Posted: Oct 10, 2011 4:12 PM by Melissa Hawkes
Updated: Oct 10, 2011 4:46 PM
Joey Durel is seeking a third term as Lafayette's City-Parish President. He ran unopposed four years ago, but this year he's facing some competition.
Democratic candidate Mike Stagg said this year's election is all about looking towards Lafayette's future.
He said, "it's not a country parish. We need to stop running it like it's a country parish."
Stagg has a few main objectives. The first is tackling what he calls a potentially disastrous energy situation.
"We need to get out of the coal powered energy business. we need to use modern clean available natural has to produce our electric power in Lafayette," Stagg said.
Also on the agenda, improving roadways and transportation as well as utilizing cutting edge technology, like LUS Fiber.
"The challenge now is to find the right applications to turn those investments into more than just things in the ground- more than channels on TV, " Stagg explained.
He said he wasn't even planning on running until no-one else stepped up to the plate.
"The message is this parish belongs to all of us and we all need to have a say in it, "he said.