Baltakis appointment up in the air

A Eunice representative on the St. Landry Parish Economic Development District board of directors faces a second vote on his appointment by the Parish Council.
Anthony Baltakis, of Eunice, was one of three people seeking reappointment to the parish economic development board at Wednesday’s meeting.
Roma Stewart, of Opelousas, and Gary Soileau, of Krotz Springs, each received 10 votes to be reappointed.
Baltakis was declared reappointed during the meeting with seven votes, but after the meeting it was discovered Lena Charles, of Opelousas, also had seven votes.
The vote on the economic district’s board came after the Parish Council reorganized itself following the fall elections.
Harold Taylor, of Palmetto, was elected chairman by a unanimous decision and Jerry Red, of Opelousas, was elected vice chairman on a 10-2 vote.
Council members Wayne Ardoin and Alvin Stelly voted against Red’s appointment.
After the meeting, Chad Pitre, parish council legal counsel, said it would be up the council to bring the economic district’s board seat back to the agenda.
Taylor, on Friday, said the council inadvertently failed to recognize the tie for the third spot for the economic district’s board.
Taylor said he at first believed he would have to break the tie, but said the seat held by Baltakis would go committee and then to the full board for another vote.
“We have two imminently qualified candidates. Either would do a fantastic job. My wish is both would sit on that board, but I don’t know how that can happen,” Taylor said.
Baltakis was the lone applicant to speak to the Parish Council at Wednesday’s meeting.
“I am currently incoming vice president,” Baltakis said.
“I represent the Eunice area and I represent LSUE and there has usually been someone on this board from LSUE,” he said.
“I would like very much to continue the work we’ve been doing,” Baltakis said to the council. “I think one of things that is important on this board, and I’ve been on this board for six years, is in the beginning when I first got here I had some question marks about what we were doing, but right now we are really moving along in St. Landry Parish.
“This is a parish on the verge of a lot of economic development. I think it behooves us to keep some continuity on this committee because you have to have people who been on there from the beginning specially with things like the Expo Center, which we are now trying to get taken care of.”
The Expo Center is a planned for location south of Opelousas off Harry Guilbeau Drive.
The other Eunice area representative on the economic district’s board is Charles Aguillard. Lynn LeJeune, former Eunice mayor, also serves on the board as a representative from the St. Landry Chamber of Commerce.
Also seeking appointment to the board were Kenneth Cochran and Jack Tolson Sr.
Baltakis is a history professor at Louisiana State University Eunice.
Charles is a retired Bell South project manager and was president of the Southern Development Foundation.
In other council action included:
Richard Daigle, of the Eunice Police Department, and Cindy Stelly, of the municipal association, were appointed to the St. Landry Parish Communications District E-911 board.
Seven appointments to the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission are to be advertised.
Two appointments to Fire District 6’s board are to be advertised.
Fire District 3 commissioners will be asked to meet with the Parish Council’s Public Works Committee to discuss operations.
Turned down a proposal to provide Parish President Bill Fontenot a vehicle powered by natural gas produced from the parish’s landfill. Fontenot said he did not need the vehicle.
Taylor, the new Parish Council chairman, is a former mayor of Palmetto and brother of Earl Taylor, St. Landry Parish district attorney.