Patterson charter amendments pass; Franklin incumbents re-elected

Three proposed amendments to the Patterson city charter passed by big margins Saturday, and two incumbents won election to the Franklin City Council.

The turnout for the Patterson ballot measures was only 5.2%, according to complete but unofficial returns from the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office.

Amendment No. 1, which will require Patterson's mayor to have either a high school diploma or its equivalent, passed 184-13, or 93%-7%.

Amendment No. 2 will require the Patterson police chief to be at least 21, to have lived within the city limits for a year before qualifying, and to be Peace Officer Standards Training-certified. The amendment passed 180-16, or 92%-8%.

Amendment No. 3 will allow the police chief to receive a raise during the same four-year term in which the City Council approves the salary increase. A salary reduction will still be prohibited until after the term in which the council cuts the chief's pay. The amendment passed 162-34, or 83%-17%.

In Franklin, Lester "Motor" Levine Jr. won re-election to the City Council's at-large seat, winning with 693 votes, or 66%, to 361 votes, or 34%, for Ian Jonas Ruskoski.

In District C, incumbent Larry Guilbeau got 191 votes, or 62%, to win over Ella Prevost Hamilton, 118 votes, or 38%.

The turnout in Franklin was 24.5%

Mayor Eugene Foulcard and incumbent council members Jaime Robison, Chuck Autin and Joseph Garrison qualified without opposition.

In Patterson, Ray Dewey Sr. qualified unopposed for a seat on the City Council, and Tammie L. Moore was the lone candidate to qualify for an open St. Mary School Board seat. Dewey and Moore took the oaths of office earlier this month.