Tallulah hosts meetings to plan town improvements for future growth

TALLULAH, La. (KNOE) - Change is in the air in Tallulah as the city received a Brownfield grant to help design a master plan for community and economic growth, with the goal of driving people towards downtown Tallulah and keeping them there.

City leaders are hosting a series of meetings about the grant this week. They said the meetings give the community an opportunity for feedback and ideas.

Interim Mayor Yvonne Lewis said the community must voice its opinions for change.

“You’ve got to have that community input so that everybody feels like they have a voice,” Lewis said.

Diana Day, a project engineer with Terracon Consultants, said the master plan could bring opportunities to Tallulah.

“With the plan, it gives you an idea of how to attract businesses, you know, put those properties back into commerce, and help revitalize the economy,” Day said.

John W. Sutherlin, developer of the Tallulah Brownfield project, encouraged the community to look ahead.

“You can’t live in the past. You’ve got to project ahead. There is so much growth going on around the area. And so, whether we’re talking about specifically Tallulah or Madison Parish, there’s an opportunity, really, to take advantage through these Brownfields programs to develop new properties, new businesses, new ideas,” Sutherlin said.

Phase 1 of the grant, which is the assessment side, is currently underway.

There are three meetings Tuesday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.