THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Vendors sought for Novemberfest Crafters and vendors are invited to participate in St. Patrick’s Novemberfest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 2. The day will include food, fun, games, activities, crafts/ vendors and more. The church is at 1322 Church St., Zachary. For information or applications go to www.stpatsla.org, email churchoffice@stpatsla. org, or call the church at (225) 654-4091.
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W e d n e s d ay, au g u s t 21, 2024
How should Zachary grow? City council discusses lot sizes, apartments, need for zoning changes
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
Zachary City Council members voiced interest during their Aug. 13 meeting in making changes to zoning classifications. Councilwoman Brandy Westmoreland would like to require larger lot sizes and encourage more spa-
cious developments in Zachary. And Councilman James Graves wants to put more restrictions on where multifamily housing developments like apartment complexes can be constructed. The issues came up as council members discussed the need to be strategic as the city and surrounding area continue to grow.
Westmoreland expressed concern that most new subdivisions — many being built just outside of Zachary city limits — are made up of starter homes on small lots. She suggested that Zachary adjust its zoning standards both to slow the overall pace of development in the region and to offer more housing options.
Regional Veterans Park is selling military hero banners for display in November. Limited spaces are available. Visit www.regionalveteranspark.org/banners-on-mainstreet/ to order a banner that features the name, military branch and rank of the service, and a military photo of you loved one who served. The banners will be displayed on select light poles on Main Street/La. 64 and in the Zachary Historic District in November.
Head to the PrideChaneyville Branch Library, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road, to walk by yourself or with a
ä See AROUND, page 2G
ä See ZONING, page 2G
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
In the coming months, Zachary residents are likely to get to vote on a slate of changes to the city’s home rule charter — a 26-page document that details the organization and functions of the local government. Over the past 18 months, a commission has been meeting to revise the charter, largely cleaning up language to make the document easier to understand and more detailed. The panel recently finished a final draft of the charter, which was last updated in 2008, with voters approving the changes in a 2010 election. The Zachary City Council — which has the authority to call an election to put the updated document before voters — heard an update on the effort at its Aug. 13 meeting. City Attorney John Hopewell, who participated in the
Speak French, other activities
Hike the library and more
“If you want a horse or you want your own pool in your backyard or you want a shop to put your RV in or whatever, it’s like, ‘We can’t accommodate any of y’all. Go to East Feliciana.’ That’s a problem,” she said. “We need to be able to keep everybody and have a balance of
New city charter could go to the voters in 2025
Veterans Park selling banners
n Adults interested in speaking French are invited to the Zachary Branch Library, 1900 Church St., for Zachary’s French Table at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month. Adults at any level of French are invited. Call (225) 658-1840. n Kids’ Orchestra will have a September program based “Max Found Two Sticks,” by Brian Pinkney, and “The Aunts Go Marching,” by Maurie Manning at 11 a.m., Sept. 7 at the Zachary Branch Library, (225) 658-1840, and at 1 p.m. at the Central Branch Library, at 11260 Joor Road. Call (225) 262-2640. n The Pride-Chaneyville Branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road, will host Bridgerton: Tea, Trivia, and Strategy Games at 1 p.m., Sept. 21. 20-somethings will play games with the goal of an auspicious marriage proposal. Afternoon tea and tea trivia round out the event. Call (225) 658-1540. n The 47th annual AuthorIllustrator Program featuring Jerry Pallotta is set for Sept. 26-27 at the Main Branch on Goodwood Boulevard, Baton Rouge. School librarians, teachers and administrators are invited to register for a Virtual School Visit with Jerry Pallotta at 10 a.m., Sept. 26. Register at www.ebrpl.com/events.html#/ events by Sept. 24 to receive the virtual link. All ages are welcome to meet Pallotta at the Main Library at 7 p.m., Sept. 26. An autograph session and reception will follow the free presentation. No registration is required. Teachers, librarians, writers, parents and lovers of children’s literature are encouraged to attend Behind the Writing at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 27. Registration is required, but the event is free. Call (225) 231-3760 or email tdearing@ebrpl.com. Snacks will be provided during breaks, and an autograph session will follow this professional presentation.
10TH YEAR, NO. 45
$1.00n
ä See CHARTER, page 3G
$50K club:
Area school systems raise teacher pay PHOTOS BY FRANCES Y. SPENCER
Nikki Apostolidas visits the Zachary Men’s Club on Aug. 12 during the group’s back-to-school event with her children and Zachary Schools students Catherine and Alexander Prevost.
Zachary Men’s Club offers sweatshirts to students BY FRANCES Y. SPENCER
Contributing writer
Back-to-school giveaways have become popular events in the area and most children have an opportunity to attend more than one leading to some redundancy in supplies. The Zachary Men’s Club, to compliment those efforts, zeroed in on a specific need of all school children: sweatshirts. The Zachary Men’s Club Back-to-School Event, held Aug. 10, had the goal to provide 300 blue sweatshirts to the town’s students heading back to school this month. Club Secretary Carl Dawson said they wanted to make a notable impact on the young lives of participants. “Most years, when they go to all of these other different back-to-school giveaways, they’re given the same materials — pens, tablets, notebooks, and more,” he said. “So, the kids have five full book bags that day.” The turnout for the sweatshirts was overwhelming and more than 300 children attended. Club President Gayton Montgomery said in less than two hours, the group’s supplies were exhausted. Unfortunately, the need exceeded the supply, and some missed out. Dawson said the group hopes to provide complete
Zachary Men’s Club secretary Carl Dawson sorts through sweatshirts at the group’s back-to-school ä See CLUB, page 2G event.
Baker, Zacary choose not to up salaries BY CHARLES LUSSIER
Staff writer
The starting salary for public school teachers in the Baton Rouge region these days routinely tops $50,000 a year thanks to a series of locally funded pay raises approved in recent months. Seven of the 12 school districts within the nine-parish region — East Baton Rouge and eight surrounding parishes — have approved teacher pay raises over the past four months. They range from $283 more a year in Livingston Parish to a $7,236 raise in East Feliciana Parish. Six of those seven pay raises vaulted starting teachers above the $50k threshold. Pointe Coupee, St. Helena and Livingston parishes are the only districts in the region that pay starting teachers less than that. The districts that have thus far opted against teacher pay raises this year are Baker and Zachary as well as Pointe Coupee, St. Helena and West Feliciana parishes. Some of those districts, though, made notable strides in the recent past. For instance, the City of Baker a year ago increased starting teacher pay by almost $11,000
ä See PAY, page 3G