Claudet seeking re-election

Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet has officially announced his intention to seek a second term in the top executive

office.

Elected to the parish president position in 2007, Claudet came to office and was forced to face challenges beyond the expected with Hurricane Gustav making a direct hit on Terrebonne Parish in 2008, the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill, an offshore drilling moratorium, and threatened flooding from the Atchafalaya River in May and June of this year.

Drawing on his background as a lawyer and businessmen, Claudet

said he has taken a more businesslike approach to conducting

government operations. He noted that as a trial lawyer he was able to deal with legal matters facing the parish and as a CPA has an understanding into the workings of finances.

“Government lives within its budget,” Claudet said. “A huge number of projects are now off the drawing boards and have been,

and are being, completed. Your tax dollars are being spent wisely with results you can see. I have delivered accomplishments, not just

promises.”

The accomplishments Claudet noted include pouring millions of dollars into infrastructure, levee expansion, and flood control improvements.

Some specifics of which he said he is most proud include the Ward 7 levee, Dulac nonfederal levee, Westside Boulevard expansion, Valhi extension, Bayouside Bridge, Industrial levee, Waterproof Bridge, renovations to the Dumas Auditorium, public utility improvements, and drainage projects for Allemand, Broadmoor, Sunrise Gardens and Sunset subdivisions.

He jokingly accepts his nickname as the “turn lane” president, while

he points out road improvements and access to areas long in need of

repairs such as the Isle de Jean Charles road.

Claudet noted that cooperation between his administration and federal agencies has resulted in $377 million being granted to Terrebonne Parish during the past four years. He also noted that the parish’s 5.4 percent unemployment rate in the lowest in the nation.

During his first term, Claudet instituted a series of town hall meetings to address concerns specific to communities and neighborhoods beyond broader parish issues.

Claudet said he has been and continues to be all about Terrebonne

Parish. “When I ran for parish president four years ago, I promised that I would take the lead to take politics out of government and apply my years of unique business experience as an attorney, CPA and CLU to make government better,” he said. “I am happy to say we have indeed done so.”

Having run his original campaign with the tag line of offering a new way, Claudet now says in his re-election bid that his new way continues to be the right way.

“Career politicians want us to go back to the ways of the past, but

we can’t afford to do that,” Claudet said. “I have delivered on

my promises. We have done a lot.

There is more to do. I love this parish and I love our people. I

truly do love my job [and] would consider it an honor to serve you

again.”