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Mark Piazza has spent the past 32 years, half his life, serving the city of Abbeville.
For the past 20 years, that service has come with the title of mayor. Piazza will wrap up an Abbeville record five terms as mayor when his retirement becomes official later this week. Abbeville will swear in a new administration on Thursday.
Piazza provided a farewell speech during his final city council meeting on June 21.
“Since 1990, for the past 32 years, I’ve had the distinct privilege of serving the City of Abbeville and having a seat at this table,” Piazza said.
That table has included many people as well as different seats. Prior to becoming mayor, Piazza represented District A on the council.
“I’ve served alongside five different chiefs of police and 13 different city councilmen,” Piazza said. “I served as Abbeville City Councilman in District A under Mayor Brady Broussard for 12 of those years. Alongside Mayor Brady and the city council, many great things happened.”
Among the things that happed during Piazza’s first 12 years in politics included:
• the Magdalen Square Gazebo was built
• the Abbeville Christmas Light & Christmas Stroll was started
• the Airport Helipad was built
• the Louisiana Military Hall of Fame Museum began
• the Fruit of the Loom Company was brought to Abbeville
“That is along with several baseball World Series, regional and statewide tournaments, just to name a few,” Piazza added.
In ’02, Piazza ran for and won his first election as mayor.
“The new administration got off to an extremely difficult start by being annihilated by Hurricane Lili after being in office for only three months,” Piazza said.
While not ideal, it helped prepare Piazza for the forces nature would bring during the ensuing two decades.
“Since (Lili), we’ve been involved in one way or another in 17 major hurricanes, 22 tropical storms, and the flood of 2016, the worst in 76 years,” Piazza said.
The past two-plus years brought something else for which a playbook didn’t exist.
“Administrating during a pandemic was a real challenge,” Piazza said of the COVID-19 pandemic that took hold in March of ‘20. “It was real challenge to keep city services going, when everything is shut down. People couldn’t work together and were scared to go outside. People couldn’t be in a vehicle together. Our offices were closed. It was very challenging.
“The past few years, really since ’16, it has been very difficult with a lot of challenging times.”
Like his time of the council, Piazza’s 20 years as mayor have featured plenty of positives.
To name a few on the list:
• the building of a new Police Station and a new Fire Station,
• a State-of-the-Art Airport Terminal, which won Abbeville the LMA State Community Achievement Award for Economic Development
• 3 new city parks
• 2 new electrical substations
• a flood-prevention pond
• 2 museums and a downtown Welcome Center with outdoor public rest rooms
• new sidewalks that are accessible to people with disabilities
• a Skate Park and Splash Pad
• a new Event Center, a Walking Trail, a Fishing Pond and Dog Park, new Tennis Courts
• the elevation of McKinley Scott Park Pavilion
“We have new turf baseball fields as well as a neighborhood community garden,” Piazza said. “Our water and wastewater systems have been improved and upgraded numerous times through millions of dollars in CDBG Grant Funds. Generators have been installed at every public building, including the water plant, sewer plant and numerous sewer lift stations, to go along with these infrastructure improvements.”
In fact, more than $10 million in grants, including many through the Louisiana Community Development Block Grant, have been received by the city during Piazza’s time as mayor.
Electrical rates also have decreased.
“We have lowered the cost of electricity four times,” Piazza said, “through tough negotiations on contracts with different electrical providers. In ’05, our electrical cost to the city was 9.8 cents a kilowatt hour. Today, it is less than 6 cents.”
In all, city finances are in good shape as Piazza prepares to step away.
“The city is probably in better financial shape than it has been in years,” Piazza said. “Some of that has to do with federal funds. At this time, our current cash balance is $7.7 million. In ’02, it was $4 million.”
Sales tax revenues have more than doubled, going from $2.4 million in Piazza’s first year as mayor to $5.98 million last year.
“That does included the half-cent sales tax we passed (in ’19),” Piazza said. “If you take that away, its still around $4 million, almost double.”
Having people visit Abbeville has helped revenues. In the past 20 years, numerous events have formed to help bring countless visitors to the city. That includes the Daylily Festival and Garden Show, the Sicilian Festival, which takes place at the Sam Guarino Blacksmith Shop Museum, Sounds on the Square, the Cake and Ice Cream Festival, the Farmer’s Market and Christmas festivities.
Piazza stressed that all of the accomplishments previously listed are not a result of anything that he did alone.
“It’s an administration,” Piazza said. “I didn’t do it by myself. I had a great council to work with the whole time I was mayor. A lot of these ideas came from them. No matter what it is, it has to come through this office and be budgeted and organized.
“We all worked well together to make all of this happen.”
On Tuesday, the council provided a thank you to Piazza. Councilman Francis Touchet Jr., with whom Piazza has worked during his entire 20 years as mayor, read a proclamation and presented Piazza with a plaque.
“When I came on, Mark and I had some differences about how we felt on different things,” Touchet said. “I will tell you this, we have come to work together over the years. More importantly, I can say I have a friend in Mark.”
Councilwoman and Mayor-elect Roslyn White said she has learned so much working with Piazza.
“You have taught me a lot in my first four years on the council,” White told Piazza. “Thank you for being so supportive of my desire to run. It’s huge shoes to fill, but I plan to work on it.
“Thank you for always being there and guiding us.”
Piazza said he is certain the city is in good hands with the incoming administration.
“I believe it will be a smooth transition,” Piazza said. “We have met several times over the past couple of months. She has asked a lot of questions. We have gone over a lot of issues and she is caught up on all the current projects. She is very familiar with ordinances and the funding process as well as the budget.
“I am confident the transition will be smooth.”
Piazza has spent the past few weeks cleaning out his office to get ready for that official transition. On Wednesday afternoon, as Piazza reflected on his time in the office, some of the few items that remained were certificates recognizing appointments to numerous statewide boards. It is those appointments that are among Piazza’s proudest personal moments. Bobby Jindal originally appointed Piazza to the Governor’s Advisory Board for Coastal Restoration and Protection, a board to which Piazza was re-appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards. Jindal also appointed Piazza to the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL).
“Those are two appointments that I am very, very proud of,” Piazza said.
He has also served on the Louisiana Energy and Power Authority (LEPA) board, at one time serving as chairman. For the past eight years, he held a spot on the Louisianan Municipal Association (LMA), an appointment that had to come from eight different mayors in each of those years.
“That has meant a lot coming from my peers,” Piazza said. “That is something else that I am really proud of.”
In the end, Piazza has been proud to serve Abbeville and its citizens.
“I have had a great 20 years,” Piazza said of being mayor. “Serving the public was an honor. Representing our city in all of my travels has truly been an honor.”

Francis Plaisance will admit that he did not have a complete understanding of the inner workings of local government when he first joined the Abbeville City Council in 2006.
“All I thought you did was flip a switch and the lights came on,” Plaisance said with a laugh.
Next week, he will leave with a much better understanding, and an even greater appreciation.
Plaisance attended his final meeting as councilman at large on Tuesday. He has served in that capacity for four consecutive terms. With Abbeville set to swear in a new administration and council next Thursday, Plaisance took the opportunity to reflect on the past 16 years, 12 of which included serving as mayor pro-tem.
“Serving as Councilman at Large has been a rewarding experience that I will cherish always,” Plaisance said. “At City Hall, there were many challenges that we faced, especially during hurricane season, and we faced them together.”
Teamwork also paved the way for employee raises in ’06 and ’19, Plaisance said, as well as the negotiation of an electrical contract that has helped save citizens money.
“Abbeville’s utility rates are not increasing, as they are in surrounding areas, due to a contract, negotiated by me and Councilman (Brady) Broussard Jr., with our electrical provider,” Plaisance said. “The current rate is based on the cost of natural gas, which has risen recently to as high as $9, but our negotiated rate is “locked in” at $1.37 until May 31, 2024.”
While it is not under the city’s umbrella, Plaisance has used his 25 years with the Louisiana Cattle Festival, including the past 20 as president, to promote Abbeville.
“It has given me the opportunity for promoting tourism for our city,” Plaisance said. “Through the festival, we have been able to host many celebrities and dignitaries throughout the years, focusing on our beautiful city and its unique culture and hospitality.”
Plasiance said he is also proud of his role in the creation of the Cake & Ice Cream Festival as well as the “Bobby Charles” sign that welcomes people to the city on U.S. Hwy. 167.
“As Councilman at Large, my greatest personal achievement,” Plaisance said,
“with the help of Mayor (Mark) Piazza and City Council members, is the 11-year creation of Lafitte Drive-In Park, a beautiful family park with fishing, walking trail, picnic tables, barbecue pits, benches and many more possibilities. The upcoming fishing pier with a gazebo (handicap accessible) is part of a $400,000 grant that I helped to secure. (Main Street Manager)Charlene Beckett also obtained park grants for exercise stations along the trail, and, most recently, trash cans.
“Now, moving forward, I offer my services as a volunteer to oversee Lafitte Park’s operations each day.”
On Tuesday, the council honored Plaisance with a proclamation and plaque for his years of service on the council. Councilman Francis Touchet Jr., with whom Plaisance has worked for 16 years, made the presentation.
“We would like to thank you for everything you have done for the city of Abbeville,” Touchet said. “Councilman Plaisance, we have worked together over these times. We have had some good times and we have had some times where we have been on opposite ends. If there is one thing I know about Councilman Plaisance, when he put his mind to something, he was straight on and did what he had to do for his constituents and those projects that he was involved in.”
Plaisance ran for mayor of Abbeville in March, something he said had been a long-time goal. While he came up short, Plaisance said he wishes all the best to the Mayor-elect Roslyn White and the new council.
Plaisance said, “I thank God, the citizens of Abbeville, the Mayor, the City Council, city employees, and my family for the privilege of serving for 16 years, in the city that we love so much.
“I wish the best for the new administration.”

In this Together

NVMS Jr. Dreams recently attended Universal Dance Associations’ traditional camp at UL Lafayette. With majority of the team being new dancers, Coaches Kenedi LaPointe and Shamayne Istre agreed to begin building a positive mindset. Each morning the girls were greeted with an affirmation for the day. Girls set standards and goals that they wanted to achieve together. After choosing big sis/ little sis, each girl was teamed up with someone to encourage and inspire them. The whole team with determination and hard work achieved the highest awards. The team would like to thank their parents for encouraging their dreams, NVMS administration for being supportive, and coaches for believing in them.

Junior High Home Routine - First Place

Overall Superior Trophy

Performance Routine Hip Hop IV - Superior Ribbon and the Full Out Award
All blue ribbons for each evaluation

Spirit Award

All 8th Graders were chosen as All Americans: Mia Russo, Payton Rider, Gabrielle Leonard, and Blake Landry

Liz Touchet was involved in her husband Wayne’s political life for 18 years as he served on the Vermilion Parish Police Jury.
She will continue that work as the first female to serve on the police jury after being appointed to fill the District 5 vacancy left on the board by his death on June 15. The VPPJ voted unanimously to appoint her to fill the remaining 17 months of his term at a special meeting held Tuesday in the police jury room at the Vermilion Parish Courthouse in Abbeville.
Touchet displayed a photo of her late husband while addressing the police jury. Many family members and friends filled the public seating space in the police jury room for Tuesday’s meeting.
“Thank you all so much,” she said. “Thank you to our family and friends, especially to the police jury members and the staff who had Wayne, and I’s back at every turn, even these last two difficult years.
“We know he had a passion for service and was trying to take care of District 5 even on his lowest days. He would tell me what to say, who to call, and how to handle some of the issues. He was so upset when he missed his third meeting in a row. He knew he had never done that before and didn’t want the public to think he wasn’t working.”
She said she calmed him down and told him she would read him the minutes of the meeting when they got them, and he seemed to be satisfied with that.
Ronald Darby, who has served for 18 years on the Vermilion Parish Police Jury in District 4, which abuts District 5, nominated Liz Touchet to serve the remainder of her husband’s term in office.
Mark Poché, who serves as the District 6 police juror, said he looks forward to working alongside Liz Touchet.
“When Wayne first got sick, about six months ago, he called me, and he asked me to do this for him,” Poché said. “He said, ‘in the event, something happens, I want you to be the guy to bring Liz on board.’ It’s very unusual to get that call, and I was honored to be the person to get that call.
“I’ve been sitting on the side of Wayne for 18 years, and I’m excited to have you sitting on the side. We’ve had a lot of discussions. Me and Wayne would get fussed at a lot because we were the ones that would talk in the meetings.”
“Without recognition,” another juror offered.
Touchet often shared photos and stories of his family life with Poché, the District 6 juror said.
“So I’m honored to have you here until this election comes up next year,” Poché said to Liz Touchet. “I have some jurors that say I can’t stay sitting alongside of you because there were things I did to Wayne in the meetings that I can’t do to you, but I’m still very happy to have you here, and welcome aboard.”
Liz Touchet said she spoke with her husband several times about her being appointed to his seat, saying she would laugh and say, “‘They’re never going to do it.’ And he would say, ‘Yes, they will. You can do the job, and you will. God knows you had enough training listening to me on the phone and in my actions of how I handled things.’ So he would shake his head and he would say, ‘That’s enough, you can do it.’ Because Wayne would always say, ‘That’s enough, Liz. I’ll be watching you.’
So it is with great pride and humbleness that I accept the position of District 5 police juror to finish filling out Wayne’s term on the jury. I know I will have help along the way as you guys are the best, and you guys are our second family. Please don’t ever stop saying, ‘Well, Wayne did it this way.’ Thank y’all.”
Darby said he had been friends with Liz and Wayne Touchet for a long time, and that the two were there for Darby when his wife passed away, visiting and taking care of his kids.
“I just want to appreciate you, and I’ll be honored, you being the first woman in the history of Vermilion Parish to be called a juror here, and I’ll be honored to serve with you,” he said.
Liz Touchet tearfully thanked Darby and the other police jurors.
After the meeting, she said she had talked to her husband for many months about possibly having to serve out his term.
“When he talked to me about it, I told him I would try my best, and he said ‘Well, you should know what I’m doing. We’ve been doing it for 18 years,’” she said. “And I told him, yes, and I think I could handle it. I didn’t believe they would put me in, but I’m very proud to serve and honor him.”
She also said she’s very proud to be the first woman to serve on the parish police jury.
“We didn’t know that this is how it would end up, but I will do my best to honor District 5 and do what Wayne wanted me to do,” she said. “It’s bittersweet, but I’ve learned a lot in the last 18 years with him, so I think I can do a good job. I know I can.”
Parish legal counsel Paul Moresi III told the police jury that under state election code, when a vacancy occurs under a parish authority such as a police jury or parish council, the parish government has 20 days to fill that vacancy with someone who meets the qualifications for that office. If not filled in 20 days, July 5 in this case, the governor has the right to fill the vacancy.
Because the next police jury meeting was not scheduled until July 20 — more than a month after the seat became vacant — the police jury called the special meeting. Moresi said he would make sure that the proper paperwork was sent to the secretary of state by July 5 to let the state know the vacancy had been filled.
Moresi said he and police jury president Jason Picard weren’t sure if a special election would have to be called to fill the remainder of the term, but research into the election code and a letter to the secretary of state clarified the issue.
“The next primary election for District 5 would occur in October of 2023,” Moresi said. “That’s less than 18 months from the vacancy. As a result, the law specifically says that no special election will be called, and the appointee, Liz, will serve the remainder of the term in office.”