New Iberia once again has a city marshal after a unanimous vote Tuesday night by the New Iberia City Council. 

Jay Garzotto was appointed with a unanimous second after City Councilwoman Natalie Lopez offered his name to fill the marshal’s seat left vacant following the death last week of Vic Delcambre, who was city marshal 40 years. 

New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt said a New Iberia judge would have filled the seat normally, but because this was a vacancy it was sent to the council. 

“At first it seemed like the judge would have done this, and normally he would, but because this is a vacancy it went to this body to handle,” DeCourt said. “Mr. Garzotto is here tonight, who we’re going to appoint.”

DeCourt said that Garzotto, a New Iberia native, would not be running for the position once an election is called. 

“He’s not running for the position, I think it’s a fair way to do it,” DeCourt said. “He has all the experience of working here and handling it and he knows numbers. I think it’s going to be a big help to keep our office going. 

After the appointment, Garzotto said his new role as New Iberia Marshal was strictly an interim one until an election could be called. 

“We’re a transition team, this is strictly transition, there’s no politics invited,” Garzotto said. “We’re basically here to run the office like Mr. Vic would do. If he was retiring, it would be the same thing.”

Delcambre, the former New Iberia marshal, died last week after working four decades as New Iberia city marshal. The loss to the community was mentioned by Lopez, who said it was Delcambre who initially inspired her to run for office. 

Councilman Marlon Lewis also said that Delcambre reminded him of his grandfather and remarked on the loss. 

“He and my grandfather both had one thing in common, they were both disabled and they both worked in politics,” Lewis said. “My grandfather had one arm and was in politics and Mr. Vic had one arm and was in politics.

“It felt good to have a connection like that, to have two people who did more with one arm than most people do with two arms in their lifetime. I’m going to miss Mr. Vic but I know he’s in heaven with all the people who did great things with one arm.”

In other business, the New Iberia City Council also appointed Tommy Granger to the Board of Adjustments as an alternate member. 

The appointment was another unanimous vote. Councilwoman Sherry Guidry, who represents Granger’s district, said the appointment would be a boon to the board. 

“I know Mr. Granger and he’s an upstanding citizen. He has an outstanding family, he loves Elvis (Presley) and he loves to play music,” Guidry said. 

Granger will serve on the board only when a lack of a quorum is present.