Political Veteran Seeking Re-Election in Richmond County

ARICHAT - Nearly four decades after he was first elected to Richmond Municipal Council, James Goyetche feels he is still getting results for his constituents in District One and hopes to have the opportunity to represent them again after the ballots are counted in this weekend's municipal elections.

Goyetche was first elected in 1982 to serve in the former District Two that took in such communities as Petit de Grat, Samson's Cove, Little Anse, Alderney Point and Cap-Auguet. Following his re-election three years later, Goyetche served as Richmond County's warden from 1985 to 1988, and continued to hold District Two until 2004. 

He ended a 12-year vacancy from municipal politics in 2016 with a victory in the new District One, which added half of the community of Arichat and several outlying areas to his previous district. Today, as Goyetche attempts to fend off three other candidates - including former District Two councilor Rod Samson - in the October 17 municipal vote, he is hoping residents of eastern Isle Madame will judge him on what he describes as a record of progress in the district and in Richmond County as a whole. 

As an example, Goyetche points to the dismantling of the Municipal District Activity Funds that were previously provided to municipal councilors to divide up among community groups and others seeking municipal grants. The council veteran declared that the newly-revised grant program and an overhaul of municipal councilors' expense accounts have taken Richmond far beyond the tumultuous years that saw an expense account scandal disrupting Richmond County's municipal business and even the individual council meetings. 

In addition to Samson, who lost to Goyetche in District Two four years ago, political newcomers Brandon Boudreau and Shawn Samson will be on the ballot when the district's voters go to the polls this coming Saturday.