By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. James Parish elected a new parish president for the first time in many years, as former parish councilman Timmy Roussel defeated Lutcher Mayor Rowdy Kennard Scott by a nearly two-to-one margin.

“I’m elated. I’m ecstatic,” said Roussel.

With 63 percent of the vote, Roussel will take over for long-time Parish President Dale Hymel Jr., who chose not to seek re-election so he could spend more time with his family.

Roussel said it felt good to finally be on the winning side after losing the last parish president’s race by just 91 votes. And that was not the first time someone from the Roussel family came close to the parish’s top office.

“There’s some history there because my father, Richard Roussel Jr., ran for parish president at the beginning of the home rule charter, and he lost by two votes,” said Roussel.

Roussel said taking over for Hymel will not be an easy task.

“Dale is a very good fiscal manager,” said Roussel. “I will try to keep up with him in that regard.”

Roussel, however, plans to make an immediate impact as parish president and said he will focus on improving government services from the inside out.

“There are some internal problems in government,” he said.

He said he will try to combat this by letting the actual employees identify what they see as problems and then taking it from there.

He also plans to set up a task force to aid small businesses in the parish, noting the industries and larger corporations in the parish receive tax breaks and other benefits.

“Our small businesses don’t get anything,” he said. “These economic times are very hard on them.”

Roussel also plans to improve the lives of elderly shut-ins in St. James with improved personal services. He wants to work with the in-home meals program to identify those on the waiting list and figure out other ways the parish can make their lives a little easier.

He said he will work with the Sheriff’s Office to bring a little personal contact to the lives of these seniors.

“I want the eye contact. I want the hand-to-hand contact,” he said.

Roussel credits much of his election win to the help of his family and close friends.

“It was a total grass-roots campaign,” he said.

He said he was also pleased with the way the race in general.

“No one in this election got involved in a negative way,” he said.

Roussel was the District 2 representative on the parish council for 16 years until he vacated the seat four years ago to run for parish president.