Rayne Candidate’s Forum held as election draws near

RAYNE - The Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce gave the voting public a chance to hear the views of candidates for local offices as they sponsored the Rayne Candidates’ Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the Rayne Civic Center Ballroom.
The forum, featuring candidates for mayor, chief of police and city council, began at 6 p.m. with the general public invited to attend. Admission was free and a large crowd was in attendance.
The evening began with the candidates for Rayne City Council. Each of these candidates were given two minutes to address the crowd.
The latter portion of the program saw the candidates for Rayne police chief and Rayne mayor, each of whom had two minutes to provide an opening statement. Followed by two questions each and a closing statement.
Candidates of Ward 1 delivering their statements were incumbent Curtrese L. Minix and contenders Romel J. Charles and Lester “Peadey” Washington.
Minix’s theme for her campaign has been, “I’m doing what I can with what I have,” and that resonated in her statement for the forum as she listed the many programs which began and were completed during her term.
“I’ve always had and will continue to have an open-door policy,” Minix stated. “My commitment for Ward 1 is 24/7 and I’m willing help all Rayne citizens. We have accomplished a lot during my first term, not just for Ward 1, but for the entire city. I, along with other aldermen, plan to continue working hard for Rayne. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made during the past three years and hope to continue the progress.”
Charles’ statement included a theme of “unity among the council for the betterment of the community.”
“I work with others and plan to work with the city administration for improvements to our city,” Charles noted. “Ward 1 is the neglected, but the most valuable ward of the city. Strengthen the city of Rayne and administration by making Ward 1 better, because I think it’s the weakest link.”
Washington’s comment for the forum included a number of concerns he finds needs attention in Ward 1.
“I would like to see the Rayne I remember as a child,” he began. “While campaigning, I’ve listened to concerns of the citizens and I agree we have many issues to correct and update. Some of the issues that have been mentioned to me include cheaper utility costs, better drainage, better upkeep and improvements of parks — including restrooms — and better pay and equal hours for all city workers.”
Ward 2 candidates presenting their statements were incumbent Kenneth J. Guidry and contender Aleke Kanonu Jr.
Guidry listed his priorities, including “God, my family, city as a whole and constituents of Ward 2 who have seen the improvements made during my first term as your alderman. I hope that my constituents notice what we have accomplished. But, we’re just getting started.”
Kanonu’s focus was the children of the community and the problems facing not only Ward 2, but the entire city.
“I will put our kids first just like I did when I worked for the city in the Recreation Department. We are loosing focus as a community of what Rayne needs. We need to work in unison for the forgotten district and I would be a strong voice for Ward 2. Accountability is a priority for the entire city council and we can educate our citizens of what we need and look into what we can do to make those improvements.”
Millard “Mills” Conques, also a contender for the Ward 2 race was not in attendance for the forum.
Candidates for Ward 3 race were incumbent Calise Michael Doucet and contender Greg Arabie, each giving their statements.
Doucet’s statement concentrated on the projects that have been addressed during his two terms on the Council.
“Drainage was the main concern when I assumed my position as alderman, and we have worked very hard on the ditches, coulees and gulleys to improve the flow of water out of our city. The Council has also worked on many projects for the betterment of Rayne, including better sidewalks, updated and replaced street signs, major light improvements, cleaner streets and whatever the citizens brought before us to make improvements for a safer, cleaner and updated community for future generations to inherit.”
Arabie stressed the experience he can offer the community with his vast work history and knowledge.
“My intent is to give back to the community that has been so good to me and my family. I have a well-rounded work experience that has allowed me work on many levels in over 300 municipalities with the same problems Rayne has – I can help the council and the city on many different levels.
“As I have visited the citizens of Ward 3, I have heard what is needed and I can helped with the opportunities to not only revitalize Ward 3, but our community as a whole. I believe in Rayne, I believe in Rayne and I believe that by working together with the community, we can make a change for the betterment of Rayne.”
Ward 4 alderman Jimmy Fontenot and Mayor Pro-Tem Lendall “Pete” Babineaux were in attendance, but did not participate in the forum since both were unopposed for the election.
The two candidates for Rayne police chief, incumbent Carroll Stelly and challenger Eddie Guidry delivered their opening statement, answered two questions and gave closing statements.
In his opening statement, Stelly stated he decided to run for office of police chief “because of the concern I saw of the direction the police department was headed 12 years ago when I assumed this position as police chief. We have taken this department to a new level of dedication from our officers and detectives by implementing upgrades of equipment, patrol car updates, better trained officers and many projects and programs for the betterment and safety of Rayne.
“We have recently installed cameras in high traffic areas, parks and areas of complaints. We have also instituted a DOC (Department of Corrections) work program that provides work for our school, church, non-profits and city projects, and a 63 percent pay increase for our officers over the past 12 years while operating the police department during the same amount of time.”
Guidry’s opening statement began with his history with the Rayne Police Department.
“I began with the department as s reserve office and became an officer in 1998 serving for the past 18 years as a full-time police officer. It’s my goal and dream to someday become police chief and serve this city. I resigned my position earlier this year for one reason, to achieve my goal and become your next chief of police.
“With over 20 years of police experience, I plan to begin on Nov. 7 to make adjustments to the police department. I plan to deter crime before it happens, add motorcycles to the patrol units, add resource officers for our juveniles, add radars and laptops to all our units, and have a chief who you can speak to and answer your questions.”
The forum then continued to the candidates for mayor, incumbent Charles “Chuck” Robichaux and challengers Brian Mouton and James Montgomery, who each delivered their two-minute opening statements.
“As you notice, I have no notes. Everything comes from my heart and mind,” Robichaux waid in his opening statement. “This being my third election, I look back and remember it was hard to make people believe I could do the job. Now you know I can do the job and whatever I promise I deliver. I knocked on very door in this community and that’s right, I handed out brochures with information because I wanted you to see what we have done. I’m proud of what we have done for the city – not just me, but the council and the citizens are also proud of what we’ve accomplished. And we’re just getting started.
“You have better drainage and you will have a better infrastructure because we’re working on sewer, water and electrical services. The long-overdue Barbara Street Pump Station is finally coming to light as work began on a project a few months ago. We have many projects in the works and some that have been completed at hardly no interest to the city – good business sense.”
Mouton expressed in his opening statement, “On Nov. 6, you can lay the foundation of a new type of leadership that’s focused on community, family and our children. While campaigning and knocking on 2,000 doors, I wanted to know what was important to you, not what I’ve accomplished, but what our citizens want and need.
“As a senior manager for the past 11 years, I don’t take credit for the efforts of our employees, but reward their work. We as leaders inspire and motivate. Just like employees, you can be proactive or reactive. On election day, if you want a proactive leader to identify opportunities and impact the masses, vote for me.”
Montgomery gave a brief biography of his adult life, including, “I graduated high school here in Rayne, joined the Marine Corps during Vietnam. I returned home then moved to California for my adult life, returning to Rayne in 2014 where I’ve been very active in the community.
“But, I noticed upon my return here, to the town I grew up, it had not changed much since I was gone. After research, I realized that Rayne has to change in order to grow. For that to happen, we have to work together, not pull in different directions, because we will not have good results that way.
“What do we have to do to make people come together and realize of how Rayne will grow? As I have done, become involve in your community, like the Chamber, other volunteer organizations and help where its needed.”
Round-one question for Montgomery was, “With an aging RV Park, what is your plan to improve the city’s main tourism attraction and how would you pay for it? Also, what will you do to continue to improve the grounds to attract new tourists?
Montgomery answered, “Interesting I received this question because when I move back to Rayne a few years ago, I noticed the RV Park. I suggested to the mayor the grounds get covered with cement, but I was told the cost was not feasible. I noted that the cost could be paid with an increase in the RV fees, but the suggestion has not been acted on.”
Montgomery also commented on the city’s parks, stating “Our parks could use some work and improvements. We have upgrades that need to be made not only for visitors, but so our children can enjoy the parks.”
Mouton’s round one question was, “With a diverse group of citizens represented in all corners of Rayne, how will you be proactive at creating unity and eliminating divisiveness across the city?”
In his answer, Mouton stated, “As I’ve noted in my campaign, ‘We can do better by working together.’ A few weeks ago I was proactive as I called in school principals, local businesses and city government, which is a diverse group of people, where we discussed the need to work together and make improvements.
“When you talk about issues, you identify resources that can help everyone. Proactive is a missing element in our community. So to answer the question, I’ve already begun that process.”
For Robichaux’s first question of the evening, “Business growth is the key to growing the tax base. How will you make it easier for businesses to start and how will you streamline the permit process?”
Robichaux’s response was, “I think our process is a simplified process and our zoing process is also easy to comply with. We help businesses and home owners when they apply for variances and help land owners meet standards of elevation.
“This all goes back to infrastructure – if you don’t have that, your business and residential areas will not thrive. In addition, the children we spoke of earlier, they will not have a good place to live without infrastructure, the necessities of a household that we have taken for granted for so many years.”
The second round of questions for the mayoral candidates began with Mouton given the question, “Rain events are becoming unpredictable and sizable. The current administration has made strides in improving drainage. What is your specific plan to continue to improve drainage and keep water off citizens’ property?”
Mouton’s response was, “We have a very talented group of individuals who work for the city. I don’t think they get enough credit. First of all, you have to seek the guidance of the experts. Drainage is simply an outflow problem and you don’t have to dig every ditch in town. It’s an outflow problem and if you understand those types of things, you resolve all these other issues, like all those mosquitoes.
“Drainage from a long-term process is understanding that its an outflow, that we have talented workers who work for our city, and you seek their advise and guidance. The mayor’s job is not to figure out everything – if that’s the case, why do we have department heads? It’s going back to accountability and using people we have put into place. I’m a team player, I’ve always been a team leader and motivate the team.”
Robichaux’s second question was, “What do you think is the greatest challenge to businesses and what would you do to eliminate this problem?”
For his answer, Robichaux stated, “Like I said earlier, infrastructure. We don’t have adequate infrastructure for growth, and that’s what we’re working on.
“Another challenge is the opportunity to build businesses because we’re land-locked. Most people say they don’t want us to be a business community; instead, they want us to remain a bedroom community. I agree somewhat on remaining a bedroom community so we don’t have the problems that large communities have. We want to support the businesses we have so they can enhance and welcome new businesses.
“I’ve work with state officials and we are making progress to have new businesses visit Rayne and hopefully join our business community.”
Montgomery’s second question of the evening was, “What would you like to see continued or changed from the last four years? If negative, how would you change it?
In his answer, Montgomery noted, “I think the mayor and workers have done a good job with the drainage problems, especially with the new tool they created to clean out the ditches. Improvements to RV Park are needed and it needs to be enhance. Of course, the infrastructure needs to be addressed as it is beginning to be fixed.
“But, we still need to address the increase in our businesses community, maybe get some of that old money invested in our community. Whichever way you see it, we’ve got to do it together.”
Closing remarks were then given by each of the three mayoral candidates.
The first closing remark was given by Robichaux, who stated “Y’all have seen what I have done in the last four years; remember, the next four years will be bigger and better. Y’all have experienced better drainage. Y’all experienced added property to our city that can be used for needed services. We’ve fixed the drainage in Ward 3 and with Azalea Drive drainage finally cleared out, mostly with my own equipment.
“We’re working on placing sidewalks through the city at a 2/3 savings to the city by using city workers and DOC labor. Our city workers are committed and are the backbone of our community – last year they received a 3 percent raise and this year they got a 4 percent raise. You think we have high utility bills? Compare the cost of each of our services (electricity, water, sewer) to other communities – I have – we are doing good.”
Mouton’s closing statement centered around the comment of “There’s no place like home.”
“Rayne is our home but businesses are not coming, people are leaving and our children are left with no hope. A true businessman would understand the true principals of our economics and you deserve more.
“You deserve a mayor who has an open door policy. You deserve youth and senior programs. You deserve an infrastructure plan that actually focuses on growth; not because our equipment has reached it’s life cycle, but a comprehensive plan to market our city. You deserve a mayor who is respected and has the ability to influence local businesses, local schools and local government to work together. I’m a leader that can do that.”
The final closing remarks were given by Montgomery, who stated, “We have a number of ongoing projects that need to continue work including drainage, infrastructure and rezoning practices. I have a few ideas about the DOC and other areas but I’ll get to that later. We have to work together to bring about change that is needed for our city.”
Thanks were expressed to all volunteers who assisted the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce to host the Rayne Candidates’ Forum, in addition to the Rayne Building and Loan and the Chamber’s Legislative Committee for assisting in the planning the event.
Stefanski reminded everyone of The Rotary Club of Rayne’s meal of barbecued hamburgers, chips and a drink available for those in attendance.
He also reminded everyone to please go to the polls and vote on Nov. 6.