A Mayor’s Plan to Unify and Improve Baton Rouge

On Wednesday afternoon, Baton Rouge's Mayor-President Sid Edwards turned to the Rotary Club members with a clear vision for the city. He stressed that the community faces several challenges, such as crime and a sense of division, but he had plans to tackle them head-on. Firstly, Edwards aims to increase police officers’ pay and rehire retired cops to bolster the force. "It’s about getting them back into action, on the streets, and working, " he explained. The mayor also hopes to spruce up the city by coordinating a wide-scale clean-up and managing blighted properties, though he acknowledged that this isn’t an easy task and requires cooperation from owners.Edwards even mentioned his plans to improve the city's traffic flow by closing the Washington Street exit off Interstate 10 and widening Airline Highway. Above all, his main goal is to unite Baton Rouge. "We must change our minds and open our hearts to understand each other, " Edwards emphasized, recognizing the political and racial divides that need to be bridged for the city to prosper.