Photograph: Newly-selected St. Landry Parish Registrar of Voters Byron Stelly poses with family members after he was appointed by the Parish Council Wednesday night. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
In a close vote amid a meeting room packed with spectators and tense drama Wednesday night, Byron Stelly was named the new St. Landry Parish Council voting registrar.
The affirmation for Stelly, who sought the registrar position along with current deputy registrar Lauren Jones, came down to a final 7-6 vote as chairwoman Vivian Olivier broke a tie following ballots cast by the other 12 council members.
Stelly’s confirmation ended nearly 24 hours of a confirmation process that began Tuesday night when he and Jones presented their credentials to the Council and then answered questions for nearly 90 minutes.
An in-depth look at the responses provided by Stelly and Jones during the interview session can be viewed in a separate story posted previously on the St. Landry Now website.
Stelly was approved nearly a year ago as the registrar in St. Mary Parish. Now the St. Landry Parish Council will soon notify the Secretary of State that 28-year-old Stelly has been chosen as registrar.
There was total silence Wednesday night as the Registrar of Voters item – listed last on the Council meeting agenda – unfolded as each council member registered a vote during a roll call.
Jones led 4-0 after council members Jerry Red, Jr.,Nancy Carriere, Easton Shelvin and Mildred Thierry voted.
The issue deadlocked after Harold Taylor, Gil Savoy, Alvin Stelly and Wayne Ardoin voted for Stelly.
Dexter Brown, Jimmie Edwards followed with votes for Jones. Timothy LeJeune and Coby Clavier voted for Stelly, setting the stage for the final vote by Olivier.
Jones and Stelly did not address the Council before the vote and none of the council members issued remarks prior to the vote or afterward.
Before the meeting concluded, Stelly thanked the Council for approving him.
During the interview session on Tuesday, Jones said that she would continue to promote transparency, her experience of working in the St. Landry Registrar Office for 18 years and the openness that she said she and her staff have tried to maintain in the Office of Registrar.
Stelly told the Council that he has always wanted to serve as St. Landry registrar and that his extensive education background which includes a graduate degree in election administration, have prepared him for the position.
Other Appointments
C.J. “Curley” Allen was appointed to the Lawtell Water District No. 1 over two other candidates.
Allen was approved 7-5 after he received votes from Carriere, Taylor, Savoy, Stelly, Ardoin, Brown and Clavier.
Voting for David Bellard Sr. were Red, Shelvin, Thierry, LeJeune and Edwards.
Warren Fontenot, another candidate, failed to receive a vote.
In another matter Denise Cannatella was appointed to the Greater Krotz Springs Port Commission. Cannatella replaces Dallas Leger, who died earlier this year.
Council Clerk Sherell Jordan said Cannatella was the only applicant for the position.
