Parish Council names Foulcard to be registrar

FRANKLIN -- Less than two years ago, the lack of Black representation in the Registrar of Voters Office was a source of controversy for the St. Mary Parish Council.

On Wednesday, the council appointed Terri Foulcard, an African American woman, to be the registrar.

"It's 200 years past due," Foulcard said.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, Parish President David Hanagriff spared the council the task of seeking legal advice by withdrawing his application for a vacancy on the St. Mary Water and Sewer Commission No. 3.

And St. Mary Council on Aging Director Beverly Domengeaux gave a report on what the parish government gets for its financial contribution.

Registrar

Foulcard has served in the Registrar of Voters Office since she became then-Registrar Byron Stelly's chief deputy in October 2021.

Stelly was appointed that month to replace Registrar Jolene Holcombe, who had announced her retirement in July 2021 after working in the office since the 1970s.

Stelly resigned the St. Mary post after 11 months to take the same job in St. Landry, his home parish. Foulcard has been the interim registrar since Stelly's departure. She had applied for the appointment along with Della Derouen and Mary Costa.

In the months before Holcombe's retirement, a letter from resident Alfrieda Edwards had noted that in a parish where nearly a third of the residents are Black, there were no full-time
Black employees in the Registrar of Voters Office. Holcombe replied that African Americans served the office during elections.

After the council vote Wednesday, Foulcard thanked God.

"I'm not just standing here for myself as the first African American female, but for all those who will be coming behind me so they can have the same opportunity I have," Foulcard said.

Council members the Rev. Craig Mathews, J. Ina, Les Rulf, James Bennett, Mark Duhon, Dean Adams and Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink voted for Foulcard. Derouen got the votes of
Rodney Olander, Scott Ramsey and Gwendolyn Hidalgo.

Before the vote, the council acted on an agenda item that would have led to a closed-door discussion related to the appointment of Foulcard. No one talked publicly about what the session would have been about. Foulcard was joined at the meeting by attorney Edward Jones.

The closed-door session required seven votes from the 10 council members present, and the motion failed. Councilman Patrick Hebert was absent. The motion received only five votes.

Foulcard, the wife of Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard, takes the registrar's job at a time when some election officials around the country have become targets of controversy, even threats, over balloting outcomes and allegations of fraud.

Foulcard said she plans to "remain honest and transparent, and follow all the laws the secretary of state requires."

Hanagriff
appointment

Hanagriff had applied for a seat on Water and Sewer Commission No. 3's board. He has a year left in his term as president.

That raised questions on the council at the Dec. 7 meeting about whether a sitting president could serve on a parish special purpose board, and there was talk about seeking advice from the Attorney General's Office, the subject of an item on Wednesday's agenda.

Former council member Peter Soprano said on Dec. 7 that previous legal guidance said no, and he accused Hanagriff of bullying other potential applicants.

Hanagriff denied the allegation and said he only wanted to serve the public on what he feels is a well-run board.

On Wednesday, Hanagriff withdrew his application, eliminating the need to seek the attorney general's advice.

"My intention was to serve the community I believe in that capacity I could serve the community and serve on that board," Hanagriff said.

Hanagriff said he didn't intend to cause ill will or hurt the district.

He also said he has talked with District Attorney Bo Duhe about creating a process to handle similar situations.

Council
on Aging

Domengeaux's report said the St. Mary Council on Aging, which receives some of its funding from the parish government and municipalities, had $682,400 in revenue for the year ending June 30 and spent $604,523. The council's accumulated balance was just short of $257,000.

Among the council's achievements were 48,267 meals delivered to seniors and 6,152 meals in congregant settings.

"The seniors say thank you because we kept them safe for the whole year and through COVID," Domengeaux said. "And now they've got big plans.

"They said, 'We're going to cut loose.' I don't know what that means."