RPEC of Terrebonne makes several November endorsements
November 4, 2019
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November 4, 2019
Due to Councilwoman Arlanda Williams’s inability to run again because of term limits, it was determined that District 2 would have a new occupant prior to the election.
Six candidates put their hats in the ring: Wilfred “PJ” Allridge III (No Party), Carl Harding (D), John Campbell (D), Clarence Williams (D), Anthony Rainey Sr. (D) and Richard Thompson (D).
When the polls closed on Oct. 12, the position for Terrebonne Parish Council District 2 had not been decided.
Allridge received the most votes with 584, but by only acquiring 22 percent of the vote, he is now in a runoff with Harding, who received 520 votes (20 percent).
Harding says experience makes him the best candidate for the job
Currently working for the Terrebonne Parish Recreation Department, Harding previously worked for the state’s Department of Transportation and Development department and retired as a Louisiana highway maintenance superintendent of Lafourche Parish and as a captain for the Houma Fire Department.
The decisions he had to make and his cooperation with various agencies during his several previous positions give him experience for the job, Harding said.
Harding was also honorably discharged in 1977 after serving in the Vietnam War. He said his time in the U.S. Navy gave him experience that he could use for the council seat, too. He had to decide who, what, when and where for the best possible outcomes, he said, while people were depending on him during his time in the Navy.
“Nothing I did could be a hindrance to impair other people’s advancement in their life and their well-being,” he continued.
If elected, Harding said he wants to make sure the consolidated government is “truly consolidated.”
“We have some communities that are more affluent than others. With their support, they are slightly different from others,” he said. “We don’t want people to wave their hand because they feel as if their needs are more pertinent than others’ needs.”
Harding said he wants to make sure the council stays true to the needs of the entire community, not just the wants of each member’s respective district.
“The responsibility of the council is to fairly take care of the community according to their needs, not their wants,” he said. “And I think that we’ve been having a problem with that, and then because of those segregated minds that we have, we are just wanting for our community, not worrying about the other community.”
Harding said he wants to create more transparency in the local government, educate the public on the workings of the government and create a better economic situation for Terrebonne Parish by networking with nearby areas.
Allridge says he is the ‘voice of change’
At 25 years old, Allridge is one of the youngest candidates to run for Terrebonne Council this fall, but he sees his age as a plus, not a negative.
“I feel that I’m the best choice because I am the voice of change for the future, and that’s why I’m running as a young candidate,” he said. “We need something new, vibrant and fresh to actually bridge the gaps and cultivate a stronger community by bridging those gaps.”
He can bridge the gaps between people of all ages, colors and backgrounds, Allridge said.
Although he is young, Allridge has gained his fair share of experience, too.
The Vandebilt Catholic High School graduate previously served as a correctional officer with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, a patrol deputy with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and a career readiness instructor, basketball and football coach in the St. Charles Parish School District. He is also currently a board member of the Terrebonne Parish Child and Youth Planning Board.
Allridge said he aims to create more collaboration between the youth and local law enforcement, if elected.
He said he also wants to bring in more jobs to the parish as well, especially after seeing people leave the area for more work opportunities in states like Texas.
“If you look at politics in metropolitan areas outside of Terrebonne Parish, you see a lot of young candidates getting more involved, and I want to bring that to our parish,” Allridge said. “This is a great place; it’s home for me and a lot of others…I just want the people to give me a chance to see progression and growth in a young candidate that’s for the district, for the parish and once again, the voice of change for the future.”
Early voting began on Nov. 2 and is open until Nov. 9.
Election Day is Nov. 16.
