Carroll E. Lanier
Encyclopedia
Carroll Edwin Lanier is a former Democratic
mayor
of Alexandria
, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana. Lanier served a special 5.5-year term from June 1977 to December 1982. He was the first mayor under the current mayor-council
form of municipal government
, which in 1977 replaced the former three-member commission
system. The initial term under the new charter was extended by a year-and-a-half to coincide with the regular 1982 elections.
Lanier is an Alexandria native and a graduate of Bolton High School
. He is also a former Alexandria finance and utilities commissioner, having been elected in 1969, when he unseated the long-term incumbent
, fellow Democrat Leroy Wilson (1905–1978). In 1973, however, as consumer electric bills cllimbed, voters replaced Lanier with businessman and attorney
Arnold Jack Rosenthal
(1923–2010), a Democrat who had vowed to bring down the utility rates. Alexandria is one of some fourteen Louisiana cities in which the municipal government owns and operates the utility systems. The citiies derive a portion of their operations funds from profit in the sale of utilities. Rosenthal was unable to enact major reductions because of steady increases in the fuel adjustment rate brought about by hikes in natural gas
prices. The gas is used to produce electricity.
In 1977, Lanier scored a political comeback, not for utilities commissioner, for that position had been abolished. Instead, he ran for mayor in a multi-candidate jungle primary
. He forced controversial Mayor John K. Snyder
into a runoff, called the general election
in Louisiana. Eliminated in the primary were Champ Leroy Baker (1919–1985), a planning and development official and a favorite of military veterans; Judith Ward-Steinman Karst, Ph.D.
, then wife of former Mayor C. Edward Karst
, and outgoing Commissioner Rosenthal. In the second balloting, Lanier topped Snyder, 8,420 (68 percent) to 3,934 ballots (32 percent).
As mayor, Lanier retained the outgoing Streets and Parks Commissioner Malcolm P. Hebert as the head of the new Department of Public Works. Hebert, a registered mechanical engineer, was considered particularly skillful in that particular area of municipal operations. It had also been Hebert who in 1974 hired Alexandria's award-winning zookeeper
, Les Whitt
. Lanier also pleased business by attempting to move the city forward economically. He hired Ray R. Allen
, the secretary-treasurer since 1963 who had been dismissed by Snyder in the waning days of that administration, as the new finance director under the mayor-council government.
In time, however, voters again soured on Lanier. Economic difficulties dominated local, state, and national news in 1982, and Alexandria was hard-hit by the slump. Faced with declining city revenues, utility rates crept upward again. Lanier imposed a hiring freeze on new city employees. He further ordered the 923 city employees to work only thirty-two hours per week, instead of the customary forty hours, with a one-fifth cut in gross pay. The proposed work reduction was, however, struck down as an abuse of mayoral authority by Ninth Judicial District Judge William Polk. Lanier particularly angered sanitation
workers when he declared that they were working at too slow of a pace. He threated them with privatization
unless their overall efficiency improved. He also declared that a long-anticipated downtown hotel
and civic center deal was dead in the water.
Still, Lanier, in seeking reelection, urged constituents to be patient regarding utility rates because the city had signed an agreement with the Central Louisiana Electric Company to purchase coal
-fired power from the new Rodemacher power facility. Voters, however, rallied once more behind Snyder, who unseated Lanier, much to the consternation of the Alexandria business establishment who feared the former mayor's erratic ways.
Lanier ran once more for mayor in 1986, when Snyder declined to seek a third nonconsecutive term, but he polled only 912 votes (5 percent). The position went instead to former State Senator
Edward Gordon "Ned" Randolph, Jr.
, who held it for a record twenty years.
Lanier is a retired electrical contractor. He and his wife, Winifred C. Lanier (born February 26, 1930), reside at 1303 Charlton Street in Alexandria. They have a daughter, Theresa Louise Lanier (born 1961). Their son was killed in an accident in the middle 1970s.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana. Lanier served a special 5.5-year term from June 1977 to December 1982. He was the first mayor under the current mayor-council
Mayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
form of municipal government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, which in 1977 replaced the former three-member commission
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
system. The initial term under the new charter was extended by a year-and-a-half to coincide with the regular 1982 elections.
Lanier is an Alexandria native and a graduate of Bolton High School
Bolton High School (Louisiana)
Bolton High School is a secondary educational institution located in the Garden District of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana. The school is named for its benefactor, James W...
. He is also a former Alexandria finance and utilities commissioner, having been elected in 1969, when he unseated the long-term incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
, fellow Democrat Leroy Wilson (1905–1978). In 1973, however, as consumer electric bills cllimbed, voters replaced Lanier with businessman and attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Arnold Jack Rosenthal
Arnold Jack Rosenthal
Arnold Jack Rosenthal was an attorney and businessman from Alexandria, Louisiana, who from 1973 to 1977 was his city's last elected municipal commissioner of finance and utilities.-Family and educational background:...
(1923–2010), a Democrat who had vowed to bring down the utility rates. Alexandria is one of some fourteen Louisiana cities in which the municipal government owns and operates the utility systems. The citiies derive a portion of their operations funds from profit in the sale of utilities. Rosenthal was unable to enact major reductions because of steady increases in the fuel adjustment rate brought about by hikes in natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
prices. The gas is used to produce electricity.
In 1977, Lanier scored a political comeback, not for utilities commissioner, for that position had been abolished. Instead, he ran for mayor in a multi-candidate jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
. He forced controversial Mayor John K. Snyder
John K. Snyder
John Kenneth Snyder, Sr., sometimes known as Tillie Snyder , was a colorful, outspoken Democratic mayor of Alexandria, Louisiana, from 1973–1977 and again from 1982-1986....
into a runoff, called the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
in Louisiana. Eliminated in the primary were Champ Leroy Baker (1919–1985), a planning and development official and a favorite of military veterans; Judith Ward-Steinman Karst, Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, then wife of former Mayor C. Edward Karst
Ed Karst
Charles Edward "Ed" Karst was an attorney and politician remembered for his controversial tenure as the mayor of Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana...
, and outgoing Commissioner Rosenthal. In the second balloting, Lanier topped Snyder, 8,420 (68 percent) to 3,934 ballots (32 percent).
As mayor, Lanier retained the outgoing Streets and Parks Commissioner Malcolm P. Hebert as the head of the new Department of Public Works. Hebert, a registered mechanical engineer, was considered particularly skillful in that particular area of municipal operations. It had also been Hebert who in 1974 hired Alexandria's award-winning zookeeper
Zookeeper
A zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems...
, Les Whitt
Les Whitt
Robert Leslie Whitt, known as Les Whitt , was the award-winning director of Alexandria Zoological Park in Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish and the largest city in Central Louisiana, having served from 1974 until his death from heart complications only six days prior to what would have been...
. Lanier also pleased business by attempting to move the city forward economically. He hired Ray R. Allen
Ray R. Allen
Ray Robert Allen was a municipal public official and banker in Alexandria, Louisiana, who served in 1977 as secretary-treasurer and then finance director when his city converted from the commissioner to the mayor-council form of government.-Background:Allen was born in Yell County near Danville in...
, the secretary-treasurer since 1963 who had been dismissed by Snyder in the waning days of that administration, as the new finance director under the mayor-council government.
In time, however, voters again soured on Lanier. Economic difficulties dominated local, state, and national news in 1982, and Alexandria was hard-hit by the slump. Faced with declining city revenues, utility rates crept upward again. Lanier imposed a hiring freeze on new city employees. He further ordered the 923 city employees to work only thirty-two hours per week, instead of the customary forty hours, with a one-fifth cut in gross pay. The proposed work reduction was, however, struck down as an abuse of mayoral authority by Ninth Judicial District Judge William Polk. Lanier particularly angered sanitation
Sanitation
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
workers when he declared that they were working at too slow of a pace. He threated them with privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
unless their overall efficiency improved. He also declared that a long-anticipated downtown hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and civic center deal was dead in the water.
Still, Lanier, in seeking reelection, urged constituents to be patient regarding utility rates because the city had signed an agreement with the Central Louisiana Electric Company to purchase coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
-fired power from the new Rodemacher power facility. Voters, however, rallied once more behind Snyder, who unseated Lanier, much to the consternation of the Alexandria business establishment who feared the former mayor's erratic ways.
Lanier ran once more for mayor in 1986, when Snyder declined to seek a third nonconsecutive term, but he polled only 912 votes (5 percent). The position went instead to former State Senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Edward Gordon "Ned" Randolph, Jr.
Ned Randolph
Edward Gordon "Ned" Randolph, Jr. , is a veteran Democratic politician who served as the mayor of Alexandria in central Louisiana from 1986 to 2006. Randolph was also a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1976 and the Louisiana State Senate from 1976 to 1984...
, who held it for a record twenty years.
Lanier is a retired electrical contractor. He and his wife, Winifred C. Lanier (born February 26, 1930), reside at 1303 Charlton Street in Alexandria. They have a daughter, Theresa Louise Lanier (born 1961). Their son was killed in an accident in the middle 1970s.