Mayor's Women's Commission

The Mayor’s Women’s Commission is an organization of women from across the city who assist the mayor with beautification and other civic projects.

The organization was established by Mayor Jim Shapkoff, Jr. in 1992 to work in conjunction with various City organizations in order to promote community involvement. Members are appointed by the mayor and represent a cross-section of the community. They meet on the second Monday of each month at Leesville City Hall.

Hostesses:

One of the primary goals of the organization is to assist the mayor in any project that will showcase the City of Leesville. To fulfill that mission, the ladies do a marvelous job serving as hostesses at every major function hosted by the city. They assume the responsibility of providing appropriate decorations for each event and greet and direct event visitors as needed. 

In this capacity, they also work to establish ties with the Fort Polk community by making a connection with the leaders and their spouses to ensure the military community realizes how much we appreciate their presence and welcome their active participation in our communities. 

Beautification Efforts:

• Community Spirit Awards: Every month the Beautification Committee selects one residential and one commercial property to receive their Community Spirit Award for beautification. Winners are selected based on landscaping and maintenance, with special consideration given for appropriate holiday decorations.  If you'd like to nominate a property for this award, please click here or contact Mary Ann Fussell at 337-239-2444.  
• Trash Bash: In the spring, the ladies host a Trash Bash to encourage individuals and groups to get involved with cleaning up the various neighborhoods.
  
  During the week prior to the event, a public dumpster will be set up where residents can drop off their excess trash. Also, on each day of that week, the Public Works Department will pick up large or hard-to-dispose of trash, such as furniture, building materials, tires, paint, etc. The schedule for these pick-up days will be posted on the group's Facebook page, as well as the event page on this website. 
  
  After all the work has been done, participants are invited to a free picnic lunch featuring hot dogs and cookies.
• Neighborhood Beautification: The organization uses monies from grants, fundraising, and donations to beautify various city properties and/or neighborhoods. If you would like to make a donation, please contact Mary Ann Fussell to learn how. 
• Contests: The commission also holds several contests to encourage participation of residents during specific holidays. During the Scarecrow contest in October, groups/clubs set up scarecrows along Third Street in downtown Leesville to compete for cash prizes. In December, a city-wide decorations contest is held, with participants competing for temporary possession of the Winner's Plaque.