By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

(Part 2 of 2)

LAPLACE – In addition to parish president, sheriff and council, other positions up for grabs in St. John the Baptist Parish in the Oct. 22 general elections include assessor, clerk of court and state representative.

There are two known candidates currently in the running for the District 57 state representative seat currently held by LaPlace native Nickie Monica, who is not seeking re-election. St. John Parish businesswoman O.J. Breech and St. John Parish School Board member Russ Wise have both expressed interest in the seat.

Some members of the community have also indicated that LaPlace attorney Randal Gaines may also vie for the seat. Gaines, who could not be reached for comment, currently serves as legal counsel for the St. John Parish Housing Authority.

The District 57 seat represents LaPlace, parts of eastern Reserve, all of the west bank of St. John Parish and a large section of the west bank of St. Charles Parish.

In the assessor’s race, incumbent Whitney Joseph said earlier this year he will be seeking one last term in office. Joseph was elected in 2003 after serving as chief deputy assessor and parish financial manager since 1973.

Joseph ran unopposed in the 2007 general election, and no other potential candidates have officially stepped forward. There are rumblings among political circles that Joseph will have strong competition this fall, but no names have surfaced.

In the clerk of court race, incumbent Eliana DeFrancesch, who also ran unopposed in 2007, is expected to seek re-election to the position she has held since 2000. Joining her in the race is Edgard native and LaPlace resident Marva Lumar, who has not officially announced candidacy but said she intends to run.

Lumar has 26 years experience working under former Clerk of Court Harold Montegut. She said when she left the office in 1999, she intended to run for clerk, but other job demands kept her from running.

“Now I can devote all my time to campaigning for the office,” Lumar said. “There are so many things happening in that office, and I want to strive for some positive change.”