Hurricane protection is the top concern to Terrell Wilson, who is the District 1 incumbent on the St. Charles Parish Council seeking re-election against Hahnville resident Milton Allemand in the Oct. 24 election primary.
“If they can’t afford the flood insurance, they can’t afford their homes,” Wilson said. “This is connected to drainage. There are interior and exterior levees, and this is where drainage comes in.”
Wilson, a native and resident of Hahnville, is facing Allemand, also of Hahnville in the race.
Allemand did not respond to the Herald-Guide’s request for an interview, but he has sought office before, unsuccessfully running for parish School Board twice. In anticipation of the May 2 vote that involved four tax referendums, including a 4-mill property tax for levees, Milton raised concerns to parish officials about over taxation, saying, “We’re on a caviar diet with a tuna fish budget.”
Wilson’s government experience began with him serving as an appointed commissioner on the St. Charles Parish Housing Authority Board in June of 1984. He had three appointments on the parish Zoning Board of Adjustments until he was elected in 2011 to the parish council.
He is currently an ex-officio member of the Library Board of Control, the parish Planning and Zoning Board, and serving as the council representative on the parish’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, and as council representative on the Local Emergency Planning Commission.
“If you look at my civic involvement that dates back to 1984, I began the process of preparing myself to serve the public in the capacity as a councilman,” he said.
As with all of the parish, Wilson also cited hurricane flood protection as a top concern for his district.Additionally, Wilson pinpointed the need for pumps to eliminate and or manage floodwaters.
“There are pumps to pump water out,” he said. “We have to have measures in place where we can retain the water. We need to install gates to control water flow. Even in my four communities that I represent there are delays in acquiring permits to clean and clear drainage canals.”
Wilson said he is committed to working with whoever is elected to parish president or the legislative branch of government to get the job done.
“I understand the dynamics to be effective between the two branches of government,” he said. “I understand the powers that we have under the current home rule charter … also the fact that I understand that makes me effective.”
Industrial growth will be the driver for the parish’s near future expansion, Wilson said, adding it will require government working cohesively and supportively to bring about this economic development.
“We want companies that will come that will be good neighbors and give serious consideration to locals for employment,” he said. “We have a fertilizer plant finalizing permits to put a plant in Killona and has offered to provide on-the-job training for the permanent jobs.”
To continue growing, Wilson pointed to working with the parish’s legislative delegation to provide incentives for companies to consider relocating to the parish.
This will take a leader, he said, that will take being an individual who puts the public’s needs in front his own.“The reason I ran was for the service,” he said. “My nickname is ‘T-Bone’ and I’m going to be who I am. I help people navigate through bureaucracy.”
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