A FEW MINUTES WITH ... Jimmy Durbin
AGE: 64.
POSITION: Mayor of Denham Springs since Jan. 15, 2003.
We asked Durbin to discuss highlights of his nine years as mayor of Denham Springs, as well as his thoughts on current issues and future challenges facing the city.
Were you always interested in politics?
I never was interested in politics. My dad was the politician. He loved statewide politics. I, as most people who get involved in politics, did so because I felt like something was wrong and needed to be changed. I ran for an unexpired term (on the City Council) and won. That was in 1989.
What about the city has changed since then?
One of the things I am proud of is the rejuvenation of the old historical, commercial area of Denham Springs and old City Hall. That’s a place where I grew up as a young kid. To see all those storefronts boarded up and empty was very sad to me in the 1980s. We’ve saved the old commercial antique district.
What else has changed about the city commercially?
Bass Pro’s draw is from border to border. We have one of the largest Walmarts in the nation and are soon to have the largest Sam’s Club in Louisiana, and we have one of the best Bass Pro Shops in the United States. With the additional Walmarts around us, our Walmart drawing card has shrunk, but we are now going to go into another phase of our history with a Sam’s Club that is going to extend to shoppers in East Baton Rouge, St. Helena, Tangipahoa and all of Livingston. We are going to have a greater number of visitors to the city.
Is Denham Springs running out of developable land?
One of the controlling factors in our future is base-flood level for development, which has risen quite a lot since I’ve been mayor. For a developer to come in and develop 200 acres, one of the controlling factors is how much dirt is going to have to be secured.
Another controlling factor is whether or not there is going to be a Pete’s Highway Interchange. There are huge chunks of acreage north of the I-12/Pete’s Highway overpass. The west side of Pete’s Highway north of the interstate is in the city.
Do you advocate annexing additional land in that area?
Right now, I’m not inclined to annex any of it. An annexation of 400 or more acres could result in a re-evaluation of our Class 2 fire rating.
Do you plan to run for re-election in 2014?
No.
What are your major plans before leaving office?
We will continue to work on infrastructure. The major challenge is to secure the additional funding for the Pete’s Highway Interchange.
What will be the major challenges for the next mayor?
The expenses of operating the city’s departments aren’t going to decrease. To fund those departments adequately will require growth in revenue. That will be the number one charge for the mayor until 2020, when the Bass Pro bonds are paid off and all of that sales tax revenue starts going to the city and other agencies.
Advocate staff writer
Bob Anderson