By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Judging by some of the new faces who will take their seats on the Slidell City Council after July 1, the future looks very bright for the city.
Trey Brownfield and Megan Haggerty will be two of the four new members on the City Council when their first term in public office begins, and the pair of young officials couldn’t show more enthusiasm about their plans to help lead the city.
Brownfield, only 31, is reportedly the youngest person elected to the Slidell City Council in history, while Haggerty, 41, is almost as youthful to have won a seat in the Saturday elections.
Not only did the pair win their respective council races, but both were victorious in dominating fashion that was reflective of the passion and work they put in trying to become council members.
Brownfield took on a 20-year council incumbent in District ‘F,’ and in the early days of the campaign although there were some experienced political observers who questioned if he had much of a chance to win.
But from the outset, Brownfield was everywhere, not just personally campaigning, but spending plenty of his own money in a way few council members had done in the past. Not only did his hard work and smaller bank account pay off in a victory, but the final numbers were stunning as he garnered 76 percent of the vote in a district that the former council member had owned for years.
Haggerty was just as impressive, winning with 78 percent of the vote in District ‘C’ although it was also her first attempt to run for public office.
The thing both candidates have in common is the excitement they display for becoming city officials, with an opportunity to play a part in molding the future of Slidell.
“I have always had a passion for Slidell. I love our city and want to do anything possible to make it better,” said Haggerty, a married lifelong resident with five children who holds a Political Science degree.
For that matter, Haggerty’s willingness to be involved in government actually surfaced when she was eight years old and lived in Eden Isles, where she petitioned the Parish Council to create a park there.
“I knew I wanted to run for public office at some point. It’s always been a great interest to me,” said Haggerty. “So where else would be better than to start in Slidell on the City Council?”
Haggerty said she knocked on every door in her district, trying to talk to all the residents there.
“People really care about the issues in our city. I heard it a lot and even though I don’t consider myself a politician, I am excited to help solve whatever problems we might have,” she said.
Haggerty noted a couple of issues that most neighborhoods have, particularly the ongoing flooding issues in Bon Village, and speeding through local neighborhoods.
Brownfield said he was “shocked” to receive 76 percent of the vote, but acknowledged that the hard work he and his team put forth gave him optimism for a victory, despite the early skeptics.
“I felt good about our chances considering how much we worked and got our message out,” he remarked. “I knocked on over 1,000 doors in my district so I heard what people wanted, and I think they saw I was ready to change things for the better.”
Brownfield said he plans to hold a monthly meeting for constituents, either with morning coffee gatherings or afternoon events at restaurants in his district.
“I want to hear what people care about,” he said. “I’ve already gotten updated on all the district projects and will meet with the police chief. I’m hitting the ground running.”
Brownfield was previously the director for Keep Slidell Beautiful, which should give him a jump on the other new council members since he is familiar with the city operation.
“I dealt with most of the department heads, so I know what the process is to get things done,” he said. “That should help me start fast.
“Bottom line is that I want to keep the energy going at the same level we had in the campaign,” he added.
Both candidates said they will be attending every council meeting from now until inauguration day so they can be educated on the city issues before taking office.