When East Baton Rouge Mayor-President-Elect Kip Holden returnsfrom a post-campaign vacation, he will begin work on the transitionbetween his administration and the one of outgoing Mayor-PresidentBobby Simpson.
One of the first problems Holden’s transition team willtackle is the traffic situation in the city, Rannah Gray,Holden’s spokesperson, said.
“Traffic is an immediate and big problem,” Graysaid. “We want to bring short-term relief while finding along-term solution to the traffic problem.”
To help the incoming administration find the best solution totraffic congestion, Gray said Holden plans to bring in a trafficengineer, something Holden mentioned repeatedly during hiscampaign.
Gray said the transition team staff will break up into 11committees, each focusing on issues important to the newadministration.
At the core of Holden’s staff are five co-chairs who headtwo to three of the 11 committees and work together to produce whatGray called a vision document outlining their suggested plans forthe future.
Gray said the team chose the University for its headquarters fora number of reasons. She said the University was Holden’sfirst choice because of its proximity to downtown and becauseeducation was such a high priority to the campaign.
George Cravins, administrative officer for Holden, said the teamhas been in the process of setting up their offices this week andgetting ready for Holden to occupy his second floor office inJohnston Hall, the office occupied by Manship School of MassCommunication Dean Jack Hamilton during the renovation of theJournalism Building.
Gray said the University, particularly LSU System President andInterim Chancellor William Jenkins, has been extremelyaccommodating to the transition team’s requests.
“If we can provide them with that needed space, thenwe’re happy to do it,” Kristine Calongne, assistantdirector of University Relations, said.
Last Friday, Rick Simmons, associate director oftelecommunications, received word from Facility Services that theHolden team would be moving in to Johnston. Work immediately beganto meet the requests of the transition team.
Simmons said work was completed Monday to install the 17 to 18phone lines needed by the campaign.
Simmons said the team will not have to pay to use the digitaltelephones on loan from the University, the same arrangement madewhen Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s transition team occupied HatcherHall last year, but will have to pay for long distance charges,which will be billed to them when they move out after theinauguration in January.