The City of Lake Charles, Louisiana

The City Administrator is responsible for the professional management of the day-to-day operations of the City, including general supervision, administration and management. The City of Lake Charles operates under a Mayor-City Council form of government. Under this system, the Mayor appoints and recommends to the City Council and the Council, by consent of a two-thirds vote, appoints the City Administrator, who is the chief appointed administrator for the City.

Hello and welcome to Lake Charles, Louisiana. I'm John Cardone, Jr., City Administrator for the City of Lake Charles. It is my privilege to introduce you to our city and a few of the many amenities of our area.

Located in the southwest corner of the state, Lake Charles borders bayous, rivers, and lakes with a deep water channel that leads to the Gulf of Mexico. Access to these waterways provides for excellent fishing, hunting and other celebrated sports activities in the Lake Area. Lake Charles is also known for its diverse arts and culture programming/events, casino resorts, many music venues, excellent cuisine and many great festivals that occur throughout the year.

Lake Charles covers approximately 44 square miles, serves a community of nearly 75,000 people and is a great place to raise a family. The city has a healthy economy, which makes it a prime location for business, industry and other development. Recently, Business Week magazine's Web site ranked Lake Charles first in the country in America's strongest building market.

Lake Charles City Government employs approximately 1100 employees and has an Operating and Capital Budget for the 2012-2013 fiscal year of $127 million, of which $61.6 million is for General Fund operation which includes General Government, Planning and Development, Finance, Human Resources, Public Works, Fire and Police. The City also operates four Enterprise Funds for Water, Transit, the Civic Center and a Golf Course and has special revenue budgets for Wastewater, Recreation and Special Events.

On behalf of all our employees, we will continue to strive to provide the highest quality of professional service to the citizens of our community, and we welcome all to come and visit our proud "city on the lake."

The City of Lake Charles Public Information Office is dedicated to serving all members of the Lake Charles community including residents, visitors, merchants and media representatives. Our mission is to ensure a consistent flow of information to and from city government regarding its policies, as well as increase awareness of City programs, services and recreational opportunities.

All public inquiries are promptly answered or directed to the appropriate City department. We appreciate your questions, comments, and any other feedback that will help us serve you better.  

To download a Written Request for Public Records form, click here.

Title VI Information

The City of Lake Charles fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes, executive orders, and regulations in all programs and activities.  The City operates without regard to race, color, national origin, income, gender, age, and disability.  Any person who believes him/herself or any specific class of persons, to be subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI may by him/herself or by representative file a written complaint with the City of Lake Charles.  The City's Title VI Coordinator may be reached by phone at (337) 491-1440, the Mayor's Action Line at (337) 491-1346, contact the appropriate Department Head, or download the Title VI Complaint Form.

Click here for more Title VI information.

Lake Charles enjoys a diverse industry portfolio that continues to strengthen and build upon the city's historic economic base. Combining the global connections with a focus on jobs and investment we seek to create a globally competitive and internationally connected economic development environment that supports entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes toward investment and job creation.

For more information on relocating and expanding your business in the greater Lake Charles area, please contact the The SWLA Economic Development Alliance.

 

 

 

For Information on property please visit our Buildings and Sites Database.

 

 

 

 

• Mayor's Armed Forces Commission

• Mayor's Youth Partnership

The Lake Charles Mayor's Youth Partnership is comprised of Lake Charles teens serving in an advisory capacity to Mayor Marshall Simien and the community, recommending projects, programs and activities that benefit the youth of the city.

Our Mission:

The mission of the City of Lake Charles Mayor's Armed Forces Commission is to promote goodwill and understanding between the City of Lake Charles and the Armed Forces, both active and reserve. 

Our Meetings:

The commission meets on the second Monday of every month at 3:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers of City Hall. For more information, call 337 491-1383.

If you are interested in being an annual sponsor, please contact Tanya Senegal at tanya.senegal@cityoflc.us.  For one-time donations please visit SWLA Community Foundation.

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For more information on the Calcasieu Parish Tax Assessor's Program for Veterans, click here.

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Meet Miss Armed Forces- Jolie Elizabeth Derouen

Jolie is the 18 year old daughter of Cristalle and Kurt Derouen. She resides in Iowa, Louisiana. She is currently a student at McNeese State University concentrating in a Bachelor of Science with a focus on Nursing. She plans on continuing her education by obtaining a Masters of Science in Nursing allowing her to make a meaningful impact on healthcare as a Nurse Practitioner. She endeavors to grow with her involvement in community service by organizing events that fundraiser and showcase the Veterans of Louisiana.

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A Look Back - 2025 17th Annual Patriot's Ball

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Louisiana Vietnam Veterans Memorial 

On Saturday, March 28, 2025, Secretary McGinley and Secretary Strickland joined members of the Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission to unveil the new Louisiana Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In front of a crowd of 500 veterans, family members, active-duty soldiers from Fort Johnson, and patriots of all walks of life, the names of the 885 Louisiana Vietnam War casualties are now forever etched in granite. 

It is now a permanent fixture at our Veterans Memorial Park where the names of our fallen will never be forgotten.

Marshall Simien, Jr., a Lake Charles native, was elected Mayor of the City of Lake Charles on May 3, 2025.  He graduated from Washington High School and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Government from McNeese State University.  He went on and received a law degree from LSU in Baton Rouge.  He then practiced law for 34-years, first in New Orleans and then in Lake Charles where he represented some of the largest businesses in the country as well as many families throughout Southwest Louisiana.

In addition to practicing law, Marshall has been a dedicated public servant. In 2003, Marshall was appointed by Governor Kathleen Blanco to serve on the Board of Commissioners for the Port of Lake Charles, currently the 10^th largest port in the United States.  While serving on the Port Board, Marshall helped oversee the construction and opening of L’Auberge Casino Resort which, along with the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, are the most successful gaming operations in the entire State of Louisiana.  While also on the Port Board, Marshall helped the Port enter into agreement with Sempra Energy which led to the construction of Cameron LNG which transformed the SWLA area into the largest exporter of LNG in the entire world.

After having served on the Port Board, in 2005 Marshall was elected to serve on the Lake Charles City Council where he served 2-terms (8-years), including having served as City Council President and Vice-President.  Marshall represented District A which included the lakefront, downtown and northern areas of Lake Charles.  While serving on the City Council, Marshall helped our community recover from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and oversaw several bond projects including Riverside Park, Enterprise Boulevard extension, Downtown Transit Center, Lakefront Promenade, Lakefront Marina, Ryan Streetscape, new Millenium Park and Children’s Playground, MLK Recreation Center Playground, Goosport Recreation Spray Park, and multiple affordable housing developments for the citizens of our community and its senior citizens.   

In 2014 Marshall was appointed to serve on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury to finish the term of the Juror representing District 2 who passed away while in office.

In 2022 Marshall was appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to serve on the Louisiana State Board of Commerce & Industry to help jumpstart the entire State of Louisiana’s economy in the aftermath of the global pandemic while overseeing some of the largest economic development projects in the State of Louisiana.

Marshall’s community service includes having served as Board Chair of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, Executive Board of the Alliance for Positive Growth, North Lake Charles Kiwanis Club, Immaculate Heart of Mary Holy Name Society, ACTS Retreat Director, advisory boards of First Horizon Bank and the Diocese of Lake Charles’ St. Charles Retreat Center.   Marshall is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., 4^th Degree Knights of St. Peter Claver, the Louisiana State Bar Association, Southwest Louisiana Bar Association, and Louis A. Martinet Legal Society. 

Marshall, who attends Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and serves as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector, is married to Dr. Paula Simien.  They have 3 adult children, Marshall III (Baylee), August, and Grace Elizabeth.

The City of Lake Charles, under the administration of Mayor Marshall Simien, is committed to connecting with area youth through a variety of programs and initiatives.

Mayor's Youth Partnership

The City of Lake Charles Mayor's Youth Partnership’s mission is to provide City of Lake Charles youth with a voice in local government issues that matter most to them. It aims to promote participation in City government, to broaden youth leadership skills and to increase understanding of community issues through structured discussion and participation in community events.

What is the Mayor's Youth Partnership?

For a comprehensive overview of these programs and initiatives, click the image below.