Chauffe begins term as LMA president

A familiar face to Iberville Parish will now be at the forefront of state municipal affairs.

Longtime Grosse Tete Mayor Mike Chauffe began a one-year term as president of the Louisiana Municipal Association.

He assumed the post Saturday during the annual 2021 LMA Convention, which was held in Baton Rouge.

“I look forward to an exciting and busy year,” he said. “I will continue to move the LMA in a proactive role to serve the municipalities of the great state of Louisiana.”

Chauffe is no stranger to municipal government. He was elected to the Grosse Tete Board of Aldermen in 1988.

He is now in his fifth term as mayor.

Chauffe has overseen improvements to roads, sewer, and drainage during his time in office.

In 2019, he began one of his biggest projects as mayor when he formed a partnership with STAR Communications to secure $15.525 million in grants and loans to upgrade and create new fiberoptic lines within the Grosse Tete community and many other surrounding rural communities.

The funded service areas included 2,609 households 13 educational facilities, two healthcare centers and eight critical community facilities over 136 square miles.

“During the application process, we thought we had an idea of how much we needed this Reconnect Project in our area,” Chauffe said in 2020. “In these uncertain times of COVID-19, it is very clear how important broadband is to many people in our community that are now being required to work from home and/or have children in virtual school settings.”