Berwick forum

Improving the town’s infrastructure, including the sewer, water and drainage systems, was the main issue that candidates for mayor and council emphasized at Thursday’s St. Mary Chamber of Commerce candidate forum at the Berwick Civic Complex.
Each of the two mayoral candidates and six town council candidates had 10 minutes to speak at the forum.
Mayoral candidates
Mayor Louis Ratcliff is serving his second term as mayor and previously served three terms as a councilman. Ratcliff is a lifelong Tri-City area resident and has lived in Berwick 31 years, he said.
The final phase of Renwick Subdivision was completed during Ratcliff’s latest term, he said. During his term as mayor, Berwick’s population has risen by more than 12 percent.
The town has seen improvements in gas, water, drainage, the sewer system, streets and recreation, Ratcliff said. All of the projects were made possible through the cooperation of the town council with the assistance of state grants, he said. The majority of work was done by town employees.
With the help of state legislators, Berwick was awarded a $1.3 million state grant to improve the town sewer and water systems, Ratcliff said.
Ratcliff promised that he will continue to work hard to make Berwick a great place to live and raise families.
Candidate Jessie Boudreaux described himself as a family man and born-again Christian. Boudreaux said he chooses to live in Berwick and would be a full-time mayor if elected.
The town has not had someone run against the mayoral incumbent in a long time, and the people now have an option, Boudreaux said. He worked in the oil field for 41 years in management and leadership, he said.
Boudreaux suggested bringing a store such as Cracker Barrel that could be built on Thorguson Road and bring good-paying jobs for about 35 employees, he said.
The railroad in Berwick is not being utilized, Boudreaux said. The town could benefit from having a hub, which would consist of eight to 10 warehouses that could store products for multiple companies from Lafayette to New Orleans, he said. Those products could be transported by railroad, he said.
Council candidates
Councilman Troy Lombardo said he is seeking to be elected for a third and final term. Lombardo entered politics in 2006 because Berwick has the best people and best schools, he said. Berwick has steadily grown over the past 10 years while maintaining a small town mentality, Lombardo said.
Berwick has issues just as any other community does, but they can be, have been and will be fixed, he said. Drainage improvements have been made during Lombardo’s two terms as councilman, he said.
Berwick’s schools are some of the best in the state, Lombardo said. He is proud that little has changed in Berwick during his time on the council, he said. People already feel safe in Berwick, want to educate their kids and want to live there so Lombardo does not want to change that, he said.
Candidate Jacki Ackel served as Safe and Drug-Free Schools Community Coordinator for 25 years, and also taught briefly at Berwick High School, she said.
In her coordinator position, she worked with multiple state agencies and businesses across the parish, she said. Ackel knows how to network and is eager to use that skill as a council member, she said.
She has always believed in giving back to the community in which she has lived, and enjoys working to organize community events that bring the people together, Ackel said.
Ackel briefly served as an interim council member to fill a vacant seat and helped bring back the community newsletter, on which she is a contributing writer, she said. She wants to be an ambassador for Berwick, she said.
Candidate Randal Monceaux said he is a lifelong resident of Berwick. Monceaux is a concerned citizen and does not want to be a politician, he said. The town is a business and needs to operate as a business, Monceaux said. He wants Berwick to be a safe and secure place to raise families and to continue to grow, he said.
Monceaux understands the citizens’ concerns and wants to attempt to gain new businesses in Berwick, he said. Attention should be paid to the town’s infrastructure, which is getting up in age, he said.
During his campaign, Monceaux has visited or will visit every residence in Berwick to discuss concerns, he said. After his expenses are met, Monceaux promised to give his councilman’s salary back to the three schools and Project Graduation and would not serve more than two terms, he said.
Councilman Greg Roussel has served as councilman for 18 months and moved to Berwick 22 years ago to provide an education for his children in the school system, he said. He is the president of the St. Mary Industrial Group and is treasurer of the Atchafalaya Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute.
Roussel has served on the town recreation and finance committee during his time in office, he said.
He has been involved with many civic organizations throughout the years and feels he should continue to serve as councilman to the serve the community, Roussel said.
Roussel described himself as fiscally and socially conservative and said the town needs to take care of its infrastructure. Roussel believes that leadership in particular should start at the local level, he said.
Councilman and Mayor Pro-tem Duval Arthur has lived in Berwick for 44 years, and retired from the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office as chief deputy, he said. He also served as Berwick police chief and is currently the parish Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security director.
In his two terms on the council, the town has gotten a new water line intake for the water plant, six extensions to the Berwick walking trail, a new fire station on River Road, expanded the Berwick Civic Complex and welcomed several new businesses, Arthur said.
The town actively supports the Tour du Teche, the 135-mile canoe race, which ends at the Berwick lighthouse, he said. Residents of Berwick have watched the town blossom into a city, but Berwick still has many projects officials are working on, Arthur said.
Councilman Damon Robison said other council members and the mayor all bring different ideas to the table. The town received 2013 capital outlay money for the planning and construction of a sewerage collection system on Old Spanish Trail and La. 182, Robison said.
The next council and administration needs to have a signature town project that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Berwick, Robison said. An example of one of those projects is the first-class recreation facility the town now has after purchasing land in 2008 adjacent to the civic complex, he said.
The restoration and movement of the Ship Shoal Lighthouse will be an exciting day once the project is complete, Robison said. Since Robison became a councilman eight years ago, the town’s net position, which includes all the assets of the town has gone from $7.4 million to $14.4 million, he said.