THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE& T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
|
W e d n e s d ay, N ov e m b e r 12, 2025
$1.00N
12TH YEAR, NO. 5
Zachary faces 22% increase in insurance costs Council complains about timing of notice
BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
It’s an all-too-familiar feeling for many Louisiana residents: Realizing their already expensive insurance premiums have gone up yet again. In Zachary, city officials are dealing with the same struggle. The city is facing a nearly 22% increase in its property and liability coverage rate, insurance consultant Carmel Breaux told the City Council Oct. 28. With premiums due Nov. 1, the council had little choice but to approve renewal of that policy and additional ones the city carries for cyber threats and drones. The property and liability coverage comes at a price tag of $505,356 this year. The cyber policy costs $21,752, a 4.2% increase over last year, and the drone policy is $7,050 — just $50 more than last year. Higher insurance rates are the trend, Breaux said, but Zachary’s premiums also went up because it recently built a new police department headquarters. “It is a lot,” Breaux acknowledged. She added that many figures used in her calculations could still fluctuate, leaving the door open for some modest discounts on the premiums. Council members weren’t pleased to be learning of the steep renewal cost mere days before the city’s existing policies expired. Some said they have brought the issue up before and were frustrated to again be presented with numbers right before being asked to vote. “I feel like our renewals are Nov. 1, and we always get this two days before,” said council member Brandy Westmoreland. “We walk in, look at it. We don’t even have an email. So, is there any way that can be expedited?” Council member Ambre DeVirgilio echoed Westmoreland’s concerns. “I understand it’s fluid, but I consider this a problem to deliver it to us as we’re in the meeting,” she said. “It’s not fair to us, and it’s not fair to the city of Zachary, and it’s not fair to our taxpayers. So, can we please correct it?”
ä See INSURANCE, page 2G
Request for hyperlinks resparks communication stuggles with council BY OLIVIA MCCLURE Contributing writer
When the Zachary City Council gets together these days, meetings more often than not devolve into bickering over the same topic: We need to communicate better. That refrain — repeated countless times in recent months — can be triggered by agenda items big and small, consequential and mundane. The arguments nearly always pit council members Jennifer Landry and James Graves, who sit on one side of the council dais, against those sitting on the opposite end: Brandy Westmoreland, John LeBlanc and Ambre DeVirgilio. Votes regularly split along those lines, too. And Mayor David McDavid, who moderates meetings from his seat at the center of the dais, frequently finds himself in the middle of the two factions’ spats.
ä See STRUGGLES, page 2G
PHOTO BY APRIL BUFFINGTON
Ups and downs
Zachary’s Asia Sterling hits the ball over as St. Joseph defends during the match up held at Zachary High on October 21.
Zachary High sports start November The Zachary High swim team had a strong showing at the CCSL Metro Championship on Oct. 30. The girls finished eighth overall and the boys finished sixth out of 18 teams. Coach Julie Peveto’s Broncos set 34 personal best times over the weekend. Warren Girls who Brady posted state ZACHARY qualifying times SPORTS at the meet were Sofia Caricato (100 back), Libby Hughes (100back), Gabi Morgan (100 free and her third state qualifying time this year), Ava Ordonio (200 and 100 free) and Chloe Wedblad posted her sixth qualifier time of the season in the 200 IM. The state meet will begin Nov. 21 (BRRRRR) in Sulphur. Top boys finishers at the Metro Championship were Warren Griffin (sixth in the 50 free),
PHOTO BY PATRICK DENNIS
Zachary running back Jeremy Pattonn (27) runs for good yardage as Catholic defensive back Harrison Kidder (11) defends during their game in Memorial Stadium Thursday. Catholic led 28-7 at halftime. ä See BRADY , page 2G
Black pot cooking contest set for Dec. 6 in Zachary Leila Pitchford AROUND ZACHARY
Downtown Live at The Gazebo is holding its inaugural Bayou Black Pot Cook Off on Dec. 6 during the Zachary Christmas Parade Downtown. Each team chooses what goes in their dish. Awards will be presented to first, second and third place along with a People’s Choice Award. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/ SWigFGsZvj. Team entry is $80 by Nov. 28. Then it rises to $100. Tasting wristbands will be $5. The group is seeking volunteer musicians to
play in the gazebo. RULES: 1. All dishes must be cooked in a cast iron pot. No open fires. 2. One 10x10 canopy is allowed per team. 3. Each team must have a fire extinguisher readily available. 4. Cooking teams that chose to sell full size plates must provide their own plates and utensils. (Samplings bowls for judging will be provided.) 5. Dishes must be completed by 11 a.m.
For information or questions please email us at downtownlivezachary@gmail.com. The schedule, rain or shine, is 5:30 a.m., register and begin; 8:30 a.m., registration ends; 11 a.m., food ready to serve and judging begins; and 12:30 p.m., winner announced.
Prepare for the Zachary Christmas Parade The 2025 Zachary Christmas Parade will be themed “Christmas Movie Spectacular.”
ä See AROUND, page 4G