Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced his appointments to several Louisiana boards and commissions. 

Southern States Energy Board

The Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) is an interstate compact composed of governors and state legislators from sixteen southern states, two territories, and a presidential appointee. The Board’s mission is to enhance economic development and the quality of life in the South through innovations in energy and environmental policies, programs, and technologies.

Secretary Thomas F. Harris of Prairieville has been appointed to the Southern States Energy Board. Harris is the secretary of Natural Resources for the State of Louisiana.

Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board

The Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board provides services in a flexible, individualized manner to Louisiana citizens with traumatic head or traumatic spinal cord injuries. The board administers a program which enables individuals to return to a reasonable level of functioning and independent living in their communities.

Gary J. Matherne of Baton Rouge has been reappointed to the Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Advisory Board. Matherne is the former deputy secretary for the Louisiana Department of Revenue and is a survivor of a traumatic head injury.

Gulf State Marine Fisheries Commission

The mission of the Gulf State Marine Fisheries Commission is to promote better utilization of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the seaboard of the Gulf of Mexico, by the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries and the prevention of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause.

John E. Roussel of Zachary has been reappointed to the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. Roussel will serve as a citizen with knowledge of and interest in marine fisheries.

State Board of Optometry Examiners

The Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners is responsible for licensing and regulating optometrists in the state.

Gerald George Gerdes O.D. of Lafayette has been appointed to the State Board of Optometry Examiners. Gerdes is an optometrist and the owner of the Family Eye Clinic, and he will serve at-large.

Louisiana Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council

Led by a board of directors appointed by the governor and by small business organizations and service providers, the LSBEC was established to identify issues pertinent to the operation of small businesses and advise the department and the governor on issues affecting the competitiveness of small businesses in Louisiana. The council will advise the department on strategies to cultivate small business competitiveness and strengthen entrepreneurship throughout the state.

Zazell V. Dudley of Shreveport has been appointed to the Louisiana Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. Dudley is the director of economic development for the Caddo-Bossier Parishes Port Commission and will serve at-large.

Water Resource Commission

The Water Resource Commission is responsible for working with the Commissioner of Conservation to prevent waste of ground water resources and to prevent or alleviate damaging or potentially damaging subsidence of the land surface caused by withdrawal of ground water.

Mayor David C. Butler II of Woodworth has been appointed to the Water Resource Commission. Butler is the mayor of Woodworth and was nominated by the Louisiana Municipal Association.

Louisiana Gaming Control Board

The mission of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board is to regulate all gaming activities under its jurisdiction in a manner which instills public confidence and trust that gaming activities are conducted honestly and free from criminal and corruptive elements; and to ensure the integrity of individual gaming activities by the regulation of persons, practices, associations and activities within the gaming industry.

Maj. Charles David McNeal of Denham Springs has been appointed to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. McNeal is the command inspector for the State Police Gaming Enforcement Division. McNeal will serve as a designee of the superintendent of the Louisiana State Police. 

Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board

The Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board's mission is to enhance the protection of the public by providing the policy direction and coordination necessary to create an interoperable set of criminal justice information systems at the state and local level, out of the collection of disparate systems operated by several different agencies across levels (state, local, federal) and branches (executive and judicial) of government. The goal is to ensure that accurate and complete information necessary for the proper identification, investigation, processing, prosecution, adjudication and sentencing, as well as correction of offenders, is readily available to the officials who need the information when they need it.

Maj. David Gene McClendon of Prairieville has been appointed to the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System Policy Board. McClendon works for the Louisiana State Police and will serve as the designee of the deputy secretary for Public Safety Services.

Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)

The Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) is responsible for developing and evaluating the curriculum of mandatory basic training courses for municipal officers, deputy sheriffs, state police, wildlife agents and all other persons commissioned as peace officers, defined by state law.

Capt. Jimmie “J.B.” Slaton of Baton Rouge has been appointed to the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Slaton is the captain of the State Police Training Academy and will serve as a designee of the superintendent of the Louisiana State Police.

Police Training, Screening, and De-escalation Task Force

The Police Training, Screening, and De-escalation Task Force’s mission is to study and make recommendations to the legislature on the topics of training, screening, de-escalation, racial bias recognition, misconduct, use of force, identifying and eliminating bad actors.

Col. Lamar Anthony Davis of Port Allen has been appointed to the Police Training, Screening, and De-escalation Task Force. Davis is the superintendent of the Louisiana State Police.

Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Council

The Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Council’s mission is to establish and maintain, in consultation with and upon the recommendation of the advisory council, an electronic system for the monitoring of controlled substances and drugs of concern dispensed in the state or dispensed to an address in the state.

Lt. Walton “Brit” Forbes of Denham Springs has been appointed to the Prescription Monitoring Program Advisory Council. Forbes works for the Louisiana State Police and will serve as a designee of the superintendent of the Louisiana State Police.

Task Force on the 4.9 Ghz Spectrum

The Task Force on the 4.9 GHz Spectrum’s mission is to study and make recommendations on how to close the digital divide and allocate the 4.9 GHz spectrum should it become available in Louisiana.

Leslie A. Durham of St. Joseph has been appointed to the Task Force on the 4.9 Ghz Spectrum. Durham is the president of the St. Joseph’s Art and Music school and will serve as a designee of the Governor.

SHARE