UPDATED WITH STORY: Patterson mayor, chief, council sworn in for new term

PATTERSON — The 2023 political year got underway in earnest on the last day of 2022.

District Judge Curtis Sigur and City Magistrate Edward B. Jones swore in Patterson’s incumbent mayor, police chief and two council members, plus three new council members, in a more elaborate-than-usual ceremony Saturday morning at the Patterson Area Civic Center.

Also Saturday in a separate ceremony, Terri Foulcard took the oath as St. Mary Parish’s new registrar of voters.

Still to come are oaths of office for the five incumbent Berwick Town Council members and Mayor Duval Arthur. That will happen at Berwick’s scheduled Town Council meeting Jan. 10.

Patterson elected for a separate ceremony, and it attracted a crowd of more than 100 people on the morning of New Year’s Eve. Clergymen Ronnie Mabile and Jaylen Grogan offered prayers, Jacqueline
Lewis-Langston sang “America the Beautiful,” and members of Cub Scout Pack 242 and Girl Scout Troop Louisiana East 20890 carried in the flags and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Rodney Grogan, Police Chief Garrett Grogan and all five council members qualified without opposition for the 2023-27 term.

A council that has had long-serving members in recent years, including Larry Mendoza, John Rentrop and Joe Russo, suddenly has only one returning incumbent, Lee Condolle, who has served a full four-year term.

The other incumbent returning to office is Ray A. Dewey Sr., who filled the seat left vacant by the resignation of Sandra K. Turner.

Three newcomers joined the council Saturday: Mamie S. Perry, Miranda K. Weinbach and R. DeMale Bowden Jr.

Rodney Grogan, the veteran of the group after serving 12 years as mayor, encouraged the new council members to find and read the city charter and the city ordinances. Residents will come to them with problems, Grogan said, and the council members will have to know what they can and cannot do.

The mayor joked with Bowden about an email in which Bowden asked to have a pothole fixed on the apron of U.S. 90.

That’s something the state Department of Transportation and Development has to do, Grogan said.
Bowden wasn’t having it.

“That email was forwarded to the DOTD,” Bowden said. “And the pothole was fixed.”

Universally among the newly sworn officials was an offering of thanks to God for the chance to take part in the city government.

“Thank you, Jesus,” Perry told the audience. “Thank you, Lord, thank you, Lord, thank you, Lord. ... I wanted a chance to serve the community.”

“I’m here today,” Weinbach said, “because I want to be part of something bigger.”

Condolle said his platform will stay the same: “To continue to serve as well as be a voice for the city. ... I’ve learned that the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.”

Dewey referred to a recent series of town hall meetings in which public officials pointed to an increase in juvenile crime, while young people talked about the challenges they face. Dewey said he wants to bring young people together to find out how adults can help them.

And he wants to work with the Council on Aging to find ways to help the elderly.

Chief Grogan thanked voters and members of the Patterson Police Department.

“Now you’ve given me another four years to serve,” he said.

Foulcard had served as interim registrar after the resignation of Byron Stelly in September after Stelly had been on the job for a year. Foulcard received the official appointment from the Parish Council last month.

In Berwick, council members Raymond Price, Colleen Askew, Lud Henry, Kevin Hebert and James Richard all qualified without opposition. Arthur won easy re-election in the Nov. 8 primary.

Also for the 2023-27 term, five new members will soon join the 11-member St. Mary Parish School Board.