The Broome administration continued its campaign today against the pending St. George incorporation vote with a show of unity from two well-known, community sports legends: LSU’s Skip Bertman and Southern University’s Roger Cador.
Bertman and Cador stood side-by-side under a tent at the Highland Road Community Park baseball field, flanked by Broome and key members of her administration.
“Togetherness, teamwork, unity,” Bertman said. “These are important things to remember as we move forward.”
Echoed Cador: “There is strength in numbers and when you work together you can make a lot of good things happen. Baton Rouge is a team and we face our challenges best when we come together.”
Bertman served as LSU’s head baseball coach from 1984-2001 and as the university’s athletic director from 2001-2008. Cador was the head coach of Southern’s baseball team from 1985-2017.
When asked why a separate city of St. George would be detrimental to the area, Bertman, citing a 2018 study by LSU economists Jim Richardson and Jared Llorens, said the numbers put forth by organizers of the incorporation effort don’t add up.
“I agree with the economics professors at LSU, who I know, who indicated that the money they think is going to be enough for the schools isn’t and that it might injure Baton Rouge schools, which have come a long way,” Bertman said.
Both men acknowledged they do not live in the St. George area but said as decades-long residents of the community, they believe the only way to solve Baton Rouge’s problems is by working together.
“It’s all about teamwork and facing our challenges together, now and in the future,” Cador said.
The election is October 12. Early voting—which has seen record turnout, particularly in the proposed footprint of St. George—continues through Saturday.
