The following questions were asked of each candidiate for Iberia Parish President. Here are the answers for Freddie DeCourt exactly how they were received:

1. What are the three biggest issues facing Iberia Parish? What specifically should be done to address each?

Job Creation – We are losing our workforce to other parishes. Our children deserve to enjoy the privileges of building a life here in Iberia Parish. We can do that by investing in sound ideas like a business incubator to nurture local investment, increase tax base, and keep our people rooted in our parish.

Rooftops – we have not kept pace with surrounding Parishes. We need new energy, new leadership to spur new population growth. By using the town hall concept we can begin by contacting developers, property owners and architects. Let’s understand what government red tape effects profit and what works in other communities.

Attitude of Government – teamwork is key to our Parish’s future success. Communication and Cooperation between all the various communities is the only way to move forward. I will hold quarterly open meetings to find common goals all communities can reach together to create a true team spirit.

2. Do you see a benefit in consolidation of parish and municipal government? Are there opportunities for Iberia and New Iberia to operated conjoined services? What are they and how would you propose it be done?

We must protect our unique community’s identities while funding ways to partner on important issues. The concept of total consolidation works in the private sector where representation, quality of life issues, a sense of community, or recreational opportunities all take a backseat to profit.

When elected I will hold a joint meeting / public town halls of all parish / all city elected officials so we can begin a dialog to find issues which affect us all. From this we can set goals / bench marks we can reach together. These bench marks however modest must come with joint funding if we are to do more than just the political rhetoric of the past. Future cooperation concerning sewer issues, sharing of public works equipment and joint ventures on drainage issues can be handled by developing meaningful partnership through the tools we have – joint ventures and intergovernmental agreements.

3. Turf wars have led to increased legal fees paid from parish and city coffers. What would you do to improve relations and cooperation between city and parish governments?

I welcome the challenges to utilize all my creative energy, knowledge, and skills for a single focus- to unite our Parish and make Iberia Parish the best parish in our State.

Through communication and cooperation we can avoid the mistakes of the past. Common goals on team building are key to improving relationships, quarterly open meetings of all officials is key to create a conducive atmosphere for real success.

4. Acadiana Regional Airport has been touted as an economic development jewel, yet in the years since the parish had had control over it, little development has been done. What specifically would you do to develop the ARA as a place ready for business development?

Using the Airport property the Parish owns we can focus on a business park for offices, corporate headquarters, distribution centers, etc. Owning the land, in the right spot, as we do, we can market now and attract potential businesses.

As Parish President I will seek to further partner IDF, Chamber, Port and Air port commissions to:

A) Access what good and services we are now shopping out of Parish for.

B) By this reverse engineering we will

1. Entice companies to relocate here.

2. Attempt to interest our businesses to become those goods and services provider this strategy in economic terms is called cluster development – it has a name because it works.

By working with surrounding property owners we can gain access to Parish land directly from Hwy 90 / I49 – securing a right of way for future access allows government, property owners, and our Parish to prosper. I am already beginning those conversations.

5. What are your ideas of where Parish Government can get money to address its many needs, such as drainage, infrastructure and hurricane protection? Please be specific.

Funding sources will always be the challenge. I am already talking to other elected officials about partnering on a grant writer to assist all communities in prospering.

Dollars generated from the TIF and severance tax beginning next year will need to be spent wisely on many issues certainly we must be willing to make investments to expect investment.

A portion of severance tax funds should be invested in economic development issues. Our jail is a reoccurring cost which must be paid, with no funding source we must dedicate a large portion of severance tax dollars to assist with the responsibility.

TIF dollars should for the most part be split between reinvestment in the areas generated to assist with improving infrastructure, and utilization in unimproved areas to foster additional growth.