Harlan Kirgan
As two storms threatened, the St. Landry Parish Council elected Jessie Bellard on a 7-6 vote as interim parish president on Monday.
Bellard’s first order of business was to sign disaster declarations to clear the way for federal assistance with storm damage.
Tropical Storm Marco dissipated, but Tropical Storm Laura grew into a hurricane threatening southwest Louisiana.
The parish council seat was vacant since Bill Fontenot resigned effective Friday citing a need to focus on his health. Fontenot was serving his third term as parish president.
His parish president designee, Amanda Cain, chief financial officer, lost her authority to declare a disaster with Fontenot’s resignation.
A meeting had been scheduled Wednesday to vote on an interim president, but that was moved forward to Monday.
Council members voting for Bellard were Jerry Red, Easton Shelvin, Mildred Thierry, Vivian Olivier, Dexter Brown, Timmy Lejeune and Jimmie Edwards.
Voting for Reed were Nancy Carriere, Harold Taylor, Alvin Stelly, Wayne Ardoin and Coby Clavier.
“My job to start off with, unfortunately, is the storm we have to deal with,” Bellard said after reciting an oath of office.
The Parish Council also voted to hold a special election for parish president on March 20, 2021, and runoff on April 24. Qualifying is scheduled Jan. 20 to 22.
Fontenot had recommended that Van Reed, of Eunice, be appointed as interim president. Reed, who serves as director of Emergency Preparedness and public information officer for parish government, would not run for the office, Fontenot said.
Bellard said he plans to run for the job.
“I’m not making no announcement because right now all I’m worried about right now is getting upstairs and getting to work. People who know me know that I hit the ground running and I’m going to start running right now to make sure the people of St. Landry Parish are taken care of,” he said.
Another task facing Bellard was to resign from his job as a brand inspector with the state Department of Agriculture, he said.
Bellard said he served 10 and half years as an administrator in parish government, first with Don Menard and then two and half years with Fontenot.
“I wasn’t the CAO, but I helped him out,” he said of his previous experience.
Bellard added, “Another thing I want to make sure we are clear on, Amanda Cain is the director of finance. She was given the job of director of finance, parish president and CAO. That is unfair to her to have all three of those jobs, so I’m coming in and like I said earlier, I’m hitting the ground running and we are going to make things happen.”
Bellard said Cain has been doing an excellent job with the finances. “It is just we are limited with funds,” he said.
“So, when people call and complain about this and that it is like your own budget, if you don’t have the money to do it what are you going to do?” he said.
Bellard said he wants to put more staff on the roads.
The Parish Council has advertised and interviewed applicants for the job of chief administrative officer. Bellard indicated he is putting the brakes on that move.
“They are going to see me here in the morning. They are going to see me here late at night,’ he said. “Because we are going to be hands on. We have to be. We can’t sit back and let things happen without us being part of it.”
Bellard said he will take the $105,000 annual salary, but won’t take a car and phone allowance.
“I have a truck and I have a cell. I don’t need that,” he said.