Parish president hopefuls' themes: Full-time post for Jones, population loss for LeBlanc

The two men running to be St. Mary Parish’s president continued to hit on their key themes Thursday.

One advocates for making the presidency a full-time position. The other says it’s time for a new generation with new ideas.

Former state Rep. Sam Jones and Timothy “Tim” LeBlanc, both of Franklin, appeared at a St. Mary Chamber forum at the new Wellness Center in that city.

They’re running to succeed incumbent President David Hanagriff, who is term-limited. The primary is Oct. 14. Early voting begins Saturday and continues through Oct. 7, excluding Sunday.

LeBlanc, who holds a Young Memorial electronics degree and has worked in the energy industry for 23 years, pointed again to what he sees as the parish’s biggest problem: population loss.

Census figures say St. Mary lost about 5,200 people, nearly 10% of its population, between 2010 and 2020. In the last four decades, the population here has decreased by nearly a quarter.

LeBlanc pointed to figures that say St. Mary’s population increases during weekdays, but he said many people leave after work to return to their homes elsewhere.

“Just about every employer in St. Mary Parish needs employees,” LeBlanc said. “The challenge for St. Mary Parish is to attract people to live and work in St. Mary Parish, not work in St. Mary Parish and live somewhere else.”

That requires working with the parish’s municipalities and with prospective employers, LeBlanc said. And he believes government should provide, and not block, opportunity and access to opportunity.

Jones, a six-term Franklin mayor and three-term state representative, has worked in the administrations of Govs. Kathleen Blanco and John Bel Edwards.

Edwards set an example when Korean tire manufacturer Kumho announced plans to build a distribution center in Franklin, Jones said. He said he urged Edwards to go to South Korea to woo the company.

The decision to build in St. Mary will result in 150 jobs with the prospect for 700 jobs if the company decides to take advantage of nearby carbon black plants to build a tire factory here.

“You know how you get a to come?” Jones asked, then said Edwards showed how.

Jones returned again and again to his belief that the part-time parish president post should be full-time. He pledged to work at the job full-time.

Even at that, Jones said, he’ll probably need two to three years to straighten out what he called a “catastrophe” in parish government. The parish has borrowed as much as it can borrow, saddling the government with debt repayment that could otherwise be used for infrastructure work, he said.

“The Parish Council is dysfunctional,” Jones said. “We need function.”

LeBlanc said his private-sector job has given him experience handling multimillion-dollar budgets.

Both candidates urged caution when consolidating special purpose districts.

Neither spoke kindly about the controversial lawsuits seeking to make oil and gas companies pay for work linked to coastal loss.

LeBlanc said he wouldn’t favor such suits unless they are justified or result from negligence. Jones said some suits are “ridiculous” but said they may be warranted when people have sustained damage.

Jones talked about his experience in government and said this election will be the last time he asks for votes. He feels called to deal with problems he sees in parish government.

“When you look around and see who’s talking about it and who’s not talking about it ...,” Jones said. “So you sit down and say you can throw in the towel or you can help. I’m here to help.”

LeBlanc asked rhetorically whether life in Louisiana has improved during Jones’ more than 40 years of government experience.

“It’s time to stop making decisions based on political agendas and start doing what’s good for St. Mary Parish ...,” LeBlanc said.

“It’s time for a new generation to take the reins and to bring new ideas.”