Gov't
Dave Freneaux Running for Mayor: Pledges “Stronger Voice” for the People of Central
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CENTRAL, La. – Successful business owner, CPA and newspaper founder Dave Freneaux has announced he will run for Mayor of the City of Central in the April 5, 2014 election, pledging to give the people of Central a stronger voice in decisions that affect their lives.
“If Central elects me as their next Mayor, I will hold regular town hall meetings in each area of the city throughout my term to give the citizens a greater opportunity to have their concerns heard,” Freneaux said. “I will also fully support City Council elections in five districts, giving each area of the city the opportunity to elect a local council member who can be a voice for that area. This form of government will give the people of Central better representation without bigger government.”
Freneaux said he has created a campaign website and Facebook page to discuss issues and to allow citizens to get involved and stay current with the progress of his campaign. The addresses are Facebook.com/DaveForCentral or www.DaveForCentral.com.
Freneaux is a lifelong Republican who, in 1991, founded the family logistics business that currently operates as Total Delivery & Logistics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. He also is the founder of Central Speaks, a weekly home-delivered newspaper and daily electronic news service, which started up five years ago. Central Speaks currently has a newspaper circulation of 12,000 and an online readership of many thousands more.
Freneaux and his college sweetheart, Mia, have enjoyed 31 years of marriage. Mia is an artist and the founder and president of the Art League of Central. She taught art and music for six years at the former Starkey Academy. Dave and Mia are 28-year members of Blackwater United Methodist Church, where they are marriage mentors. They also worked as volunteers with youth and young adults for over 25 years.
Dave and Mia have two daughters – Beth Freneaux Fussell and Michelle Freneaux, who are both graduates of Central High School and LSU. Beth is the owner and editor of Central Speaks, and Michelle is a teacher at Central Middle School and founder and director of the Central Community Chorus. Their son-in-law, J.T. Fussell, is a chemical engineer with Electrochemical Materials.
Dave has been active in Central-area organizations for many years. He began the Central Cultural Foundation, he is the publicity chair for the Cooking in Central organization, and he served as a member of the Central Community School System’s Citizens’ Committee to Build the New School Complex. His companies have been long-time corporate sponsors of Central High School Athletics, and he is active in the City of Central Chamber of Commerce, City of Central Republican Coalition and the Republican Women of Central. Dave actively supported the incorporation of Central and the formation of the Central School System. He is a strong advocate of the Second Amendment, which protects a citizen’s right to bear arms.
Dave attended the University of Virginia and Louisiana State University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting in 1986 and receiving his Certified Public Accountant designation in 1989.
Central’s current mayor, Mac Watts, recently announced he would not seek re-election to a third term. Watts was appointed to the post in 2005 by then Gov. Kathleen Blanco to manage the city during its startup, and then he was elected to two consecutive four-year terms.
“I have enjoyed reporting and writing on the workings of city government – getting to know the issues, getting to know more of our city’s people, and getting to see and hear their concerns for Central. I want to take that understanding and put it to work for the people of Central as their mayor,” Dave said.
“I believe my strong background in fiscal management, my success as a business owner and entrepreneur, and my ability to bring people together make me uniquely qualified to be the next mayor of the City of Central,” he said. “I look forward to meeting with the voters of Central in the coming days, sharing with them my ideas and hearing theirs. Together, I believe we can make a positive difference for everyone in Central.”
Dave’s grandparents, B.B. Forman and Florence Treen Forman, first homesteaded along the banks of the Comite River in the rural community of Central in 1922. He said he learned about politics and the importance of being informed and getting involved at an early age, especially from his grandmother, whose family produced the state’s first elected Republican governor since Reconstruction – Gov. Dave Treen.
Dave’s parents are Chuck and the late Evelyn Forman Freneaux of Central. His father worked with the U.S. Veteran’s Administration, and their family moved about the country throughout his tenure, allowing Dave the opportunity to see and learn many things about the country. Nonetheless, Dave spent his summers with his grandparents in Central, and he returned to Central during college, transferring from the University of Virginia to LSU, to care for his elderly grandfather at that time.
“In my heart I never left,” he said. “It was my family’s home, and I knew this was the place for me. All these years later, it’s amazing to see how this community has worked together to accomplish so much. I am excited about the opportunity to serve the people of Central and to work with them to move our city forward. I respectfully ask the voters of Central to give me their consideration and elect me as their next Mayor of Central.”
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