New Berwick council, mayor sworn in

BERWICK — The agenda for Berwick’s new city officials seems likely to have public safety at the top. The new mayor joked about why that might be.
At Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony at the Berwick Civic Complex, incoming Mayor Duval Arthur said he was riding his bicycle Tuesday when he had a scary thought: “What if I get killed the day before I get sworn in?”
He went on to survive two near collisions with vehicles, one a truck coming off the bridge, without getting hit.
When the new mayor and council get to work, Arthur would like to see a new law requiring people who drive golf carts and four-wheelers on the streets to have driver’s licenses.
Arthur also hopes to improve lighting in subdivisions to create a safer atmosphere.
Tuesday’s regular town council meeting is likely to have another public safety angle. Police Chief James Richard retired from that job and was one of the five new council members who were sworn in by 16th Judicial District Judge Vincent Borne. The assistant chief is David Leonard, who led the Pledge of Allegiance before Wednesday’s ceremony.
Master of ceremonies Allen McElroy, the city attorney, introduced Leonard, “who I think will have a new position very shortly.”
Tuesday will be the night when sub-council-level officials are appointed and sworn in. Advisory committee members will also be appointed.
Joining Richard on the council will be Lud Henry, Kevin Hebert, Colleen Askew and Raymond Price, who took their oaths Wednesday night.
They won at-large elections from a field of 12 candidates after all five previous board members either chose not to run or were prohibited from re-election by term limits. Three-term Mayor Louis Ratcliff was also term limited.
Exiting the council are Jacki Ackel, Damon Robison, Greg Roussel and Troy Lombardo. Arthur also served the council before his election to become mayor Nov. 6.
McElroy told the audience he believes this is the first time Berwick has had five new town council members at the same time.
Among the elected officials who attended Wednesday’s ceremony was Patterson Mayor Rodney Grogan. In his remarks, Arthur noted that Monday’s Patterson swearing-in ceremony included a lot of claims that Patterson is the best city in St. Mary Parish. One speaker paraphrased a line from “Snow White” to say Patterson is the fairest city of them all.
“I’ve got my own mirror,” Arthur joked, looking at Grogan. “And I put it up in my office. It says ‘Berwick.’”