Council puts Recreation District No. 3 millage renewal on October ballot after public hearing; vote 7-2

The Livingston Parish Council voted 7–2 on March 27 to place a renewal of a 15-mill ad valorem tax for Recreation District No. 3 on the Oct. 11, 2025 ballot. The resolution authorizes an election to renew the tax for 10 years for the purpose of operating and maintaining the district.

Gary Templeton, superintendent for Recreation District No. 3, described the district’s facilities and staffing during a presentation to the council. Templeton said the district operates four parks, a fitness and aquatic center, youth and adult sports fields and programs including a summer camp that serves roughly 300 children. “We have 32 full time, 65 part time, a permanent part time, and over a hundred seasonal staff,” Templeton said.

Sharon Elliott, vice chair of the Recreation District 3 board, said the district has reduced its millage in recent years and has relied on grants for some improvements. Elliott told the council the district’s campaign after the previous election will include an education effort to inform voters who she said did not fully understand the scope of park services; she said the last vote failed by 83 votes. “We do not plan to take our full millage unless it is an absolute necessity,” Elliott said.

Council discussion covered the district’s finances, past turnout and alternatives. Several council members urged broader voter education; Councilman Coates and Councilman Shavers said they would not support placing the same 15-mill proposal on the ballot again so soon after it failed. District leaders said the millage has not been collected at the full 15 mills for five years and that the district remains financially strained after flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff and district representatives discussed large maintenance needs (pool systems, HVAC and resurfacing), a $6.8 million bond on district facilities and capital items such as turf fields and walking-trail projects.

Key finance figures discussed at the meeting: Recreation District officials said the district’s overall budget is roughly $5.4 million and that millage receipts account for about $3.1 million of that total; venue rentals and program fees generate significant non-millage revenue (Templeton cited $26,000 in rental revenue from a large concert event in the previous year). District officials estimated some capital costs discussed during the meeting — for example, a walking trail at South Park at about $450,000 and turf work for ballfields on the order of $1.6 million — but several dollar amounts were described as estimates.

Motion and vote: Councilman Waskom moved to place the renewal on the Oct. 11 ballot; Councilman Watts seconded. The motion passed 7–2; Councilman Ryan Shavers and Councilman Coates voted no.

Why it matters: The renewal would allow Recreation District No. 3 to continue collecting up to 15 mills on assessed property value for a decade; district leaders said the revenue supports parks, youth sports and community programs while opponents urged respect for a recent voter rejection and suggested a lower millage as an alternative.

What happens next: The council’s action authorizes the registrar to place the renewal on the October ballot. The district board and supporters plan a public education campaign ahead of the election; district officials said they may not levy the full 15 mills in any year and will revisit exact levy amounts if voters approve.