District 2 jury runoff on Saturday

Published 12:00 am Thursday, November 18, 1999

VIDALIA, La. – Voters in Concordia Parish’s District 2 will go to the polls Saturday to pick who will represent them on the parish’s Police Jury for the next four years.

Their choices are four-year incumbent Fred Marsalis and Willie J. Dunbar, a resident of the Concordia Park subdivision who has been vocal about the area’s public works needs.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Throughout Louisiana, people will also vote for the state offices of elections commissioner and insurance commissioner and six constitutional amendments.

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Both Marsalis and Dunbar said they have campaigned hard since an Oct. 23 open primary narrowed the field from five candidates and feel positive about the responses they are getting from the public. Issues like drainage, sewage service and cleaning up dilapidated properties are still top priorities for voters, Marsalis said.

&uot;But people have been complimentary about the job we have done,&uot;&160;he said, noting that Vidalia Canal improvements now being done should help alleviate drainage problems in the areas near Vidalia. &uot;These problems are being addressed, but it takes time.&uot;

&uot;I’m not going to make many campaign promises — only to work with the community and the other jurors to get things done,&uot;&160;Dunbar said. In the past, he has criticized the jury for not doing enough to improve public works, especially in Concordia Park.

Dunbar added that many people have promised him that they will vote this Saturday.

But Registrar of Voters Golda Ensminger said she expects maybe 20 percent of the parish’s 13,458 voters to vote Saturday. District 2 has 1,483 registered voters.

&uot;It might not be that many. Usually, it takes a parishwide office to get people out to the polls,&uot;&160;Ensminger said. She added that 84 people, including 10 District 2 voters, voted absentee Nov. 8-13.