Mayor David Barrow, Pro-Tem Wade Evans Face Off for Top Job In Central Government

 On the first day of qualifying Wednesday, July 20, politics in Central got a lot more interesting, especially in the Mayor’s race, when incumbent Mayor David Barrow got the opponent he expected, Mayor Pro-Tem Wade Evans. Additional candidates can still qualify through Friday, July 22.  The election is scheduled for Nov. 8.

City Hall was bustling with activity Wednesday morning as Clerk of Court Doug Welborn received qualifying papers from candidates for Central mayor, police chief, city council, and school board. Candidates and their supporters mingled freely in a positive atmosphere — before the battles begin. 

Welborn welcomed candidates of all persuasions with a hearty smile and handshake.

In an interview Wednesday night, Mayor David Barrow said he is running to complete the work he has begun.  He said, “Over the last three and a half years, we have made progress on many fronts. Roads, drainage, and other projects are now ready to become reality.”

“This term has been devoted to planning.  The next four years will be about putting those plans into reality. Roads and drainage are basic to our plans but there are many other things too.”

“In a city, it’s important that people be happy.  That’s why we do things like work with BREC to improve our parks and recreation.”

“When I go around Central, people tell me they are happy with how things are going in Central right now.  They want a rural, bedroom community.  They want natural growth.  That’s why we’ve slowed things down a bit.  By slowing down, we can afford to do the things people want done.”

“When I was elected, I promised I would be transparent. I use Facebook to inform people of what is going on, and they appreciate that. People like to be involved in what is happening but they have to be informed in order to do that.”

“People like Central the way it is.  I’ve tried to listen and have natural growth.  Growth comes with time.  You have to slow it down to a manageable level.  We have 30,000 people in Central.  You can’t please everyone because not everyone thinks the same.  But most people in Central are happy.”

“The first four years, we worked on a lot of projects. We’ve started on some and have a lot more planned.”

Looking at the people running for City Council, the Mayor said, “I think we will be fine.”  As to the school board, he said, “It will be interesting because we will have some new faces.”

His opponent, Mayor Pro-Tem Wade Evans, has a very different take on where Central stands right now.  He said,

“I’m tired of living in a city that doesn’t get things done.  We have so much potential but we’re not fulfilling it.”

“As a city government, we need to be that shining city on a hill.  We need to be an example for other cities in Louisiana and that begins with putting God first in everything we do.  I’m a lot different person than I was four years ago, because of my commitment to Christ.”

“We are one of the highest taxed cities in our state — 10.45% ­— but we are not utilizing those funds to meet the basic needs of our community, which is roads and drainage.”

“Time and again, I have brought plans to the Mayor for us to be good stewards for the taxes we have collected, but I am rebuffed over and over again.”

“For example, I brought forward a proposal to have a company to do 20 acres of drainage for the city with a focus on roadside work. The Mayor rejected it.”

“I brought forward a proposal for us to utilize Thermoplastics, a modern way to permanently repair pot holes.  We only needed to invest $10,000 for a test of the technology.  The Mayor rejected it.”

“As far as roads are concerned, Central doesn’t have a plan.  We have a traffic plan but that is sitting on a shelf.  The Mayor refuses to put together a road improvement plan.  I will put together a plan.  It starts with making an inventory of our roads, assessing their condition, understanding what they need, and then developing a plan.  We have to get something going. Do we want four more years of getting nothing done?”

“I want us to do more than clean out ditches.  Cleaning out ditches is essential but we need to go far beyond that.  There are bigger things we can do for this community.”

“The bottom line is, we must put God first, and then make a plan to use our resources wisely for the benefit of our citizens.

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