GONZALES In their last public forum Wednesday before early voting, the four candidates seeking to be elected Ascension Parish's next president emphasized leadership skills they said could chart a new course for parish government, restoring the faith of residents by tackling inefficiency and substandard infrastructure.

Addressing familiar concerns like growth-induced strains on roads, drainage and sewer, the candidates spoke about the lack of trust residents have in parish government, the failure of past leaders to make decisions on key problems, and the parish government's organizational shortcomings.

The candidates Ricky Diggs, Murphy Painter, Rick Webre and Clint Cointment portrayed the primary election on Oct. 12 as a critical moment in the parish's future.

The current parish president, Kenny Matassa, is not seeking reelection. Last year, he was acquitted over a bribery charge. He also has had to grapple with the aftermath of the August 2016 flood and public outcry over new home development and lagging infrastructure.

"We have a serious leadership problem, and many of the candidates spoke about it," Cointment, a Gonzales surveyor who lost narrowly to Matassa in 2015, said during the televised Ascension Chamber of Commerce forum Wednesday.

Painter, Webre and Cointment are Republicans; Diggs is a Democrat.

In the question-and-answer format of this and earlier forums, the candidates haven't been asked to debate one another directlyand have generally avoided challenging each other.

But Webre, the former parish homeland security director who made a last-minute decision to qualify after resigning from office in disgust with current administration, took on his opponents twice Wednesday without naming them directly.

Webre is the brother of interim Sheriff Bobby Webre, the former chief deputy who is seeking election to replace former Sheriff Jeff Wiley, but Rick Webre argued he is outside the same parish political climate.

Rick Webre said his presidential opponents are representatives of two political factions that have been fighting each other for years to the parish's detriment and, if one of them is elected, would send the parish backward.

"Well, these two political camps are not running against me. They're running against all of you, the voters," Webre said, pointing his finger to the audience. "This election is your opportunity to reclaim your authority. It's your opportunity to transfer parish government back to its rightful owner, which is the taxpayer."

Like Webre, Painter emphasized his years of public service, first as a chief deputy in the Ascension sheriff's office and later as the head of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control for about 15 years, and talked about his ability to create cultural change in government organizations.

He reiterated that he would let data drive his decision-making but also said the parish's various demands would not come without a cost, saying Ascension residents aren't "in Disney World."

Painter's comments came in response to questions about a public-private partnership the current administration and Parish Council are considering with Ascension Sewer, a consortium whose partners include Bernhard Capital Partners Management and Ascension Wastewater Treatment.

The partnership would put up the cash for a $225 million plan to bring a consolidated sewer system to the Prairieville, Dutchtown, Geismar and Gonzales areas about a third of the parish but proposes monthly user fees starting at $56 and going up 4% annually for at least the first 10 years.

The negotiations have remained behind closed doors, and the administration has not made public key documents outlining the deal's parameters.

Cointment, who said he doesn't have enough information about the plan, said he would capitalize on existing parish infrastructure in the Prairieville area to bring it consolidated sewer service while the details of the partnership were developed. He added that fee increases proposed by partnership would be another tax.

In contrast, Painter said he does want to vet the deal but is open to it, saying passing on the opportunity would only mean more cost in the future.

"You can argue that fees are taxes, or whatever you want, but the bottom line of all our problems are roads, drainage and everything else is somebody has to pay the tab for that," he said.

Diggs is a military veteran, retired teacher and coach, and maintenance manager who oversees multimillion dollar industrial turnarounds.

While Diggs didn't always show the detailed depth in the parish's affairs, he portrayed himself as an outsider unencumbered by the way things are done or the politics of moment. He said he hasn't accepted any endorsements or donations.

He said his skill is bringing people together to coordinate major projects with tight timelines but he's also a minister who would apply biblical principles to his management of the parish.

"I bring real change, true change and positive change, and the change I bring is pure," Diggs said. "I don't have any other prerequisite, except to serve the people of Ascension Parish."

Early voting for the Oct. 12 primary starts Saturday and ends Oct. 5, excluding Sunday. A runoff election, if necessary, would be held Nov. 16.

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Ascension presidential candidates focus on leadership in last forum before early voting - The Advocate