VIDEO: Heated Terrebonne Council Chair Election, “If the public didn’t know we had a divided council, they know now.”

Things got heated at last night’s Terrebonne Parish Council meeting revealing division, however, the council took it upon themselves to lead into a conversation about moving forward in unity for 2022.

Emotions were heightened when the agenda began with the election of the 2022 Council Chair position which Councilman Darin Guidry was re-elected for the second consecutive year. Councilman Gerald Michel read a harsh statement about the 2022 Council Chair. He read, “First of all, I would like to congratulate our new chairman, Darrin Guidry. This is the first time since I’ve been on the council in the past six years that a councilman has been elected two consecutive years. It goes to show you that if you’re willing to sacrifice your word and your morals, you can get whatever perceived power you seek. While the perceived power is not important to me, it’s obviously important to Chairman Guidry,” the letter read. Although controversial,  it allowed the council to speak on the unity of the Parish and moving forward.

 

Watch the full meeting here:
Councilman John Navy commented about the situation, “I want to make this Parish understand that we need to work together as a Parish,” he said, “We took an oath to serve all of the people of Terrebonne Parish, not just the people in our districts…but when we look at each other’s district and we attack things of people’s nature, you’re basically attacking other people that they represent also.” He said he truly believes that if you’re going to represent anybody, you have to represent the whole parish, and said he doesn’t like the direction of sentiments that the Parish is going in. “I don’t think we need to be up here as a split council but unfortunately we are apparently that and it doesn’t necessarily need to happen.” He went on to say he received a call from Guidry asking if he was interested in being a chairman because you’re one of the leaders, but he said no, “I said I just want you to support and help me do for my community and the people of this parish. That’s the foundation we need to stand on.”

Council Chair Guidry told the Times that as long as the council focuses on the people who elected them and focus on getting results for those people, then things will be good. “We worked well together this past year, and I think we’ll work well together again this year,” he said, “There is division, but that sometimes makes for a healthy government if it doesn’t get out of hand.” He said that his main goal going forward is he wants results for his district, “I’ll work with anybody… whether we’re friends or enemies,” he said. He does so because he said as long as they focus like they did this past year and he looks forward to doing more this coming year. “I’m going to work this year trying to make things happen and bring unity within the government because too much division is bad…there’s a fine line between a government functioning properly and government becoming a stalemate,” he said.

When talking about last night’s meeting, he said, “It was a lively meeting, to say the least. People get passionate, I get it, I let them be passionate at the meetings, whether they’re talking about me, or about some issue in government, but I never let them talk about someone else. If they want to talk about me, I’m a big boy.”

When asked about last night’s meeting and going forward in unity, Councilman Michel said “Unity is a good thing, but trust is a prerequisite. If a council chairperson is willing to lie, not only to his fellow council people outside of meetings but to the public from his seat as chairman, it is impossible to have the trust needed to promote unity. There are also those who think unity is perpetual agreement and as soon as you challenge them or disagree with them, they accuse you of being divisive. Honesty, integrity, and transparency trump unity every time.”

Council Vice-Chair Jessica Domangue said “If the public didn’t know we had a divided council, they know now. I can only speak for myself, but It’s always been about the people and not about politics. I don’t enjoy politics, it’s just always been about the people. I just hope that with this new leadership and with only two years left, we can put aside our political differences and do what the people of Terrebonne Parish elected us to do. That’s being leaders, to lead!” She said she thinks they need to have a united front going forward and to stop the divisiveness, present themselves in a way that is respectful to themselves and others, and every decision they make needs to be made not what’s best for them, but rather what’s in the best interest of the people of Terrebonne Parish. Regardless, she is hopeful going forward. “We have a really good team, we have a good council, and we have a fabulous administration,” she said,” I want to use this opportunity as a blank slate to move this parish forward. I hope the people give us that opportunity to do so.”