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Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza sits in his office on Wednesday afternoon, his wall still adorned with recognition of his appointments to statewide boards and other achievements earned during 20 years.

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Councilman Francis Touchet Jr., Councilwoman and Mayor-elect Roslyn White, Councilman Francis Plaisance and Councilwoman Terry Broussard (L-R) present Mayor Mark Piazza (middle) with a plaque to commemorate his 32 years of service, including the past 20 as mayor.

Piazza ending record run as Abbeville Mayor

Mon, 06/27/2022 - 11:40am

Mark Piazza has spent the past 32 years, half his life, serving the city of Abbeville.
For the past 20 years, that service has come with the title of mayor. Piazza will wrap up an Abbeville record five terms as mayor when his retirement becomes official later this week. Abbeville will swear in a new administration on Thursday.
Piazza provided a farewell speech during his final city council meeting on June 21.
“Since 1990, for the past 32 years, I’ve had the distinct privilege of serving the City of Abbeville and having a seat at this table,” Piazza said.

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Councilwoman and Mayor-elect Roslyn White, Mayor Mark Piazza, Councilwoman Terry Broussard and Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. (left to right) present Councilman at Large Francis Plaisance (middle) with a plaque during his final city council meeting on
Tuesday.

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Francis Plaisance shares some thoughts during his final Abbeville City Council meeting on Tuesday.

City thanks Plaisance for his 16 years on Abbeville Council

Fri, 06/24/2022 - 11:35am

Francis Plaisance will admit that he did not have a complete understanding of the inner workings of local government when he first joined the Abbeville City Council in 2006.
“All I thought you did was flip a switch and the lights came on,” Plaisance said with a laugh.
Next week, he will leave with a much better understanding, and an even greater appreciation.

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet sits in the District 5 seat at the Vermilion Parish Police Jury special meeting Tuesday after being appointed to fill the remainder of the term that her husband Wayne had served until his death last week. District 4 Police Juror Ronald Darby, right, holds a photo of Wayne Touchet

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet holds the nameplate for her late husband Wayne’s District 5 seat on the Vermilion Parish Police Jury with their daughter Victoria Touchet Richard.

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Liz Touchet addresses the Vermilion Parish Police Jury after being appointed to serve out the term of her late husband, District 5 juror Wayne Touchet.

Historic move: Touchet appointed to fill out late husband’s term; will be first woman to serve on Vermilion Parish Police Jury

Thu, 06/23/2022 - 9:20am

Liz Touchet was involved in her husband Wayne’s political life for 18 years as he served on the Vermilion Parish Police Jury.
She will continue that work as the first female to serve on the police jury after being appointed to fill the District 5 vacancy left on the board by his death on June 15. The VPPJ voted unanimously to appoint her to fill the remaining 17 months of his term at a special meeting held Tuesday in the police jury room at the Vermilion Parish Courthouse in Abbeville.

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
State Rep. Ryan Bourriaque talks to the Vermilion Parish Police Jury on Wednesday about funding for an emergency operations center for the parish.

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Chris Landry / The Abbeville Meridional
Vermilion Parish Economic Development Alliance Program Administrator Victoria Sagrera Bourque talks to the Vermilion Parish Police Jury during Wednesday’s meeting.

Vermilion Parish to receive funding for emergency operations center instead of safe room

Wed, 06/22/2022 - 10:25am

Appropriations for a safe room to house a Vermilion Parish emergency operations center will be eliminated from the 2022 federal budget, and funds will be reappropriated for an EOC building, State Rep. Ryan Bourriaque, R-Abbeville, told the Vermilion Parish Police Jury at its meeting Wednesday.
Bourriaque was at the police jury meeting to report on the recent state legislative session and its impact on Vermilion Parish.

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Salary increases for Maurice elected officials proposed

Wed, 06/22/2022 - 10:21am

MAURICE — Elected officials in the town of Maurice could see salary increases in the future.
Current officials want to make sure that any candidates deciding to run for election this November have an idea of what those salaries will be.
“I think it would be incumbent upon us to set salaries prior to the upcoming election,” Mayor Wayne Theriot said during Wednesday’s monthly Maurice Board of Aldermen meeting.
Maurice will hold its regularly scheduled election in November. Qualifying for that election will be held July 20-22.

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