Hammond Mayor Pete Panepinto’s vision for his third and final term includes a roux of completing many of the projects begun during his administration, mainly focusing on sewerage and drainage improvements, as well as a sprinkling of ambitious new ideas.
Panepinto defeated challenger Tracy Washington Wells in a runoff in December after surviving a four-person primary in November.
“I think we are in a great space,” the mayor said. “We just need to maintain what we are doing and help people move their businesses into town and strategically locate their company here. We have to show them the quality of life that we have here.”
Panepinto said he will continue to prioritize improving the city’s infrastructure during the next four years, wisely allocating the millions of dollars the city has received through federal government hurricane relief and COVID-related funds.
He said cumulative investment of sewerage and drainage improvements once completed will be a bit north of $10 million.
Another of his priorities is development of the Hammond Northshore Regional Airport, which he believes is a tremendous albeit underutilized economic engine to the entire parish.
“Some people just don’t see (the potential),” Panepinto said. “There is no municipality of our size that has an airport with two runways.”
The second runway was added while training fighter pilots during World War II.
Panepinto said the airport proved its worth in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when it was established as a center to coordinate emergency operations. He noted that following Katrina the Army National Guard relocated to Hammond from Lakefront Airport in New Orleans.
The National Guard has established a mobilization center for its Black Hawk helicopter operations.
“We have a lot of assets sitting at the airport that people don’t realize,” Panepinto said.
He will also place an emphasis on economic development in a city which he says is strategically positioned to be a major distribution hub. He noted that Hammond is one of relatively few cities in the country where two major interstates intersect.
And with Southeastern Louisiana University’s burgeoning enrollment near 15,000, he estimated close to 50,000 people pass through the city daily.
He noted that Medline recently built a facility in the Hammond Industrial Park and Niagara is building a bottling plant in Robert that will create up to 200 jobs.
“Medline is a perfect example,” said Panepinto, adding that the company was originally looking at neighboring areas but opted for Hammond because of its location and quality of life.
He believes Niagara will provide an additional spark to the local economy.
“It will bring in jobs and some of those people might decide to move in closer to town, which means they will be shopping at our stores and supermarkets, eating at the restaurants,” he said. “It will definitely make an impact.”
Economic development might have finite parameters, however, as the city is landlocked. Of potential annexation, Panepinto said property basically touching the city limits could be added.
“But (residents) have to want it,” he said. “There are some areas in the city of Hammond, if annexed in, you would pay less property tax than you pay with (Tangipahoa) Parish. You (would not be) paying for the recreation district, and your fire insurance should go down (because of the city’s rating).”
“I tell people if you keep moving out of the city, it is going to turn into other cities,” he added. “Next thing you know you lose control, and it goes totally south and nobody wants to live there,” he added.
Because of the landlocked situation, the mayor is not overly concerned about overgrowth, which has plagued other cities in southeastern Louisiana, especially in a post-Katrina world.
He also noted that many people are commuting to Baton Rouge, Covington and even New Orleans from Hammond for work.
“They look at how dangerous Baton Rouge and New Orleans are getting; they don’t want to stay there,” he said. “This is a commuter area. People build these apartments, and every time they build them, they fill it up.”
The mayor said he is also revisiting the idea of completing a loop around Hammond, which would require extending University Avenue (Highway 3234) from near SLU to the backside of the airport. He said that would create a new corridor for the industrial park, creating another asset for economic development.
“That’s a big thing for the growth of Hammond, especially the commercial side of Hammond,” he said.
Completing the loop would also help the city’s water system, creating a continuous flow rather than it ending on the east and west sides of Hammond. He said the current structure requires the occasional opening of fire hydrants to effectively flush the system.
Panepinto also listed as improving the lighting on the interstate systems on his to-do list, as well as lighting at the three roundabouts near the Hammond Square commercial area.
Panepinto expressed his optimism about the next four years, as he puts the final touches on his 12-year run as mayor, one that has seen a period of tremendous growth and the problems associated with such growth.
“Right now our city is great,” he said with a smile.
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