St. Charles Parish Advisory Leadership Council Meeting
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

MINUTES

The annual meeting of the St. Charles Parish Advisory Leadership Council was held at the St. Charles Parish Extension Office located at 1313 Paul Maillard Road in Luling, Louisiana, on Wednesday, March 23, 2011, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

In Attendance:

Carolyn K. Schexnaydre, Parish Council; Stephanie Boudreaux, Council on Aging; Joyce LoCoco, Destrehan Library; Julie Faulkner, parish nutritionist; Mamie McMillion, 4-H volunteer leader; Gloria Miller, 4-H volunteer leader; Terry Authement, parish council; Susan Boudreaux, Director of Special Programs/St. Charles Parish Public Schools; Rev. Gary Bolden, Nelson Coleman Correctional Center; Pamela Owens Petit, 4-H Foundation; Charles Campbell, Farm Bureau; Edmond Zeringue, 4-H volunteer; Kenny J. Guidry, Parks and Recreation; Janice Beadle, VFC; Pat Anderson, VFC; Carol Babin, VFC; JoAnn Walker, RSVP/VFC; Ethel Tramonte, VFC; Jonas Augustine, JMG/4-H; Mary Ruth Christina, St. Rose Civic Association/VFC; Melva Champagne, RSVP/VFC; Rene’ Schmit, county agent; Kali B. Zammit, 4-H agent; Deniese Zeringue, FCS agent; David Pichon, county agent; and Dr. Wendell Lorio, invasive plants biologist.

Welcome and Introductions:

St. Charles Parish County Agent Rene’ Schmit extended a welcome to the Advisory Leadership Council and following introduction of members gave a presentation outlining the mission and role of the LSU AgCenter, including the purpose of the Advisory Leadership Council. Along with county agent David Pichon, a presentation was given on the parish extension programs in agriculture (ANR). Deniese Zeringue, extension agent for St. Charles Parish, presented information regarding Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) programs, including Financial Resource Management (FRM), Food and Nutrition (FNP), and Family Development (FD). Kali Zammit, 4-H assistant extension agent, presented information about 4-H youth development highlighting 4-H camp, the Junior Leader club, volunteers and activities conducted in the parish related to youth wetlands preservation.

Deniese Zeringue, extension agent, served as facilitator for the advisory meeting. Kali Zammit, 4-H assistant extension agent, served as recorder for the meeting. Members of the Advisory Leadership Council identified the following issues needing attention:

In General

• Network with parish libraries to increase opportunities for extension programs to reach more clientele.
• Work with parish resource director, Rene Simpson, to video extension educational programs to run on the parish cable news channel.
• Conduct workshops that promote development of community gardens.
• Re-introduce Home Energy Workshops that provide information and training on recommended landscape plantings and energy saving tips.
• Educate church faculty about agriculture, FCS and 4-H youth development programs available through the LSU AgCenter.

Agriculture

• Establish urban agriculture courses in the parish school system to promote interest in agriculture entrepreneurships.
• Provide opportunities for high school students to achieve a gardening skills certification.
• Provide additional consumer weed control training programs.
• Expand garden program at the parish correctional center to include greenhouse vegetable production.

Family and Consumer Sciences

• Provide financial seminars for HSFPP teachers and students.
• Partner with Joan Diaz, community services, to teach financial training.
• Provide fact sheets and information, including recipes, for the different types of vegetables sold at the German Coast Farmers’ Market.

4-H Youth Development

• Develop school gardening programs and training for gardening in small places.
• Expand school community gardens projects.
• Work with parish grants officer, Holly Fonseca, to identify grants and support funding for school gardening programs.

Rene’ Schmit, Parish Chairman, thanked all members of the Advisory Leadership Council for their time given, the important contribution as leaders of their communities and their valued support given on behalf of the LSU AgCenter. A light brunch was served prior to the meeting and concluded with a group photo of the 2011 St. Charles Parish Advisory Leadership Council members.