5 vie for T’bonne president seat

Five contenders are seeking the job of Terrebonne parish president and are listed on the Oct. 22 primary election ballot. Among those running are two challengers with parish government experience, two with no experience in elected office and one incumbent seeking a second term.

Barry Bonvillian served as parish president from 1992-2000. Prior to that he was on the Parish Council for eight years and before formation of the consolidated government spend more than five years with the Houma municipal legislative body. He credits his administration for any advances currently taking place in the parish.

Current Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet was elected to office in 2007, on his first attempt to enter public office. As a businessman, lawyer and CPA, Claudet said his professional skills and experience has helped his administration weather damage from major storms and head off economic devastation following the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster and deepwater drilling moratorium.

Industrial business owner Mike Fesi enters political competition for the first time. He said his experience with working pipeline in southern Louisiana offers an edge in knowing what is needed to restore marshlands.

A second political newcomer is Hardis Neil, who said he is sincere about his bid for office and serious about wanting to eliminate building permit fees when property owners want to construct structure or additions on their own property.

Clayton Voisin completes the ballot and has been a member of the Terrebonne Parish council for 12 years, twice as council chairman. He is among the full field that has listed building barrier islands and costal restoration paramount among their priorities.

“I plan to do what I did before,” Bonvillian said regarding coastal restoration, but offered no specifics. “Most of the projects that are going on now, originated with my administration. We just didn’t have the money. Anybody can do projects with money coming in.”

Claudet said Terrebonne Parish has had four years of progress under his administration in the face of extraordinary circumstances. His desire is to see projects that have begun, continue. The current parish president noted that his time in office has seen advancements in levee and pump station improvements, has begun looking into moving silt from the Atchafalaya River into lower reaches of Terrebonne Parish, and made road improvement to the extent that he has gained a nickname as the turn lane president.

“My goal for the next term is to complete the massive levee projects we have,” Claudet said. “We need to concentrate on drainage throughout the parish. In infrastructure we have made a lot of improvements and we are hoping we can start doing a lot of things toward quality of life.”

“[I want to] stop coastal erosion to the maximum benefit with inventive means,” Fesi said. “[We can do] dredging and [with] pipelines move silt from areas where there is too much to restore land areas where it is needed.”

Neil said that coastal restoration would be limited as long as landowners are faced with excessive fees. “I’m going to eliminate permit fees,” he said. “I think people got the right to do on their property what they want. I would create a parish-owned mitigation bank. It’s an untapped source of revenue other than taxes. We can rebuild marsh and get mitigation credits.”

Voisin said he supports the concept of rebuilding barrier islands by making deals with states where road building requires the removal of rock. Voisin contends the rock could be transported to off the coast of Terrebonne Parish and offer barrier islands an anchor toward restoration. “There are ways we can get federal money to protect and build barrier islands,” Voisin said.

Bonvillian, Claudet, Fesi and Voisin all contend they are set apart from the others candidates by possessing proven management skills needed to lead Terrebonne Parish. Neil said no one is more sincere than he.

“I’m the only candidate that served as a parish president and [on the parish] council,” Bonvillian said. “I’m not a CPA, but I got a masters in common sense.”

“You have to look at the whole picture,” Claudet said. “As parish president I have done so.”

“I have the experience in construction,” Fesi added. “I know about heavy equipment … and I know how to watch over construction.”

“If I don’t do it nobody else will,” Neil said.

“My leadership ability, knowledge and experience set me apart,” Voisin said.

Meet the Candidates

BARRY BONVILLIAN

AGE: 70

PARTY: Democrat

OCCUPATION: Manager East Park Recreation Center

FAMILY: Married, two children,

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Terrebonne Parish President 1992-2000, Parish Council 1984-1992, Houma Council 1979-1984.

MICHEL CLAUDET

AGE: 63

PARTY: Republican

OCCUPATION: Business Owner

FAMILY: Divorced,

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Terrebonne Parish President

MIKE FESI

AGE: 52

PARTY: Republican

OCCUPATION: Business Owner, inventor

FAMILY: Married, four children,

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None

HERDIS NEIL

AGE: 64

PARTY: No Party

OCCUPATION: Rancher and Wetland Plant Producer

FAMILY: Married, three children,

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: None

CLAYTON VOISIN

AGE: 65

PARTY: Democrat

OCCUPATION: Real Estate and Retail Sales

FAMILY: Married, five children

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Terrebonne Parish Council