Mayor Helena Moreno signed three executive orders on April 7 to help city government better serve the people of New Orleans. The orders address reforms in parks governance, emergency management coordination, and improvements to the hiring process for essential city employees.
These actions are intended to improve efficiency and ensure that departments can deliver services more effectively for residents. Mayor Moreno said, “We are moving with urgency to ensure every city department can reach its full potential.”
The first order, EO 26-16, creates a task force focused on reforming the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC). This group will review governance structures, explore partnerships and labor consolidation with Parks and Parkways, encourage community engagement, examine funding sources including philanthropy, and recommend steps for safer parks such as lead remediation.
EO 26-17 changes both the name and role of the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. It will now be called the New Orleans Office of Coordination and Emergency Management (NOCEM), with a focus on coordinating resources like barricades or supplies during special events or emergencies. The term “homeland security” is being removed from its title as those responsibilities will be handled by other partners.
The third order, EO 26-18, seeks to streamline hiring processes after delays were reported in onboarding new staff for public works projects. Some departments currently face up to seventeen steps before bringing new hires onboard—a process that can take months. A task force will look at ways to eliminate unnecessary delays so that critical positions can be filled more quickly.
Moreno added: “We can’t keep doing things the same and expect a different outcome. Change can be hard, but I won’t tolerate the saying ‘this is how it’s always been done’ as an excuse to continue inefficient practices that fail to deliver for the people of New Orleans.”
All three executive orders are available through official city channels.
