ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / November 24, 1999

LAPLACE – The political arena of St. John the Baptist Parish changeddramatically after Saturday’s run-off elections. After all votes weretallied, it was determined that District 5 Councilman Nickie Monica will lead the parish into the 21st Century as the new parish president.

The Parish Council also has a whole new look as six fresh faces will sit on the nine-member panel and decide St. John Parish’s direction in the newmillennium. Not only will the council have new members, but it will have awoman councilperson for the first time in history.

The race for parish president was a hard-fought, but clean contest that pitted Monica against Reserve businessman Carl “Butch” Baloney.

Unofficially, Monica ended up with 7,851 votes, or 66 percent. Baloney had6,335 votes, or 44 percent.

Monica said his victory is due to the “dedication of my election committee and all the volunteers that helped me out.”In the Clerk of Court race, former Justice of the Peace Eliana DeFrancesch spent a lot of campaign dollars on advertising to beat out former assistant clerk of court Audrey Holmes in the runoff. DeFranceschgarnered 7,685 votes, or 55 percent, compared to Holmes’ 6,183 votes, or 45 percent.

In the Councilman-at-Large Division A race, voters elected former St.

John Schools superintendent Cleveland Farlough in a runoff with District 2 councilman Kevin Duhon. Farlough handily defeated Duhon, getting 4,800votes, or 66 percent. Duhon received 2,431 votes, or 34 percent of thevote.

Asked what helped him to win, Farlough responded by saying, “The people really believed in what I had to say.”He continued, “I really feel humbled by the people’s confidence in me, and I hope I can live up to their expectations.”In the District 1 council race, incumbent Perry Bailey lost out to Edgard resident Lester Rainey Jr. Rainey got 1,301 votes, or 54 percent, andBailey ended up with 1,096 votes, or 46 percent.

The District 2 race, which pitted 24-year old Albert Burl III with 69- year-old Allen J. St. Pierre, returned St. Pierre to parish service. St.Pierre ended up with 1,393 votes, or 54 percent, and Burl got 1,187 votes, or 46 percent.

“It was a lot of hard work and a lot of door-to-door campaigning, which was a necessity,” said St. Pierre.Asked what he will try to do, St. Pierre said, “The first thing is toestablish harmony between the council and the administration and between council members.”Finally, in the historic District 6 race that pitted two women for the first time in St. John Parish history, educator Melissa Faucheux edged localbusinesswoman Oja Allen. Faucheux got 594 votes, or 55 percent, andAllen got 483 votes, or 45 percent.

Faucheux commented, “I’m still kind of in shock, but I want to thank all the people who came out and supported me.”She said she will hit the ground running.

“I will go ahead and do what I told the voters I was going to do,” she said.

“I have already pulled up grant proposals on my computer to get funds for the parish.”

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