Editor, The Era-Leader:
This past Friday, I and a crowd of others attended the inauguration of a new mayor for the town of Franklinton and the installation of a board of aldermen.
The mayor, Darwin Sharp, new to the position, is going to have a board composed of three incumbents, Seth Descant, Patrice Crain and TJ Butler, and two new faces, Lee Dillon and Richard Reed.
Mayor Sharp is not new to the people of Washington Parish and the town of Franklinton. He has served in many elected positions throughout our parish and in the town he now administrates.
Mayor Sharp intends to bring unity and a sense of what is the right way of doing things. He said several times in his short acceptance speech how it will be the board of aldermen who will decide how the town will approach projects and how the town is to progress.
Franklinton has quite a list of issues that need attention and a consent decree that will be with the town in the years to come.
Many of these issues were made center stage from the past two audits of the town, that had not been fully addressed by the past administration. IMHO folks, many were simply ignored and allowed to continue.
In his last two town meetings that he presided, out-going Mayor Greg Route ended them on bitter notes of blame and retaliatory accusations. Sadly, that is how many will remember his time in office. Along with the chaos, miscommunication, and controversy at which his administration seemed to excel, he leaves behind a town that will have to repair its finances and its reputation as to how it does business.
Mayor Sharp is going to have to fix some things before he can tackle some of the pressing issues the town is facing. He can do it. But, he is not going to do it alone, as he stated, the board of alderman's approval will be required to get things accomplished.
This won't be an administration of , “I will make my decisions on what I think is the best for me.” That is a quote from Mayor Route's council meeting of 01/12/2021.
It will be up to Seth Descant, Patrice Crain, and TJ Butler to mentor the new arrivals into the workings of the town. It will be up to Mr Reed and Mr Dillon to absorb their teachings and advice and apply it appropriately.
I encourage the citizens of the town to attend council meetings. It is in your interest to be involved with the government of your town.
Your elected representatives can only do their jobs better if they hear from the people that voted them into office.
Ben M Sarro
Franklinton
