One of them I have known for years and have seen in action. The other I have not met yet, but he has a record, the right attitude, and much promise for the future.
Butch Spyridon came to Baton Rouge more than 30 years ago to head the Baton Rouge Convention & Visitors Bureau. He was a visionary leader—and he got results. He did so well, Nashville came calling. He led that city’s charge for tourism and change for 30 years and transformed Nashville. Have you been there lately? It’s an amazing, booming city.
I met John Cooper, a former Nashville mayor, and when I told him about my friend there, he said, “No one has done more for the growth of Nashville than Butch.” That’s high praise.
Butch is back now, as first reported by RedEye, working for Baton Rouge, and worth every penny they will pay him and more. He doesn’t need this job—and if anyone starts telling him what to do or plays politics, Butch can—and should—just walk away. (I don’t see anyone telling Lane Kiffin how to coach.) I am a fan of Butch and glad he is on our team.
It’s early, but I am optimistic about Brooks Williams as he leads BREC. He has served as a city manager in Texas and delivered results. He knows how to make things happen and isn’t afraid of change. He is well prepared for the task and must now be allowed to lead. He’s also paid well, but has a big job with about 1,000 employees and a budget of more than $100 million … and many mountains still left to climb to become a “real gold system.” I have high hopes he will be successful—and then other cities will approach him with more money to leave. That will be a sign we have a winner.
Butch and Brooks are the kind of talent we need at the top to lead East Baton Rouge, and I know they will make an impact. There are openings now at other key positions that are important to our future and will make up our team to join the mayors across EBR. Bold leaders can create a better Baton Rouge.
Electing our leaders
There are a few elections in November, and as voters, you should start learning about the candidates seeking your vote. Who can lead?
District Attorney Hillar Moore was first elected in 2008. He faced no opposition in 2014 or 2020. This year, he is being challenged by attorney Ryan Thompson, who was born in Birmingham, grew up in California and then later moved to Baton Rouge. He currently serves as a section lead in the Office of the Public Defender for East Baton Rouge Parish. He is also the director of the Thompson Justice Institute.
Moore has served as EBR district attorney for 18 years. He is a graduate of LSU and Southern Law School and has been inducted into the Southern Law Center Hall of Fame and the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction.
Moore is a dedicated public servant who works tirelessly to make Baton Rouge safer, despite the lack of necessary resources for our city. He explores innovative ways to address crime and works well with our mayor and other law enforcement officials—all of whom respect him. Crime is a priority in Baton Rouge and I believe we need Moore’s experience for another term.
We all know education is key to our children’s future, and there are seven races—with two members already elected.
There are a few races I am familiar with and believe the incumbent should either stay or go. I believe Emily Soule (District 8) and Nathan Rust (District 6) have done a good job standing tall for kids and deserve reelection.
I also know Carla Powell (District 3), who failed as board president and should not be reelected. I would also warn you about Vereta Lee (District 2), who was voted out four years ago and should not come back.
District 7 is an open seat with three candidates. Only one, Hannah Amoroso, has been deeply involved with our system and has attended many school board meetings. In fact, she brought data on the change in school start times, influencing policy as a citizen. She is a physical therapist, smart, and a mom who believes parents know best for their children. She stands out in this group and is ready to serve.
We love ya, Skip
I believe a person’s legacy is defined by the lives they touched and their positive impact on family, friends, strangers and the community. By that standard, LSU coach Skip Bertman leaves a helluva legacy.
His record, including five national championships, speaks for itself. But his players and LSU fans also speak—and have so much to say about the lasting memories and inspiration he provided for decades.
Thank you, Skipper. Your spirit will always fill Alex Box Stadium as players and fans “hold the rope” in your honor.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bertman family.
Judge Weimer is right
There were two letters to the editor in the Times-Picayune recently whose headlines spoke volumes about most of our Louisiana Supreme Court justices and their disrespect for taxpayers. One read, “Was La. Supreme Court scene of a hostile takeover?” And the other said, “Justice Weimer did the right thing by calling out judicial supplement fund.” These referred to Chief Justice John Weimer’s continued effort to rein in spending by the justices, including expenses claimed by those who live in New Orleans, where the court is located.
The letter from a law professor emeritus describes the justices’ actions toward Weimer as “a hostile takeover.” They didn’t like him getting in between them and their money. But as the second letter from a Baton Rouge attorney points out, he was looking out for the taxpayers.
We should expect the highest standards of ethics from our state Supreme Court. But the continued actions by most members toward Weimer’s efforts for accountability are very disappointing. They just don’t care. We all deserve better.
Another 20-year review
In my last column, I shared my “wish list” from 2002. My reflection prompted a friend to look back and reach out. His voicemail said, “Rolfe, give me a holler when you get a chance, no rush. Just want to follow up. I just got through reading your column this week, and as it turns out, I just got back from three weeks in Durham, North Carolina.
“And it seems like 20 years ago we had our canvas workshop visit to the Triangle—Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area. Twenty years have passed. They’ve moved forward, and we’re stagnant here in Baton Rouge. And with that high-octane leader group going on all those trips, and what do we have to show for it?”
After I got this voicemail, I looked up all the cities the chamber and more than 100 business and community leaders traveled to, and the list is below. There were many nice places and great ideas brought home—so what happened?
Cities visited include Austin, Nashville, Raleigh-Durham, Portland, Richmond, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Orlando-Tampa, Phoenix and Tucson.
Who needs CATS?
Baton Rouge should keep an eye on St. George and its experiment with Uber for transportation. It is innovative, and I applaud St. George Mayor Dustin Yates for thinking differently and exploring the best practices of other cities.
Kyle, Texas, has had a partnership since 2020. CATS spends millions here annually and has many empty buses. We have never explored privatization, though years ago my friend Curtis Heroman proposed inviting Waymo to town. Baton Rouge balked again.
Anniversary congratulations
All the best in the 45th year to Julio and his team at Melara Enterprises who now carry the torch.
To First Tuesday: On Sept 1, First Tuesday celebrated four years of bringing businesses, volunteers and nonprofits together to serve the community. Thanks to all of you.
Since its launch in September 2022, 3,912 volunteers have contributed 24,862 hours of service, creating an estimated $770,000 in community impact.
Hats off to founder Stuart Gilly who said, “Four years ago, we really didn’t know where this would go. We simply believed there was an opportunity to make it easier for businesses and their employees to step away from work and invest a day back into their community.”
