VFW forum will feature parish prez, clerk, at-large council seats

With major leadership change coming, the West St. Charles Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3750 is hosting a political forum Tuesday so the public can ask their candidates questions about their plans for office.

“We’re doing it because of the implications within the parish for the whole change of leadership,” said Post Commander Bobby Lovergne.

The forum will be held at 7 p.m. at the VFW Hall at 140 Angus Drive in Luling, which can hold up to 500 people. The forum will focus on parishwide seats: Parish president, clerk of court and the two at-large council seats (Division A and B).

Parish president candidate Carolyn K. Schexnaydre, R-Destrehan, said she will discuss her eight years of experience as a councilwoman.

“I’m hoping to go in and speak of my leadership skills and what it takes to be parish president,” Schexnaydre said of her continued focus on levees and infrastructure. “I’m for honesty and integrity. I saved the parish tax dollars.”

Terry Authement, R-Boutte, said he is focused on making his presentation known to everyone as to who he is and what he hopes to bring to the parish president’s office. Authement said he intends to outline his goals and achievements, as well as ask for voter support.

At the forum, each candidate will have 10 minutes to present their platform and then answer questions from the public, Lovergne said.

The VFW is not endorsing any of the candidates but providing the forum as a service to St. Charles Parish to hear what candidates have to say about what they plan to do if elected to office, he said.

“It’s not a debate,” he said. “We’re just posing questions from the public. The questions should be about what these candidates will do in improvements, changes, etc.

“This has a lot to do with what we’re going to deal with in the next four years in St. Charles Parish. It’s a big change in the parish. The decision that will be made in the general election will decide the next four years so the public should get all the information it can before they go to the polls.”

Candidates invited to the forum include:

– Clerk of court – Incumbent Lance Marino, R-Norco, and Sonny Savoie, D-Paradis

– Parish president: Larry Cochran, D-St. Rose, John Cornwell, D-Luling, Terry Authement, R-Boutte, and Carolyn K. Schexnaydre, R-Destrehan.

– Division A at large: Incumbent Wendy Benedetto, R-Destrehan, and Erick St. Amant, R-Destrehan

– Division B at large – Paul Hogan, R-Des Allemands, and Jarvis Lewis, D-Luling.