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Voters approved a .75 mill property tax to fund the EBRMARC
District on January 20th, 1979. Shortly thereafter, a Board of Commissioners
was appointed and a director was named. The board consisted of, James N.
Johnson - City appointee, James Antoon - Health Unit Rep., Dr. R. B. Lank -
Farmers and Ranchers, and Dr. R. Dayton Steelman - Entomologist. The
veterinarian's position was left vacant to be filled at a later date. Doyle
Micheal Chambers was named as the district's first director.
In 1982, the voters of the parish overwhelmingly approved a millage increase
to 1.2 mills, for a ten-year period starting in 1984. The tax was renewed in
1992 and again in 2002. Combating West Nile virus, which was introduced into East Baton Rouge Parish in 2002, increased operating costs so voters approved a 1.0 mill tax to provide additional funds in November, 2006 by a margin of 69%.
The district was housed temporarily in a trailer located
on the airport property. In November of 1980, a permanent site was
established at 2829 Lt. General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Avenue. It has been
expanded twice since 1980. The first expansion, in 1986, provided
additional work space for employees and operating equipment. In 1994, the
second expansion offered additional employee parking as well as a
training/public relations facility. Also, a trailer was placed at the rear
of the district grounds to house a Bio-Control Laboratory and Insectary. Additional covered parking for City Parish vehicles and equipment was erected in 2005.
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