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Please attend board meetings to become more involved in the future development of Charlie Finn Memorial Park.
St Tammany Parish Recreation District #11 Director
Lisa Palisi
St Tammany Parish Recreation District # 11 Board members
Recreation District #11 is a free standing governmental agency under the direction of a 5 member Board of Commissioners. The Board meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the conference room located in the New gymnasium at 22519 Hwy 36 East, Abita Springs, La. 70420. The Board has special meetings as needed. All regular and special meetings are advertised in accordance with State Public meeting laws. The public is invited to all meetings. Public comment in accordance with Board rules of procedure is allowed on each agenda item.
If you are interested in having an item addressed at the meeting, please contact the Director at rd11director@abitasports.com preferably a week in advance, but at least 48 hours in advance to be added to the agenda.
New issues can be addressed by the Board without advance notice under “new business” however the Board will not vote on the issue brought up under new business until the next month’s meeting. This gives the Board time for the staff to prepare a report and the board to research the issue.
2026 meeting dates are as follows:
January 20, February 10, March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17, December 15
Brandon Harrell, Chairman
Position, Since 2017
brandon.harrell@abitasports.com
Scott Newton
Position since 2023
scott.newton@abitasports.com
Brandy Burel
Position since 2026
brandy.burel@abitasports.com
Larry Route
Position since 2024
larry.route@abitasports.com
Steven "Rock" Ruiz
Position since 2024
rock.ruiz@abitasports.com
We're having growing pains again. The Parish Council has approved St. Tammany Parish Recreation District #7 (STPRD #7), Pearl River, to annex a large part of their district to Recreation District #11 (STPRD #11). The students in the annexed area attend Abita Springs schools. The area that was annexed is from Talisheek to Hillcrest Avenue which includes Money Hill, and several other neighborhoods along Highway 435. STPRD #11 currently has a millage in place for the former district area until 2032. STPRD #11 requested an election on June 27, 2026 to allow the new area to vote on the millage. Since the millage for the current area is in effect for 7 years (until 2032), we extended the period of time for the millage to 20 years beginning in 2026. This is called an in-lieu millage which is the legal way to include the new are in the millage. This is done since part of the district now pays the millage, and part of the district was not included in the current millage. If the tax passes, it will replace the current millage tax, and all of the area will be considered in district. If the in-lieu millage doesn't pass, the current millage will remain in place for the former area of STPRD #11, and the newly annexed area will continue to pay out-of-district fees, or a user fee.
The district has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers for a wetlands permit to develop true soccer fields so that we don't have to play on the outfields of the baseball fields, football fields, a walking track with workout stations, additional parking, a small concession stand with bathrooms, and retention ponds for drainage. Additionally, plans to add another basketball court to the current gym are in the near future.
The district has also been working with St. Andrew's Village to purchase additional acreage for expansion which is located adjacent to the 22 acres next to the gym.
Remember to vote on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
St Tammany Recreation District 11
2026 Budget
Revenue -
Milage Tax Income 1,070,000
Revenue Sharing 25,000
Interest on Income 4,000
Culture & Recreation 150,000
Other 3,000
Total Revenues 1,254,000
Expenditures
Salaries/Benefits/Taxes 290,000
Activities/Concession 140,000
Legall/Professional 100,000
Repairs/Maintenance 40,000
Utilities 120,000
Sheriff Pension 30,000
Insurance 55,000
Office 30,000
Other 6,000
Assessor fees 3,000
Capital equipment\improvement 450,000
Total Expenditures 1,254,000
Harassment Policy
This policy is intended to ensure an environment which respects the dignity and worth of individual and is free from all forms of unlawful discrimination, including sexual harassment and harassment because of
Race, color, religion, origin, sexual orientation or gender, age, ancestry, disability, marital status, military status, political affiliation, or belief or activity, or any other characteristic protected by law. Workplace harassment, including sexual harassment will not be tolerated. This policy covers all harassment occurring in the work environment whether in our offices or elsewhere. It is the responsibility of all employees of STPRD#11 to conduct themselves in a manner that contributes to an environment free of unlawful harassment.
Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination involving unwelcome sexual or sex-based conduct that interferes with the employment of others. Harassing behaviors can be verbal, or non-verbal, or physical, and range from subtle innuendo of a sexual nature to coerced sexual activity. Some examples of workplace behaviors that are sexually harassing include:
-Threatening or taking adverse employment actions if sexual favors are not granted
-Demands for sexual favors in exchange for favorable or preferential treatment
-Unwanted sexual remarks or inferences
-Offensive comments about sex or gender specific traits
-Unwelcome sexual propositions, gestures, sounds, threats, bribes, written notes, or phone calls
-Unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature (touching, pinching, kissing. Or holding)
Sexual harassment violates STYPRD#11 policy as well as Federal law, and employees should be aware that substantiated incidents of such behavior could result in disciplinary action for offenders as severe as dismissal as unacceptable personal conduct. In addition, people who engage in sexual harassment may be subject to civil or criminal action.
Other Prohibited Workplace Harassment is defined as either verbal or physical conduct that shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of hie/her race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability, or any other characteristic or activity prohibited by law and that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment, or has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance. Some examples of such harassment include, but are not limited to: Using epithets or slurs: threatening, intimidating, or engaging in hostile acts that focus on protected characteristic, including jokes or pranks; or circulating in the workplace written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion to a person or group because of a protected characteristic.
Reporting Harassment
Prompt reporting of all incidents of workplace harassment is required. If you believe you are being harassed, or have witnessed harassment, you should promptly notify your supervisor or the director. When a report of harassment is made, a prompt and thorough investigation which maintains confidentiality must take place. Upon completion of the investigation, the outcome will be communicated to the aggrieved party and the person(s) accused and remedial action will be taken, if appropriate. Individuals who report harassment or are involved in the investigation of the harassment complaint will not be subject to retaliation. Retaliation is considered a serious violation of this policy and should be reported immediately. The director will be held accountable for adhering to this policy, for reporting promptly any incident of harassment and for maintaining a positive and productive work environment. If a supervisor/director receives a report of harassment or believes he/she has observed harassment, he/she is required to notify the director. Failure to make required notification may subject the supervisor/director to discipline, up to and including dismissal.
All Board members and employees of STPRD#11 are required to take on line sexual harassment training through Louisiana Civil Service testing, and submit a certification of completion yearly.
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2014
PARTICIPANTS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE BOUNDARIES OF ST. TAMMANY PARISH RECREATION DISTRICT #11 WILL BE ASSESSED A $25.00 OUT OF DISTRICT FEE PER SPORT PER YEAR WITH A $50.00 MAXIMUM PER SPORT PER FAMILY.
THE YEAR IS JULY 1 – JUNE 30 OF EACH YEAR.
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