Photograph: Honorees, from left, are Bill Fontenot, Hazel Red, Sherri McGovern, Marvin Richard and Larry Caillier. (Photograph by Freddie Herpin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Five honorees were presented with honorary lifetime achievement awards by the St. Landry Parish Democratic Party during ceremonies held Thursday night at the Opelousas Civic Center.
The program honored parish tax assessor Sherri McGovern, Opelousas alderman Marvin Richard, former Opelousas Police Chief Larry Caillier, retired parish educator Hazel Red and former parish president Bill Fontenot.
Guest speakers for the event were Democratic gubernatorial candidate Shawn Wilson and Dustin Granger, who has announced his candidacy for state treasurer.
Fontenot, who retired as parish president shortly after winning a third consecutive term in 2019, was responsible for the 2013 passage of the parish wide Smooth Ride Home program, which uses an extra two-cents tax outside incorporated areas to help fund parish wide hard surface road maintenance.
A native of the rural Grand Prairie community, Fontenot also spent over 20 years working as a director with the Louisiana Department of Transportation.
Fontenot attributed his success to listening to others, and then becoming a “team member,” who followed his way to the front.
Caillier, who was elected four times as the Opelousas police chief, was recognized for his innovative and effective methods for handling drugs and violent crime.
During his terms as police chief, Caillier also instituted a police strike force unit and created a school that was used to help with students considered to be disruptive.
McGovern was elected as assessor in 2019 after starting her own certified public accounting firm and working as the chief financial officer for Sheriff Bobby Guidroz.
In college McGovern received a biology and medical degree, but later conceded that her main interest was numbers and mathematics.
“I have always felt that I wanted to help people. I feel as though I still have much to do and that I still have a lot of plans,” McGovern said.
Richard, initially elected in 2014 as an alderman-at-large, has been responsible for helping create food drives and back to school supply programs.
Additionally Richard is president of the I-49 Riders, an organization that provides scholarships for students who have high grade point averages.
“I’m not a politician. I’m a public servant. I love this community. I’m very passionate about it. I’ve been elected three times, so that means that I’m doing my job,” said Richard.
Red was an educator for 53 years, with most of that time in St. Landry Parish public schools.
Also Red has been a member of the Democratic Central Community, a community activist and has attended the National Democratic conventions for several presidents and Democratic presidential nominees.
Red said she realized the value of obtaining an education while growing up in a rural area near Shreveport.
“I think it was my parents who saw a need for an education. Then when I lived (in St. Landry), it was Bobby Dupre who introduced me to politics. I began to see the importance of a vote and the idea that when you go to vote, you bring someone else with you,” Red added.
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