Green building fate delayed to 2016

The Iberia Parish Council received resumés from four applicants who have expressed interest in taking on the interim duties of councilman for District 3 after the resignation of Brad Davis from the council last month.

Those seeking to fill the seat until an election can be held in March for the unexpired portion of Davis’ term had until noon Wednesday to express their interest.

Of those applying, only one — Elton “Bruce” Broussard — has previously held elected office. He served as a New Iberia city council member for three terms, from 1984 to 1995.

“I feel that I have the experience and knowledge to walk in and fill the position,” Broussard wrote in his letter to the council. He is the only one of the four who stated he would not run for the unexpired portion of Davis’ term.

A second applicant, Madelyn Coleman Dugas, had previously run for office. She faced off against Davis for the District 3 seat in 2020, garnering 40 percent of the vote in a losing effort. She touts her work in that campaign and her attendance at council meetings as her bona fides for holding the position.

“I have attended most of the meetings and understand the needs of our parish,” she wrote, saying she “would like to be given the chance to work with the parish council to move my district and our parish forward.”

The two other members of the field come from Iberia’s primary business communities, the oil service industry and the agriculture industry. Marcus “Bruce” Broussard (no relation to Elton) is the business development manager for BlueFin Services, an oilfield service company in New Iberia.

“I now feel as though it is time to take the skills, both learned and God given, and work with you to give Iberia Parish a future of hope and prosperity through its own unique set of challenges,” Marcus Broussard wrote.

John Viator, a 30-year sugar cane farmer who is now working as a chemical and fertilizer salesman, said that he felt the need to apply in order to lend his experience to navigating the parish through its current straits.

“I am concerned about the future of our parish and know that I can work with our government leaders to move the parish forward,” Viator wrote.

The council has scheduled an executive session for its meeting Wednesday night to discuss the resumés of the four candidates. Later during the meeting the council will take up the issue and vote on the interim council member.

Under state law, the council has until July 19 to submit the name of an interim to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.

If a decision cannot be reached, then the open position will be sent to Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office for an appointee to be named.

Elton “Bruce” Broussard

• A New Iberia city councilman from 1984 to 1995 and executive director of the New Iberia Housing Authority from 1995 to 2017, Broussard has pledged not to seek the remainder of Davis’ term, saying those candidates “should not have the benefit of incumbency.”

Marcus “Bruce” Broussard

• Broussard has served as the business development director for BlueFin Services, a New Iberia energy service company. He says he subscribes to a “rising tide lifts all boats” team approach.

Madelyn Coleman Dugas

• An employee at Pelican’s on the Bayou, Dugas ran against Davis for the District 3 seat in 2020, receiving 40 percent of the vote.

John Viator

• A retired sugar cane farmer, Viator is currently an agricultural chemical and fertilizer salesman He holds voluntary positions with the Iberia Parish Farm Bureau Board and the Natural Resources Conservation Service for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.