Maurice adds Catalon, Lalande to Board of Aldermen

MAURICE — Troy Catalon and Megan Landry Lalande will now be part of the town of Maurice Board of Aldermen.
During a special meeting on Thursday, the board approved their appointments. The board selected the pair from a group of four candidates that also included Neil Arsement and Matthew Trahan.
The move came after Maurice officially became a town last month. As a result, the board will grow from three members to five to give the newly certified town appropriate representation. Catalon and Lalande will join Alderwoman Phyllis Johnson, Alderman Warren Rost and Alderman Jonathan Schlicher.
“This is a monumental thing for Maurice,” Mayor Wayne Theriot said. “For 110 years, we functioned as a village.
“We transferred over to a town, and now we will have five aldermen to govern the town of Maurice.”
Lalande, a Delcambre native, is a longtime resident of Maurice. Lalande she said Maurice is her family’s home.
“My roots are planted here in Maurice,” she said. “I have chosen Maurice to be my home.”
Lalande has served as Maurice’s representative on the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance board and other civic organizations. In addition, she served as the president of the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce in 2020.
“I am a big proponent of leading by example,” Lalande said. “With the leadership skills I have acquired in my service across Vermilion Parish, I am very eager to use that here in the place I call home.”
Catalon is no stranger to the board. He previously served six years, two filling the seat of his father, Paul Catalon, and a full term.
“I have seen what Maurice was, what it is and have a vision of what it might be in the future,” Catalon said. “My family has long been involved in our community.
“I have the best interest in helping our community prosper.”
Catalon said a focus would be on what has made Maurice prosper on its way to becoming a town.
“People are moving to our area because it is a quiet place to raise a family,” Catalon said. “We have good schools and low crime. It is my sincere wish to keep these elements into the future.”
Catalon is the brother of Alderwoman Johnson. She abstained from voting during the motion to approve Catalon. According to the Louisiana Municipal Association, there is no conflict with the siblings serving on the board at the same time. However, Johnson announced Thursday that she does not plan to seek re-election later this year, citing growing outside obligations.
Maurice will hold its regularly scheduled elections in November. Qualifying will take place July 20-22. All four candidates Thursday said they plan to run for seats in November.
Maurice will send the new appointees’ names to Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s office to become official. Catalon and Lalande will be sworn in before the board’s next meeting on May 18.
“They will be seated and we will proceed with normal business,” Theriot said.