Gachassin wants young families to stay in Iberia Parish

Warren Gachassin Jr. said he wants to set an example for local millennials and that’s why he’s running for the District 5 seat on the Iberia Parish Council.

Gachassin, 27, invites anyone to ask to see the deed to the home he just built to see his commitment to Iberia Parish.

“I’ll show anyone the deed to my house,” he said. “I’ll show them that I’m tied here for the next 30 years.”

The 2007 New Iberia Senior High School graduate attended both South Louisiana Community College and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is the director of circulation at SouthWest Pipe LLC in Broussard, where he has worked for four years.

Gachassin said he has been a member of numerous state boards, including the Louisiana Community and Technical College Board of Supervisors, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance Board, Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority Board, Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents (on which he served as chairman) and Council of Student Body Presidents Legislative and Academic Affairs.

Those experiences put budgets substantially larger than Iberia Parish’s in his hands, Gachassin said. Now he said he wants to help facilitate change and growth through the Parish Council.

“The biggest thing is seeing young people vacate the parish and businesses leave daily,” he said. “To me, I want a parish government that cares about the people and one that’s willing to bring the people and the community back together.”

Gachassin said he believed his relative youthfulness gives him a unique perspective as a candidate, but he ultimately wants to continue working with all those in his district. He said he believed the parish’s natural resources should make it a strong draw for businesses if used right.

“When we talk about rich history, we’ve got it,” he said. “We just have to mobilize the right people and it starts with government.”

Gachassin, who previously ran unsuccessfully for New Iberia City Council, has a 1-year-old daughter, Eileen.

He faces Tim Gautreau in Saturday’s election.