Plans to create a St. George school district are on hold until the new city gets up on its feet, according to newly appointed Mayor Dustin Yates.
Yates discussed the school district, among other topics, at a news conference Tuesday morning with St. George Police Chief Todd Morris at the St. George Fire Department headquarters on Airline Highway, which will serve as St. George's city hall for now.
"Creating a new school system requires tremendous focus, energy and time," Yates said. "So for now, we're concentrating solely on the creation of our new city."
Gov. Jeff Landry appointed Yates and Morris as the first mayor and police chief of St. George last week. The two will serve the city in interim roles until the next available municipal election — likely next year — when residents can vote on their new leadership.Â
Landry must still appoint the new city's five council members as the legislative body of St. George. Yates said Tuesday there was little he could do until the council is appointed.
The new mayor said his top priorities will be establishing a strong communication plan to ensure transparency throughout the creation of the city government. He hopes to engage with communities across St. George to establish trust with residents, including those opposed to the incorporation.
Yates served as chief administrative officer for the St. George Fire Department for 19 years, a role he plans to continue handling while serving as interim mayor. Yates pointed to his experience managing a $35 million budget and 230 employees for the department to exemplify his leadership abilities.
Yates became a lead organizer for the St. George movement in 2013 after seeing friends leave the state to find better education or community for their children.
"I felt then the same way I feel now," Yates said, "that we have an opportunity to create something special here and to do things differently than what's been done in quite some time in the state of Louisiana and hopefully provide that home for my children."
Yates could not provide information on the contents of a 150-page binder created by the St. George transition district containing recommendations for the new city government that was referenced at another St. George news conference last month. He said it will not become available until after the council is established.
Morris became police chief after serving 26 years with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, most recently as commander of special operations and crimes against persons.Â
"As we know, crime knows no bounds," Morris said. "I want to ensure the citizens I'm going to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to address any public safety concerns for the citizens of St. George, which is also going to benefit all of East Baton Rouge Parish."
St. George is required by law to appoint a chief of police, but does not plan to create a department. It will instead continue to use EBRSO for police protection, and Morris will act as liaison between the city and the Sheriff's Office.
Morris said he is in the process of collecting crime data for St. George to address specific needs.
Yates and Morris will preside over the state's fifth-largest city at nearly 100,000 residents. The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in April that the city of St. George could move forward with incorporation, overturning the decisions of two lower courts.
The case is not finalized yet, however. Plaintiff and Mayor Pro Tem Lamont Cole filed a request with the court earlier this month for a rehearing, saying the court failed to define the boundaries of the city and the date of incorporation, as stipulated in the law.
Yates said Tuesday that he would "not relitigate or debate the past decade." St. George leaders maintain that the city incorporated the day the 2019 election was certified and that its boundaries are those outlined in the original petition for incorporation.
Yates added he is seeking a smooth transition process from Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, who has previously been a staunch opponent of the St. George effort but has since said she plans to cooperate with the new city's leaders.
"I'm aware that this is an emotional issue with strong feelings on both sides," Yates said. "My hope is that we can work together, find common ground and move forward to build a better East Baton Rouge Parish."
A spokesman for St. George said they will host news conferences on a regular basis.
