Mayors Divided Over Proposal to Restructure BREC
Baker Mayor Darnell Waites expressed concerns over the idea of city leaders taking direct control of BREC, stating that systemic changes should come from within rather than through a takeover.
BATON ROUGE, La. — A proposed bill that could overhaul the governance of BREC, the East Baton Rouge Parish parks and recreation system, has sparked mixed reactions among local mayors. While some believe the current structure is ineffective, others argue that mayoral control would not solve existing issues.
Baker Mayor Darnell Waites expressed concerns over the idea of city leaders taking direct control of BREC, stating that systemic changes should come from within rather than through a takeover.
“What you do is change things within the organization and have the people who pay into the system provide input on how they want it run,” Waites said. “You don’t just take it over.”
One of the proposed measures would replace the current nine-member BREC board—appointed by various entities—with a new board composed of the five mayors of East Baton Rouge Parish. Central Mayor Wade Evans questioned the effectiveness of the existing board and called for greater accountability.
“Those board members, while they have great qualifications, where’s the track record of their success?” Evans asked. “Looking at the condition of our parks in Central, I’d argue that it doesn’t mean much.”
Waites, however, remains skeptical about the alternative proposal, suggesting that placing mayors in direct control could lead to further complications.
“Do you think putting five mayors on the board is going to improve the budget and operations of BREC? That’s not going to make it better—it’s going to create more chaos,” he said.
Both mayors agree on one fundamental issue: the parish government is not in a position to take over BREC effectively. Waites also pointed to a broader concern about fair representation, noting that Baker contributes to BREC’s budget but has little influence on its leadership.
“It’s about representation for taxation,” Waites said. “Right now, I don’t have any representation on the BREC board, but we pay taxes into that system.”
BREC’s operating budget for 2025 is set at nearly $116 million, with funding derived primarily from property taxes across East Baton Rouge Parish. The debate over its governance is expected to continue as the bill moves through the legislative process.
