Local farmer and former Iberia Parish Councilman Ricky Gonsoulin is one of the three candidates running for New Iberia mayor pro tem in the Nov. 3 election.

Gonsoulin said a budget and infrastructure mindset is what sets him apart from the two other candidates in the race, as well as several years of experience of being an elected official on the parish government level.

Paul Schexnayder and David Merrill are the other two candidates in the race. Election day is Nov. 3 and early voting is currently happening.

What’s your history with New Iberia?

I love New Iberia. It’s the place I send my kids to school. The place I worship. It’s also a place where I enjoy living and raising my family. I’m a 1985 graduate of NISH, 1990 graduate of UL. Leadership Iberia graduate, Leadership LSU graduate, American Sugar Cane League Chairman and Farm Bureau President. I recently served on the Iberia Parish Council for eight years, serving as finance chairman, chairman and other roles on the parish council. I really enjoyed making decisions and making a difference in the parish. I look forward to being the new mayor pro tem and bringing the most experience to the table.

Why did you decide to run for mayor pro tem?

I decided to run for mayor pro tem because I saw the position was open and ready to be filled and I think New Iberia has a lot of opportunities to grow. It’s going to take a lot of experience to fill that seat. I know I have the experience and energy and immensely enjoy being a public servant and want to continue doing that. With my skill level and the things I can bring to the table, I can hit the ground running as soon as I get elected and help move the city forward in making progress.

What projects would you want to focus on?

I would like to focus on all projects, but I want to be rooted in budget and infrastructure. Budget and infrastructure is so critical, without them you can’t do all the other projects. Projects like the police department, public waste, with a $56 million net asset position you have to have a sound budget. I’m very solid when it comes to budgets and infrastructure. Without them you can’t have economic development. We need to focus on all projects, but really gear my energy to budget and infrastructure to make a difference and use that to add to what the mayor’s doing currently.

What does being mayor pro tem mean to you?

Being mayor pro tem would be a humbling experience, it would mean representing the whole city. That’s very important for me and all the constituents. The mayor pro tem has to step in in case something happens to the mayor. In that case, you need experience to get it done. I have experience. I run three businesses, I’ve been on the parish council, I’ve voted on crucial decisions and balanced budgets. I’ve made decisions that have affected other people’s lives. You have to bring the energy, skillset and governmental experience to that position in case something would happen. You also have to be a leader, be able to communicate with your colleagues and make decisions that affect every district. I think the decisions that the city has to grow it

Anything else to add?

I’m very proud of the forward traction the mayor and council have made. I’m very proud of the forward traction that the mayor’s made so far. If you look at the budget and the net budget there are some bright things in the future. I think the city is on the verge of doing things that we’ve never seen before. With those leadership skills I can bring to the table, I think the future’s bright. I look forward to working with the council, continuing to invest in public safety, wastewater and public works, things that touch everybody’s life.