19 apply for top parish post

E. Feliciana jurors sorting applicants

CLINTON — Nineteen people have applied to be the East Feliciana Parish Police Jury’s top administrator, or parish manager.

Among the 13 men and six women seeking the job are two former parish managers, the jury’s assistant manager, a maintenance supervisor and a grant writer for the town of Clinton, a concrete company executive, a bank manager and a former high school principal.

Parish Manager Judith G. Kelly, who also is the jury’s treasurer, plans to retire Sept. 30 after 37 years as a jury employee. She has been parish manager since May 2008.

Members of the East Feliciana Parish Police Jury Personnel Committee began reviewing the 19 applications on Wednesday. Chairman Edward L. Brooks said the committee will decide later on how many applicants should be interviewed.

Brooks said his committee hopes to reduce the number of applicants to six or eight and then set up a date for interviews before making recommendations to the full governing body.

The parish manager’s duties include the daily operations and financial management of the governing body. The manager is responsible for maintaining 10 parish buildings, which include the jail, sheriff’s office and courthouse. In addition, the parish manager sees to the maintenance of more than 300 miles of parish roads, 61 parish bridges and six parish parks.

Other duties include management of the parish Floodplain Program, overseeing parishwide garbage collection, management of 11 funding accounts, including payroll. The manager also facilitates monthly meetings.

Qualifications also require the manager to have a bachelor’s degree in governmental business management or five years of extensive experience in public administration.

Finance Committee Chairman Larry Beauchamp said no salary has been set for the incoming parish manager, but he said he will call a meeting next week to discuss setting a figure.

According to Police Jury records, Kelly has an annual salary of $67,000.

Applying for the job are:

• Hollis Glen Kent Jr., Clinton, a retired Marine, lawyer and professional land surveyor, who also is a former director of the East Feliciana Parish Office of Homeland Security.
• Olin L. Stubbs, Clinton, former East Feliciana Parish manager and director of the Office of Homeland Security.
• John J. Rouchon, Clinton, administrative supervisor of the East Feliciana Police Jury and retired Navy veteran.
• Russell Hicks III, Clinton, maintenance supervisor for the town of Clinton.
• James Cook, grants manager and police investigator for the town of Clinton. He also is operations director for the Grey Knight Group, a grant management company.
• Bart Blackledge, Clinton, director of operations for Delta Concrete Co. and a local businessman.
• A. Kyle Landry, Ethel, bank manager with 25 years of experience with two local banks.
• Cindy A. Perret, Clinton, former principal of St. Helena Central Middle School and former assistant principal of East Feliciana High School.
• Leroy Irwin Jr., Ethel, Angola employee and East Feliciana High School assistant football coach.
• Tammie Delatte, Clinton, state Department of Veterans Affairs office manager, retired Navy veteran.
• Jerry Savoy, Jackson, aircraft maintenance superintendent, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
• Jim McCaa, Norwood, president of Pro Tech Engineering Inc.
• Lawrence “Larry” K. Hofstad, Jackson, accountant administrator for the state of Louisiana.
• Joyce Peralta, Clinton, administrative assistant at Southern University.
• Larry Thomas, Clinton, owner and operator of Film Services of Louisiana, a film locations and logistic company.
• Brunetta Rochelle Brown, Norwood, nuclear security officer, River Bend nuclear power plant.
• Veronica Ryan, Slaughter, works in farming and livestock operations.
• Robert Dorman, Clinton, heavy equipment operator with the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Public Works.
• Laura T. Aucoin, Clinton, administrative coordinator, Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station, Clinton.