ALBANY — Though population growth promoted this east Livingston Parish municipality from village to town last year, officials are just now catching up to the changes the new status will create.
One is an increase in the size of its Town Council from three members to five. Monday officials unanimously voted to call an election for April 6 to add the two new members to their ranks.
“We could have had this election in November, but the state didn’t get the paperwork done in time,” Councilman Gene Glascock said.
Qualifying will be March 13-15 with a runoff election if necessary on May 10. The two board members will be elected at-large just as the other three and serve the remaining two years of the current election cycle. In 2014 voters will choose all five board members at once.
Gov. Bobby Jindal sent a proclamation to Albany in August 2011 welcoming the municipality incorporated in 1953 into the family of Louisiana towns. Albany’s U.S. Census population count of 1,088 in 2010 pushed it past the threshold of 1,000 from village to town.
Under state law towns are governed by five-member boards, but Albany continued to operate as before until an election was scheduled.
Albany as a community was established by the BRH&E Railroad in 1907. The town incorporated in 1953 with Grady Stewart as its first mayor.
