Article Image Alt Text

From the Editor: Kinder, gentler politics in Patterson

Our politics has become something like one of those reality TV arena combat shows: lots of fighting, but there’s nothing real about it.
That’s why it was nice, maybe inspiring even, to watch Tuesday’s Patterson City Council meeting.
The meeting was mostly about the tasks that fall to a small-town council — planning $385,000 worth of street overlays, providing access to a cemetery, naming a new housing authority board member, and hearing a complaint about cane trucks.
But at one point, the mayor and the council members, and two others who were recently elected to offices they’ve yet to assume, paused to thank voters and congratulate one another on their Nov. 6 victories.
All four council incumbents who sought re-election and Mayor Rodney Grogan were re-elected. That may reflect the fact that, even after an economic downturn dominated the entire four-year term now ending, things seem to be going pretty well in Patterson.
A new water plant is going online, and it may become an example to imitate for other cities that want to provide water with a reduced need for chemical treatment. Morey Park, the centerpiece for events like this weekend’s Christmas tree lighting, is getting improvements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Most of the recent friction in the city government came from disputes of one kind or another between Grogan and former Police Chief Patrick LaSalle. Without assigning merit or blame, you’d have to say that LaSalle’s resignation last spring took those troubles out of the picture.
Police Chief-elect Garrett Grogan told the council Tuesday that being chief fulfills a boyhood dream.
Lee Condolle, who won the only open seat on the council this year, joined Chief-elect Grogan in thanking voters.
A couple of things are worth noting.
One is that Patterson continues to elect its council at large rather than from individual districts. The at-large method hasn’t been popular in political entities with a substantial minority population at least since the 1965 Voting Rights Act was enacted. The idea is that at-large voting disenfranchises minorities.
As of the 2010 Census, Patterson was 52 percent white and 44 percent black.
Also, Condolle, a pastor, is African American. His election means that come January, three of the five council members will be black. This may be the first public acknowledgement of that fact that you’ve seen.
Up the road in St. Martinville, redistricting was stalled for years leading up to the 2000 Census by the prospect that demographic changes would result in a black-majority council. The councilwoman in what would become the swing district was convicted by federal authorities of falsifying voter registrations in 2002.
Nothing like that happened in Patterson in 2018. When people come to look at the water plant, maybe they’ll find a different kind of example, too.
They certainly would have seen an example of warm regard Tuesday. The mayor and council members John Rentrop, Joe Russo, Travis Darnell and Sandra K. Turner each took a turn praising the one council member who won’t be back next year: Larry Mendoza.
Mendoza chose not to qualify for re-election after winning six four-year terms on the council.
Mendoza has a constant smile and a dry humor. While Mayor Grogan holds the gavel, a motion from Mendoza is usually the signal that the time for discussion is over, and it’s time to do something.
“You understand what a councilman should be,” Darnell told Mendoza on Tuesday night.
Russo called Mendoza “not just a great council member and a strong voice, but a great person.”
“He’s been more than a consultant, a leader, a councilman,” the mayor said. “He’s been like a dad to me.”
Mendoza feigned discomfort at the way the compliments were starting to sound like a eulogy.
“I’m going to be here next month, Mayor,” Mendoza said.
Bill Decker is managing editor of The Daily Review.

ST. MARY NOW

Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874

Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255