Moving to a new office is a familiar process for Hendrix Broussard, Southern University AgCenter youth development agent, and Traig Varnado, LSU AgCenter 4-H agent, as they leave their temporary office at Southern University-New Orleans. The move to a permanent office in New Orleans City Hall is the third since Hurricane Katrina destroyed their Jackson Barracks office in 2005. (Photo by Johnny Morgan. Click on image for downloadable photo.)

NEW ORLEANS – After years of moving and being separated into several groups, the LSU AgCenter’s Orleans Parish office has found a home in New Orleans City Hall.

Soon after Hurricane Katrina destroyed their offices at Jackson Barracks in the Lower Ninth Ward, the LSU AgCenter’s Orleans Parish staff was forced to move into the cramped quarters of the Jefferson Parish office in Metairie.

“For almost four years, we had our entire staff of 16 people housed in the Metairie office along with the Jefferson staff that was already there,” said Bertina McGhee, an LSU AgCenter agent in Orleans Parish.

In 2008, space was found in a trailer on the Southern University-New Orleans (SUNO) campus, which gave a little relief, as half of the Orleans staff has been housed there for the past two years.

“It’s been five years since we’ve had a permanent office to work from,” McGhee said. “However, it has been over 20 years since the AgCenter has had a permanent location within the walls of New Orleans city government.”

Before the move on September 10, six of the Orleans staff were in Metairie, six were in the SUNO trailer, one was at the City Park Botanical Garden and one was at the Volunteers of America Building on Canal St., McGhee said.

All of the staff will move to the City Hall office with the exception of the horticulture agent, who will remain at City Park, where much of his work is done.

“This is one of the most important moves for the AgCenter in recent history, as it gives us the opportunity to work closer with our local partner in delivering high-quality, research-based information and full engagement with the city-parish administration, council members and parish clientele with the land-grant system, including LSU and Southern AgCenters,” said Bobby Fletcher, LSU AgCenter regional director.

This is a critical time to support efforts in Orleans Parish as citizens continue to rebuild and restore their homes, their coastline, marsh areas, their families, and their communities, he said.

“We can continue to support these efforts through the Cooperative Extension Service faculty in Orleans Parish with programming focused on families, youth development, home recovery and energy efficiency, urban farming and horticulture, as well as programs for youth and adults related to nutrition,” Fletcher said.

“The main advantage of the move to City Hall is that we will have more visibility within city government,” McGhee said. “They will be able to see on a daily basis our programs and how we operate.”

Being close to their offices will show city officials how the LSU AgCenter’s research-based programs continue to benefit the citizens of Orleans Parish, McGhee said.

“This is a great opportunity to be more highly engaged with the citizens of Orleans Parish,” Fletcher said. “We also will continue to provide excellent information to citizens through our website, as well as traditional methods such as phone calls, in-office consultations and other methods.”