Guard against rushes to judgment
February 13, 2019
Oil is Up a Little…So What’s to Thank?
February 13, 2019
Even though the primary election is still many months away on Oct. 12, the Lafourche Parish Ballot is already shaping up with three candidates who have announced their intentions to challenge Incumbent Parish President Jimmy Cantrelle for his job.
But Cantrelle, who will close an initial term as parish president this fall, said he is not bothered by the others, but is instead looking back on the things he says he’s accomplished in his first time and hoping that voters will let his record do the talking.
“My record speaks for itself; for instance, since I took office, I have been able to bring $500 million in Coastal Protection and Restoration Funds to Lafourche Parish, over the past three years, while serving as a member of the CPRA Board (Coastal Protection Restoration Authority),” Cantrelle said. “Another example is the $7 million I saved the parish by rebuilding our pumps instead of replacing them with new ones.”
Cantrelle said the parish has 81 pump stations, and when he took office about 50 percent of them were working. Now, about 80 percent of them are — an accomplishment that he said is one of his biggest since taking over as parish president.
“Our drainage problems are one of the big reasons why I am seeking re-election. You cannot solve 30 years of drainage problems in just three years,” he said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”
But others think they can do that work better going into the future of Lafourche history.
Despite Cantrelle’s record, Luci Sposito, Joe Fertitta and Archie Chaisson III are opposing the parish president — each with their own ideas for how to govern going forward.
Sposito, who currently serves as District 2 Councilwoman, and who served as Council Chairman in 2018, said she plans to help lobby for funds at the state and federal levels to secure bunds needed to restore and protect the state coastline. She will end her first term on the council this year.
“Every hour, Louisiana is losing almost a football field of wetlands and that loss leaves us vulnerable to storms and threatens our livelihood,” Sposito said.
Sposito said she will also turn attention to Port Fourchon, if elected, stating that the local economy engine’s sustainability is huge to our area.
“I will also help lobby for funds to finish raising La. Highway 1,” she said, explaining that uninterrupted access to Port Fourchon is extremely important to the parish economy and frankly, to the country. “Again, I believe we can secure state and federal dollars because Port Fourchon provides the United States with about 18 percent of the nation’s oil supply.”
Regarding drainage, Sposito said, “We have to peacefully coexist with the water that surrounds us, and I want us to develop subdivisions wisely by creating and utilizing a comprehensive plan.”
When it comes to managing the parish, she said ultimately the key to success is communication and cooperation.
“To manage our challenges, I plan to listen to and work closely with elected officials, business owners, residents and officials from neighboring parishes,” she said. “A new Lafourche will be born from a relentless pursuit by all, to sustain what we have, rebuild what we’ve lost, and our expectations of unlimited possibilities.”
Former Lafourche Parish Councilman Joseph “Joe” Fertitta believes there needs to be complete transparency in the parish president’s office, and he said transparency is just one of the leadership skills he will bring to the job, if elected.
He looked at some of the discord between the council and Cantrelle and said those are issues that hinder Lafourche’s progress and which need to be rectified going forward.
“Something is wrong when over the past three years, an average of 7 out of 9 councilmen continually vote against what you are trying to accomplish,” Fertitta said. “I served for 12 years as the Lafourche Parish District 4 Councilman. My experience, coupled with my leadership skills and abilities, can create a work environment that is team and consensus building.”
Fertitta said in the past years, the parish has faced many struggles such as: declining revenues, the closing of businesses, a loss of jobs, a vanishing coastline and flooding.
He said with those issues, the parish has a razor thin margin of error and a lack of unity cannot exist in the troubling time.
“But the biggest overall concern expressed to me by folks from throughout this parish, is to have a parish government that can work together to solve problems, and we haven’t had that,” Fertitta said, with the present administration.
Former Lafourche Parish Administrator Archie Chaisson III, said Lafourche Parish needs to be redirected to serve its residents and the community, and not politics — something he plans to address, if placed in office.
“I have a long term vision for Lafourche Parish that will focus on economic resiliency, local tax reform, drainage improvements, coastal restoration and recreation. Each part of this plan is critical for the success of our parish and making it a place where people want to live, work and play. It will allow us to become more financially stable and improve the quality of life for our residents,” Chaisson said.
Currently Public Works Director for the City of Thibodaux, Chaisson said, “I don’t like what I see happening in this current parish administration. I haven’t for quite some time,” he said.
Chiasson previously served as Lafourche Parish Administrator under former Parish President Charlotte Randolph’s administration.
“While the next four years are important to all of us, it’s even more important that we begin to set a standard upon which we can continue to grow year after year. Setting a standard that allows our children and grandchildren the opportunity to live and thrive here just as we do today,” he said. •
BY HOWARD J. CASTAY, JR.
