Dist. 3 candidates experienced

Two former Lafourche Parish elected officials, in competing for the vacated 3rd Council District seat, are positioning themselves with different strategies to solve the same issue, contentious relationships among councilmen and between lawmakers and the parish president that they claim is hampering parish progress.

Michael Matherne, who served on the Council from 2003-07, said his first order of business would be to introduce an ordinance calling for a parish-wide referendum on imposing term limits for the parish lawmakers.

“I feel strongly that this is what people want,” Matherne, 43, said. “I think people are tired of career politicians. Some council members have been there for decades and their relationship with the parish president suffers.”

A professor of university studies at Nicholls State, Matherne said a three-term limit would help ease the chronically present “tumultuous relationship” between the Council and parish president.

Aaron Caillouet also said he wants to improve communication between the lawmakers and executives and he feels that he could “foster cohesion” among the Council’s different personalities.

Caillouet served one term as parish president from 1996 until 2000 and served on the Thibodaux City Council from 1986-94.

“I just could go back to my experience that I’ve had on other boards and as parish president,” he said. “I’ve always been successful, I think, in bringing people together, and I think I can do that here.”

The 69-year-old retired professor of finance and management at Nicholls State University and Troy University in Alabama pointed to his accrued business acumen, track record of public and community service and history as an educator as personal strengths that set him apart from Matherne.

“I believe that’s the difference between the two of us,” he said. “I believe the experience I’ve had working with other people in leadership positions is something that will cause me to be more successful.”

Matherne touted his last stint on the parish’s governing board as successful in accomplishing an oft-spoken goal of aspiring politicians.

“People want to talk about wanting to lower taxes, but the last time I served we actually did it,” Matherne said. “We reduced the parish (property tax) millage rate parish wide and several times the council voted not to raise the parish sales tax. We did more with less, and that’s what I intend to do the next four years.”

The seat will be the only council race in the parish without an incumbent on the ballot. Councilman Louis Richard announced earlier this year he would not seek a second because he wants to spend more time with his family.