ST. GEORGE - Early voting starts this weekend for the March 29 election that will see St. George pick its first council. Ahead of the election, WBRZ spoke to the candidates, including the set below, from which two at-large council members will be selected.

Jim Talbot

Jim Talbot has a long history with St. George. He says the city's rise came out of a failure in the East Baton Rouge public school system, and he watched it unfold as he served on the EBR School Board in the 1980s.

“In my heart and my mind, I want better for the children of St. George.” “We can do better, and we will do better.”

Talbot, a long-time businessman, says that since the early days, the focus has moved away from standing on the side of the street with signs and signing petitions. When the pay for council members was announced, Talbot says he was a little upset by it. He says he believes in less taxes, less waste, and less intrusion of government.

“I don’t want to be paid for this job,” Talbot said. “I want to build a city that we’re proud of. We dreamed about this for years and years.”

He says after 14 years of working for free, he doesn’t want to be paid, “I can go another four years.”

“My job is solely to build the city of St. George.”

David Dellucci

David Dellucci, a former major league baseball player turned sports commentator, now wants to add city-council member to his resume. Dellucci has lived in the St. George area for 34 years, and he wants his kids to also stay in the new city.

“It’s a start-up. I don’t think anyone is prepared for the start-up of a city,” Delucci said. “If the environment is set to succeed and we can attract families and we can attract businesses but protect what’s already there, I think we will be successful.”

Dellucci is interested in working alongside East Baton Rouge Mayor-President “Coach” Sid Edwards, who Dellucci says mentored him in high school, to make the entire parish better. Part of that plan is improving parks and recreation in the St. George area, especially to benefit the children growing up in the city.

“The future of St. George protects what we have and attracts others,” Dellucci said. “I don’t want St. George to be the best in the parish. I want it to be the best in the state and the best in the country.”

William "Bill" Johannessen

William “Bill” Johannessen served in the church, was a 9-year veteran of the national guard, and says he’s served his community for decades. He previously served on the East Baton Rouge Parish Municipal Fure and Police Civil Service Board.
Johannesen says that after years of fighting for it, the new St. George area school system will be created sooner rather than later.

“I think the state of the East Baton Rouge school system is such that a St. George school system would actually be a benefit to the EBR school system,” Johannessen said.

“They are continually bleeding students. They’re going to have to close schools,” and Johannessen says he wants a better environment for the children in the city.

Shuann Wyche

Shaunn Wyche, a Navy veteran with 20 years of management experience, regularly attends St. George City Council meetings. Wyche says government processes haven’t been followed correctly as the city has formed.

“The things that I disagree with is things that don’t make sense to me like not having an intergovernmental agreement, not an having effective budget,” Wyche says. If you don’t have those things, there’s no transparency, and nobody can be held accountable.

Wyche, who wasn’t a part of the initial process of creating the city, says he was taken off-guard when the supreme court allowed everything to move forward, and he had ot catch up. During meetings, he’s asked questions to become better informed.

“I want to change the narrative that if you weren’t at the golf event and signing petitions, then you don’t get a say in St. George,” Wyche said. “I came in. I spent my money. I bought my house. I pay my taxes. I participate in my community. So

I have every right to have a say in how St. George is run and how it’s going to grow.”

Scott Emonet is also running for the at-large seat. He was not available at the time interviews were scheduled.

Previously, WBRZ also sat down with the District 4 councilmember candidates.