Fontenot wins fundraising campaign

Interim Mayor Scott Fontenot is the leader in fundraising in Saturday’s election for Eunice mayor, according to reports filed with the Louisiana Board of Ethics.
Candidates who expected to spend $2,500 or more were required to file a disclosure report under the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act by Feb. 24, which was the last report due prior to Saturday’s election.
Fontenot reported contributions of $6,689.74 and expenditures of $6,415.26. He reported $1,874.48 in funds on hand at the close of the reporting period.
Fontenot reported 20 contributors from Jan. 26 to Feb. 14. There were: Sheila Loeb, $50; Harry Summerlin, $100; Gerald’s Auto Sales, $300; Kristian Vidrine, $50; Anthony and Donna Baltakis, $50; Freddie Fruge Jr., $400; Heinen Medical Corp., $100; Manco Rental and Sales Inc., $250; Manco Vegetation Management, $250; Tiffany Heinen, $100; LAS Fire and Safety Co. Inc., $500; Michael Johnson, CPA, $300; Stan Feucht Attorney at Law, $100; KS Farms LLC, $1,000; Aucoin and Associates Inc., $500; Dr. Jack D. or Donald Miller, $300; McManus Law Office, $250; Committee to Elect Dale Sittig, $200; James G. Fontenot, $1,000; and Mary Ann Fontenot, $889.74.
Fontenot’s expenditures were Bertrand’s Printing, political stickers, $50; Eunice News, advertising, $177 and $394.80; Riceland Crawfish, food served for political entry at Eunice Health Clinic Cook-off, $202.16; Fruge Lumber Company, supplies for signs, $51.56; Pucheu, Pucheu and Robinson, LLP, legal fees for defense of objection to candidacy, $3,650; and Bourque Signs, political signs, $1,889.74.
In a report filed Feb. 4 for the period from Jan. 16 to Jan. 25, Fontenot reported total contributions of $2,200 and expenditures of $600. Contributors were listed as Frey Construction, $1,000; Sirius Technologies, $500; Peter Vidrine, $500; and Mr. and Mrs. Claud “Rusty” Moody, $200. There was one expenditure of $600 to Bertrand’s Printing for brochures.
Dolwin “Dale” Soileau, candidate for Ward 4 alderman, was the only other candidate in Saturday’s election with a report online at the Board of Ethics website, ethics.la.gov.
In a report for Jan. 26 to Feb. 14, Soileau reported no contributions and $59.39 in expenditures. He reported $1,323 in cash at the beginning of the period and $863.61 at the end of the period.
Soileau reported spending $107.49 for a cast iron pot and stainless mug as a donation to Taster’s Choice; and $351.90 for newspaper ads.
For the period from Dec. 8 to Jan. 25, Soileau reported total contributions of $2,446.94, which included $246.94 in-kind; and a $2,200 loan, which was from himself. His expenditure of $246.94 was for cards from Fruge Lumber Co.
Soileau also reported spending $547.738 for signs from Bourque Signs and $329.25 for yard signs from Performance Signs.