Two-term Councilman Don Bertrand, a south Lafayette Republican who has served capably on the City-Parish Council, tells The Independent he doesn’t plan to seek a third term in the October election.
“We’ve done a lot of soul searching and a lot of thinking about the future for us, and so I’ve come to that decision,” Bertrand tells The Ind, referring to himself and his wife, Camille Domingue Bertrand, whom he married last October.
Bertrand cites a number of reasons — being defeated by one of the two candidates who have announced in District 7 is not among them — for choosing to step away from elected office.
“A lot of it hinged on some health issues I dealt with last year,” he acknowledges. Bertrand also said that he and Camille have been “operating out of two different domiciles” since they were married — Bertrand maintains an apartment in District 7, but Camille owns a home outside the district, and the pair is house hunting in yet another district: “We’ll probably end up being in District 6, so I won’t be in 7 anymore,” he adds.
“One of the things I decided I needed to do was reduce some of my stress,” Bertrand tell us. “And so I am going to eliminate some things in my life after I finish my term, although I still want to be involved in my community and plan to be, and still be involved in the things that are important to me.”