Council race, bond proposition on Saturday ballot

On ballots parish-wide Saturday is the election to fill the District 10, at-large St. Mary Parish Council seat vacated by former Councilman Steve Bierhorst, who stepped down in September 2016 due to health reasons. Pam Washington has replaced Bierhorst on the council until a new council member is elected.

Candidates for the seat include current District 6 Councilman Gabriel Beadle, R-Berwick; Darryl Perry, R-Bayou Vista; and Reginald Weary, D-Patterson.
Early voting was held March 11-18 with 963 votes cast, Registrar of Voters Jolene Holcombe said in a news release.

The candidates are vying for the vacant term that will expire at the end of 2019.

District 10 covers half of Berwick, extending west all the way to Centerville and also includes Four Corners. But all registered voters in St. Mary Parish are eligible to vote in this parish council race.

Also on the ballot for voters in the Morgan City area is a bond proposition for St. Mary Parish Consolidated Gravity Drainage District 2 to issue $6.25 million in general obligation bonds for 20 years. The proposition would allow the district to pay to build a new pumping station by Lake End Park as part of the Morgan City Levee Improvements Project.

Officials say the bond proposal wouldn’t in-crease anyone’s property taxes, but would allow the district to borrow more money based on a millage already in place.

Precincts will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.