Slidell Council Administration building opens

With bands playing, bright spotlights, and high hopes, Slidell and St. Tammany leaders cut the ribbon Friday night on the $5.4 million Slidell City Council Administration Building.

“We’ve came a very long way since the disaster of Katrina,” Council President Lionel Hicks told the large crowd gathered on Second Street. “It’s just such an honor to be here.”

The official opening of the building coincided with the city’s first Olde Towne Alive block party of the year, so there was a real festive atmosphere as Hicks and Mayor Ben Morris cut the ribbon to the cheers Slidell residents.

The building, which sits next to City Hall, is another chapter in the recovery of Slidell since Hurricane Katrina almost five years ago. The storm destroyed the Council Chambers in City Hall and several other public buildings, forcing the city government to work out of a set of trailers on Bayou Lane.

The new building will not only house the City Council offices and Chambers but will also be the new home for the City Attorney and the Departments of Finance, Data Processing, Risk Management and Personnel.

Morris told the crowd outside the building that it had been a real “slug fest” to get this building constructed. He said he had many long and sometimes contentious negotiations with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over getting the money for the building.

“I’m amazed I’m saying this, but I have finally developed a good relationship with FEMA,” Morris said.

To show there were no hard feelings, Morris called on the interim Director of the FEMA Louisiana Recovery Office up to the podium.

“It’s a really beautiful building,” Landry said. “And there is more on the way.”

Construction has started on the second municipal building behind City Hall and at the end of the month, the storm-damaged Slidell Auditorium will be torn down to be replaced by a new auditorium all financed by FEMA.

After the ribbon cutting, everyone took a tour of the new facility, wandering through the shiny new offices. People went out on the building’s several balconies to look down at the festivities going on in Olde Towne.

People craned their heads to look up into the cathedral-like Council Chambers, which is a large space with a vaulted ceiling. A long curving desk dominates the front of the room where council members will sit. The room has not been completed. Audio-visual equipment and furniture still need to be installed. Also the city is waiting on the 200 audience chairs to show up. Council Administrator said the chairs are expected in late April.

“There will be a lot of good decisions made here,” said state Rep. Greg Cromer, who once sat on the Council before moving to the state Legislature. “To have come back like this is a testament to the spirit of the people of this city.”

State Sen. A.G. Crowe was impressed with the building. “This is another major milestone in our recovery,” he said.

“I can’t wait to have our first Council meeting here,” Hicks said.�