Kaplan City Councilman Richard LeBlanc has died after a brief illness.
Mayor Mike Kloesel confirmed that LeBlanc died Thursday afternoon at a Lafayette hospital.
"He fought a courageous battle, and he was optimistic until the end," Kloesel said.
Arrangements are incomplete at this time.
Kloesel said he is meeting with the city’s attorney today to lay out the steps that must be taken to appoint a temporary replacement. Under state law, the city only has a few days to appoint someone or the vacancy will be filled by the Governor’s Office. A special election also must be called to elect a permanent replacement.
This is a developing story; we will update information as it is received.
