Interim mayor appointed for Elton after Lemoine recalled

The Elton town council has appointed Councilman Michael “Mike” Pierrotti as interim mayor filling the seat that was vacated after last month’s mayoral recall election.

Pierrotti, who will serve until a special election on Nov. 5, was appointed to the position on Wednesday by Mayor Pro-tem Tony Guillory who recommended that the council choose someone who has served on the council.

“I am looking forward to the challenge and with the council’s help and God’s guidance, I think we will see a bright future,” Pierrotti said on Thursday.

Pierrotti, who is currently serving his second term on the council, previously served four years under former mayor Mildred LaFluer in the early ’90s. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2018.

He replaces former embattled mayor Kesis Lemoine, who was removed from office by voters in an April 27 recall election amid allegations of voter fraud.

The council is expected to hold a special meeting to appoint someone to fill Pierrotti’s vacant council seat until the November election.

Pierrotti said he is looking forward to moving the town forward and working with officials to get projects completed.

“Right now I think the biggest objective is the transparency of the position and also the council working together to accomplish goals that have already been set and completing some projects that we are in the process of trying to get completed,” Pierrotti said.

The town is currently working to complete a sewer improvement project and is expected to begin work soon on removing blighted property, he said. The town is also partnering with the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana to repave and upgrade Powell Road which runs in front of Elton Elementary School to the Coushatta Reservation.

“We are also trying to clean up the books from past administrations so we can complete another audit and finalize the bookkeeping,” he said. “We have had a lot of changes in the past as far as secretaries and clerks.”

Qualifying for the mayor’s position will be held July 17-19 at the Jeff Davis Parish Clerk of Court’s office in Jennings.