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Shaping Our City

While the mayor’s race and those for hotly contested city council seats appear to overshadow the local political landscape, they are not the only political races voters will decide when they head to the polls on Saturday, Feb. 6.

New Orleans voters will also choose one sheriff and one assessor, decide who fills a state senate seat made vacant by an abrupt resignation seat several judges, and hopefully elect a new coroner.

Just as important as mayor or councilmember, the men or women elected to these posts will play pivotal roles in shaping and reshaping our city and determining its future direction.

Here’s a look at some of the candidates in those races.

Sheriff Marlin Gusmam

Not only is Sheriff Marlin Gusman vying to keep his seat as Orleans Parish’s criminal sheriff, but if elected, he would assume new responsibilities now that the sheriff’s office has been combined to include both the criminal and civil sheriff duties.

Former chief administrative officer for the city of New Orleans under Marc Morial, Gusman also served on the New Orleans City Council before winning the sheriff’s seat in his first bid for the office.

Gusman has initiated several programs since taking over the sheriff’s office, including standard STD and HIV screening of inmates, with the goal of helping them get the assistance they need while incarcerated and working with other agencies to ensure that help continues once inmates are released into the community. .

Gusman was first elected in 2004, less than a year before Katrina after winning a special election to replace Charles Foti.

As such, he has had the responsibility of leading the Orleans Parish Prison’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

Assessor Errol Williams

Since the voters approved combining New Orleans’s seven-assessor system into a single office, much has been made of how the system will work.

Candidate and current Third Municipal District Assessor Errol Williams says that he knows exactly what must be done, not only to ensure a smooth transition from seven assessors to one, but to improve the property assessment process across the board and best serve the tax payers.

Williams says he is committed to “fair and equitable assessment practices” and has the experience for the job, adding that he has already met with expert consultants to develop a design and action plan for how a single assessor system for New Orleans should look and work.

He has already been progressive in his current office with the use of technology and as it relates to ensuring assessors on his staff are certified professionals. Williams says he will have no problem dealing with issues such as stat collection and maintenance, ensuring the accuracy of valuations, monitoring exemptions or putting an appeals process in place to fairly serve the entire city.

Williams says that if elected, his office will have a one administrative department, and one appraisal department that will include commercial appraisers and personal property appraisers. He says he will examine many ways to consolidate services and streamline the office as well.

“I’m going to do it right because that’s the way I’ve been taught,” he says. “I don’t have any other mission.”

In addition to his 24 years of experience as a municipal district assessor, Williams has served the city of New Orleans as the director of finance and then chief administrative officer from 1978 until 1985.

“I understand the job of the assessor and how it figures into the city’s revenue stream,” he says.

State Senate District 5 Karen Carter Peterson

State Rep. Karen Clark Peterson is vying for the 5th District state senate seat that will be left vacant on Feb. 5 when State Sen. Cheryl Gray Evans’ resignation takes affect.

The 5th District is comprised of Uptown, Central City, the CBD and parts of Mid-City, Broadmoor and Carrollton.

Peterson was first elected to the state legislature in 1999, and now serves as Speaker Pro Tempore of the house.

Peterson has racked up a several endorsements in her bid for the senate seat, including nods from some of her state legislative colleagues, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro and District D City Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell.

Juvenile Court Judge, Division E Tracey Flemings-Davillier

Tracey Flemings Davillier, 40, is vying for the Juvenile Court Judge Division J.

“I’m passionate about our city and I want our children to be able to grow up here,” says the mother of an 11-year-old daughter and six-year-old son.

Davillier says she recognizes that the juvenile justice system disproportionately impacts young African-Americans and believes there should be more focus on programs that target young people before they are incarcerated. Working with the education system and community organizations and support groups to reduce both truancy and recidivism rates are also important, she says.

“We need more after-school programs. We need to rejuvenate NORD. We need work study programs and apprenticeship programs where teenagers can get paid for work. We need to collaborate with stakeholders in juvenile justice to leverage resources.”

Davillier has been a practicing attorney at Phelps Dunbar, LLP for 15 years and worked on District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro’s transition team. In that role, one of her duties was to visit the Youth Study Center, which come under both the city and the state and report to the DA on the conditions there.

Davillier has have served on the board of Crimestoppers, Awesome Girls, a local mentoring program for young girls. She also has clerked for Judge Ivan Lemelle.

Civil District Court Judge Division J Paula Brown

With 17 years of experience in the law, including an appointed term on the Civil District Court Division M bench, Paula Brown is making her bid for Civil District Court Division J. Brown’s work in the community is extensive and includes serving on the board of the New Orleans’ affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, mentoring Orleans Parish School students and volunteering as a YMCA coach.

Brown worked as an associate attorney at Fine & Associates, PLC and the Law Office of Marie A. Bookman. She also has served as a trial attorney for the Regional Transit Authority and a staff attorney for the Orleans Indigent Defender’s Program.

And she has served clerked for state Supreme Court Justice Bernette J. Johnson.

Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna

Dr. McKenna, a highly qualified and well known surgeon and general practitioner, is making a run to unseat Dr. Frank Minyard who has held the position since 1973.