Metro-Council Candidate Lon Vicknair Seeks to Replace Outgoing Scott Wilson

Lon Vicknair has announced his candidacy for Metro Council from District 4 and issued this announcement statement:

Hello, my name is Lon Vicknair. I am a candidate for East Baton Rouge Metro Council District 4. I was born in Baton Rouge and lived in the Sherwood Forest and Central areas. I was 18 years old when I left to serve our country. Over the next 20 years, I was honored to serve with and lead some of the most exceptional Americans our country has to offer. 

During my time in the Navy, I learned to lead and solve mission-critical problems in time-sensitive environments while being a good steward of our nation’s resources. I’ve been tested as a leader in combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and the Horn of Africa; anti-drug operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Pacific; humanitarian aid operations for Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, and Ivan; disaster relief for the earthquake in Haiti and peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Somalia.

During my stateside assignment, I was the Community Manager for 7,200 sailors. During that time, I re-engineered the entire layout of their community. I created new jobs and increased promotion opportunities for all sailors assigned to me. Our team changed the manning requirements that had not been reviewed since 1981 and got a three-year review done in 10 months. I was responsible for two separate annual budgets for special incentive pay, $26.7 million, and hazardous duty pay of $7.6 million for over 100,000 sailors. During my three years, we maintained the budget within requirements. We allowed the remainder to be used to incentivize reenlistment in other ratings that initially were not funded. It was also my responsibility to manage recruiting, education, tactical training, promotion, retention, and retirement quotas for all enlisted aircrew in the Navy.

Of the almost 20 years in uniform, 18 were in a time of war. I served as both enlisted and as an officer. I’ve been tested personally and as a leader in high-stress, time-critical, and hostile situations where failure meant catastrophic losses or death. My duty was to my sailors, to ensure they were trained and had every available asset to succeed; and to their families to bring their loved ones home. This experience has prepared me for the challenges of working in hostile and stressful environments and fighting if needed to ensure our community’s best interest is represented.

My wife and I decided to return to my hometown of Central once we both left the military. We purchased our forever home in Central and plan to raise our two young children here. I currently work in supervision for Petroleum Service Corporation, a local contracting company that specializes in material handling and loading for the oil and gas industry.

I believe in conservative values and an inside out approach to life: Family, God, Community, City, State, and Country. I support the traditional American family values and strong community relationships. I am committed to serve our district and reflect our values on the EBR metro council.

Infrastructure. Roads, drainage, sewer, and trash collection. I saw firsthand the destruction of the 2016 floods. I witnessed my parents lose everything that they worked their entire lives for overnight. I saw a community and region destroyed. A robust drainage system wouldn’t have saved everyone, but it would have spared some. We have to continue to invest and improve our drainage to prevent another catastrophic flood event.

We have a never-ending cycle of road construction that needs constant oversight. Our new projects have to be initiated in a timely manner if there is any hope to complete them while they are still relevant. Too many times, as soon as the barricades are removed, the project is outdated. Contract management oversight is a must if a contractor is not meeting the guidelines of the contract. It’s time to hold them accountable!

Security. A strong, well-trained, and funded police, fire, and EMS force is essential to a thriving community. I will fight to keep our first responders funded and equipped with the most up-to-date and cost-effective equipment and training.

Business. Small businesses are the backbone of a community providing service and jobs to a local area. During this crisis, too many companies closed and were forced to shut down while large businesses thrived. I will work to ensure businesses that were forced closed are given every available recourse to remain open. When bringing in new businesses, the I will be heard to ensure there is a balance between large and small businesses.

Community. Continued investment in community parks and recreation areas is essential. We need safe, clean, and new areas for our community to assemble and play. The lifeblood of a community is interaction, and without common areas, the opportunity to interact is severely limited. We saw our ability to assemble and practice faith threatened. I will stand with our local churches and fight to defend our Constitutional First Amendment rights.

During this time of increased political turmoil, the conservative values we stand for are repeatedly trampled and cast aside. Please make no mistake. We are at a crossroads. It’s time we take back what we worked for and fight for what we believe. There is a constant battle for our future, and we cannot allow Baton Rouge to fail. We need a fighter who is willing to stand for our beliefs and defend our interests against the progressive movements that are destroying America. Allow me to use my experience to fight for you and our community before it is too late.

I will not promise to prevent every emergency or fix every problem. I will promise to be available to you at all times. I am committed to constant community outreach; I cannot know what is affecting our community without it. I am goal-oriented and dedicated to being accessible and transparent. As an elected official, I am nothing without you. My only job is to represent the interests of our community. You will not elect me and have me disappear, not to be seen again until the next election. I live and work here; my duty is to you, your issues, and our future. I am available to anyone who needs to contact me. I welcome all interactions and live to serve our community.

Family First.  Community Always. America Forever.