Bertrand Elected Committee Vice-Chair American Public Power

Lafayette City-Parish councilman Don Bertrand was recently elected to serve as the Committee Vice-Chair of the American Public Power Association’s Policy Makers Council for a three-year term.

 APPA is the Washington, D.C. –based national service organization representing the nation’s 2,000 not-for- profit, community-electric utilities.

The Policy Makers Council’s mission is to assist APPA in moving legislation forward that is important to its members or to oppose harmful legislation, and provide advice on other issues of importance to the organization. Members of the council meet a minimum of twice a year, and participate in meetings with elected representatives and congressional staff for the purposes of supporting the APPA legislative agenda.

“This appointment is a testament to the outstanding work and management of our citizen-owned utility system we have in Lafayette,” Bertrand said.  “I, along with fellow APPA members, will continue to fight for legislation that will allow us to continue to provide the excellent service that our residents have come to expect from LUS.”

The council is made up of 40 members who serve on either utility boards or city councils of public power communities. Four members are appointed to the Council from each of the 10 geographic regions recognized by APPA.

Don Bertrand was elected to the Lafayette City-Parish Council in 2008.  In 2009 he was elected to serve as the chairman of the Lafayette Public Utilities Authority (LPUA), the governing body for Lafayette Utilities System, and currently serves in the same esteemed position.  Previously he has served as vice-chairman for the LPUA and chairman of the City-Parish Council.

Bertrand is professional petroleum landman and lifelong resident of Lafayette.  He is a graduate of the Lafayette Greater Chamber of Commerce Leadership Lafayette, Class XVII, and a former elected member of the Lafayette Parish Republican Executive Committee.  He has also held positions on the boards of Industrial Development and Cité des Arts.  Being an active member of the community, Bertrand has also served on Lafayette IN a Century (LINC) Steering Committee, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Mayor-President’s Comprehensive Planning Advisory Board, and chairman of the Traffic and Transportation Committee.  He has also testified to the Louisiana State Legislature on behalf of the City of Lafayette.