ABBEVILLE, KATC - After 22 years and six consecutive terms, Abbeville Councilman Francis Touchet Jr, who oversees District B, resigned.
"I'm not ready to leave, the city will always be in my heart,” he said.
Touchet, who is the superintendent of the Lafayette Parish School, told the council Tuesday evening that he needed to live closer to Lafayette and devote all his time to the parish.
"It's bittersweet. It's 22 years where I've raised my family here in Abbeville. It's been a part of my life but it's time to move on. I'm ready to devote my entire life to Lafayette Parish to do what's right as far as the students and the employees,” he said.
During his tenure, Touchet led Vermilion Parish through 17 major hurricanes and 22 major storms.
“He was a tremendous city councilman, I think one of the best the city of Abbeville has ever had,” Former Abbeville Mayor Mike Piazza.
He also implemented positive ideas such as free entertainment to the public and an initiative to keep Abbeville beautiful.
Tuesday marked his last city council meeting. He will leave at the end of the month.
