforcement,
Engineering, and Emergency Medical
Services
Developed in conjunction with the
Regional Safe Community Partnership
Decrease in overall fatalities from 1,019
in 2007 to 724 in 2011, or 29%

19. Coordinated Human Services
Transportation Plan
Facilitates communication and
coordination between fixed-route
service providers and para-transit
service providers such as Councils on
Aging and ARCs

21. Since 2005 storms, staff
has increased in size and
knowledge base
Evolved from one member
staff troubleshooting office
problems to a robust,
multi-disciplinary team
involved in software
development, marketing,
and customer support

22. Software Development
MyGovernmentOnline suite
of services includes solutions
for:
• Code Enforcement
• 911 addressing
• Project Management
• GPS vehicle tracking
24-hour online customer
service

23. GPS Tracking Solution
MyGovernmentOnline.org
Track: vehicles, equipment
and personnel
Addition add-ons for:
Vehicle maintenance, route
organization, work order
system integration
Partnership program to make immediate
savings for signing up your member counties,
cities, police departments, school boards and
more.

24. • Expanding building by 20,000 square feet
• Creation of an Environmental Division focusing on
• Air quality improvement
• Wastewater management
• Solid Waste
• 404 Permitting
• Right-of-way Acquisition

25. We cannot be afraid of failure. It
is necessary to take risks and
become more entrepreneurial in
these challenging times.
As regional planning commissions and
councils of governments, we need to be
the dreamers and thinkers for our
region. It is the premise for which
regional planning commissions were
created.
“All our dreams can come true, if
we have the courage to pursue
them.” – Walt Disney
“We cannot solve our problems with
the same thinking we used when we
created them.”
- Albert Einstein