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Parish Council District 2

• Marcel Belvin Jr.

Date of Birth: 9-7-74

Profession/ Current Employer/ Retired: St. Charles Parish School Board, Global Parking Systems, Louis Armstrong Airport, St. John Parish School Board 13 years

Why did you choose to run for Parish Council? I chose to run for Parish Council to be a servant to the residents of St. John Parish. I want to help make St. John Parish a model parish for the State of Louisiana. My slogan is “A Voice for the Voiceless.” I want to be that voice that has been ignored or forgotten.

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position? Transparency, Availability. I will be visible and available for all residents of St. John Parish.

What is the No. 1 concern impacting your district, and how do you plan to address this? Gaining the trust of the residents of District 2 again. Some of the residents of District 2 believe that their concerns are not being taken into consideration. I plan to always be available and willing to hear the concerns of the residents. District 2 deserves someone who is concerned about their issues every day, not every four years. 

What would you like to accomplish in the next four years? I would like to help to accomplish a better reputation for St. John Parish. I hear so much negative input about the parish that I wonder if it is all true. I want to be a part of the solution. We just have to work together. Help to draw some business so the kids have somewhere to go. A park for the Star Terrace/ Dutch Bayou area. More resources for the elderly. Work along with the Parish President and Council Persons to make the best decisions for the Parish.

• Cherronna C. Frank

Date of Birth:  02/02/1982

Why did you choose to run for Parish Council? I chose to run because I want to be able to make changes. I want to represent my district. I want to advocate for all the people of District 2. I want to work with the community and board to resolve problems and promote progress in my district.

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?  My entire adult life has been serving others. Whether through volunteer efforts, community service projects, ministry, or funeral services I have always served others. I will continue to serve my district as a councilwoman.

What is the No. 1 concern impacting your district, and how do you plan to address this? The number 1 concern that I see is loss of citizens and small businesses. We need to put plans in place to protect our small business and promote citizens to stay within the district.  This may not be the number 1 concern of others in my district; however, I would love the opportunity to hear their opinions and work toward solving the issues.

What would you like to accomplish in the next four years? In the next four years, I would like the residents of District 2 to see economic development, cleaner communities, better recreation for the youth, adults, and seniors, and have a better understanding of what a council member can and can not do. I want the residents to feel like they have been heard, not hoodwinked.

• James Leblanc 

• Julia Remondet

Date of Birth: 11/24/51  

Profession/ Current Employer/ Retired:  Retired

Why did you choose to run for Parish Council? I’m choosing to run for office because I see a void in leadership on the Council that is currently hurting the areas of Reserve and Garyville.  My goal is to work with the residents in improving our community and to be responsive to the resident’s needs in a timely manner.  

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?  Having worked in local government for over 25 years and as a council member for one term it gives me a well-rounded view of what needs to be done to work with other council members and the administration.

What is the No. 1 concern impacting your district, and how do you plan to address this? Drainage is always a top item since some areas are affected by excessive rainwater and low-lying areas.  There’s been a lot of cleaning and dredging of canals, but I’m going to make sure more is done. 

What would you like to accomplish in the next four years? I think it’s important especially since Hurricane Ida, we to continue working to demolish derelict buildings for safety and aesthetics. I would like to see us implement a campaign to encourage the community to help improve the overall image of the Parish.  

It’s important for the future redevelopment of St. John the Baptist Parish.  When a company decides, they want to consider investing in a community they make a list of locations to visit and eliminate communities if they don’t like what they see.

They look at how we take care of our homes, litter issues, abandoned properties, and if they would live in the community. 

These potential company investors will even look at how our Parish conducts business at their government council meetings.   

I think it’s important we build on what we have in St. John Parish and prepare our Parish for future economic development opportunities.

• Warren “Bosco” Torres Jr.

 

Date of Birth: 06/27/55

Profession/ Current Employer/ Retired:  Retired

Why did you choose to run for Parish Council? My wife, Debra, my three daughters, and my grandchildren are my inspiration. It’s important to me to try to improve the lifestyle of people on the western end of the parish.

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?  My 16 years of employment at Boyce Machinery and 30 years at Marathon Petroleum, including 20 years at the wastewater treatment facility, have prepared me for this role. I was a member of the Garyville Volunteer Fire Department for 18 years and the Marathon Emergency Response Team for more than 25 years.

What is the No. 1 concern impacting your district, and how do you plan to address this? I will make sure the diversion project and levee project move forward and reach completion.

What would you like to accomplish in the next four years?

• Continue to work with Kansas City Southern and Illinois Central Gulf railroads to keep culverts clean near rail road crossings and to keep them safe.
• Continue to try to implement a program that would help recruit and retain volunteer firemen for St. John Parish.
• Continue to work with the parish to implement a new water treatment plant along with a new sewer treatment plant.
• Plan to develop a transfer site that would give the Garyville, Mt. Airy, Reserve, Star Terrace and West Bank areas easy access to dumpsters.
• Continue to work with area high schools and technical college to establish an apprenticeship program for students not attending four-year universities.
• Continue to help eliminate problems with garbage pick-up in the parish to receive the services we are paying for.
• Continue trying to have the parish follow same rules that St. John taxpayers have to follow.
• Have Garyville and Reserve Canal dug from Lake to Airline Highway, not just cleaned of debris like it has been done in the past.
• Continue to maintain LA Highway 44 in Garyville and West 10th street in Reserve in the same manner as Belle Terre Highway and Highway 51 are maintained.
• Continue to work on interchange from West 10^th in Reserve to Interstate 10.
• Continue to monitor street lights in critical sections such as intersections, schools and high traffic areas.
• Continue to work with DOTD to install lights on the Veterans Memorial Bridge.