By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Former St. John Parish spokesman and current acting chief administrative officer Buddy Boe has announced his plans to seek the office of Parish President in the special election scheduled for March 27, 2010.

In a statement released Friday, Boe, 24, said for St John to progress as a parish, the residents must stop accepting things as they always have and raise expectations throughout the community.

“If we want to better our community then we have to start demanding excellence from our government, our businesses, our family and ourselves,” said Boe. “I have the experience to demand better and the energy to make it happen.”

Boe was named director of communications for St. John Parish when former Parish President Bill Hubbard began his term in January 2008. Hubbard abruptly resigned in September in the wake of an investigation into bribery and conspiracy charges while in office. Hubbard has since pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing in the case.

Boe said his 23 months in office have been “a baptism by fire” and added many good projects are still on the table that he wants to see come to fruition in the near future.

“I want to make St. John the type of community that people don’t have to leave,” Boe said. “I believe we can really move the parish forward.”

Boe studied political science at Tulane University in New Orleans. He and his wife Courtney are residents of LaPlace.