SHREVEPORT MPC APPOINTMENT OF STEPHEN JEAN AS PERMANENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE RIGHT DECISION
At the Wednesday meeting of the Shreveport Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) the Board unanimously approved Stephen Jean as the new permanent MPC Executive Director. Jean had been serving as the interim Executive Director since the retirement of Alan Clarke on December 31 of last year.
The MPC provides planning and zoning services for the City of Shreveport and for Caddo Parish, which have both suffered from declining populations for last 10 years.
Jean is a seasoned MPC employee, and he brings a fresh perspective to the planning needs of the city including the revision of many long-standing requirements for parking and building landscaping.
Jean, like his predecessor Clarke, has been careful to keep “politics” out of staff recommendations while espousing sound land planning strategies. In his appearances before the Council and the Commission this year in the capacity of interim executive director he has been well prepared, and he has established a good relationship with the city council and the Caddo commission while maintaining the integrity of the MPC which is a separate governmental entity funded by both the city and the parish.
Although fresh faces are sometimes needed in governmental offices, this was not the case with Jean and the MPC which continuity is critical in a time when there is both a renewed interest in both developing new small businesses and bringing in large outside companies. Additionally, many Shreveport neighborhoods continue to experience population decline and deterioration of housing stock which mandates the need for innovation in the unified development codes that govern the city and the parish.
Jean is the right person for the MPC at the right time. Congratulations to Stephen and the MPC Board.
