Derouselle takes over as Solid Waste Commission Executive Director

By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor

Pat Derouselle turned to his son Caleb for advice.
The 51-year-old was debating whether or not to apply for the position of Evangeline Parish Solid Waste Commission Executive Director. The 51-year-old met all the qualifications by having worked for the Department of Transportation and Development’s office in Vidrine for 28 years, including the last four-plus years as its superintendent.
Derouselle though still asked his son, currently studying at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, for his perspective.
“My oldest son said ‘Dad why wouldn’t you think you could do this?,’” Derouselle said. “‘This is what you pretty much do already. You know Dad it is time to go out there and do something for yourself.’ To hear your 19-year-old son say that it is pretty amazing.”
After weeks of praying, and counsel with family, Derouselle turned in the application and was eventually selected as the commission’s new executive director, replacing the retired James Berthelot.
“It was a big decision for me,” Derouselle said. “I knew I could do the job. This is just a different aspect of what I have done in the past. I was very shocked and honored and humbled by getting the job,” Derouselle said.
Derouselle’s mother Leola raised him and his three siblings by herself in Ville Platte, following the death of his father when Derouselle was only nine years old. It was his mother who taught Derouselle important life lessons.
“She taught us about good work ethic,” Derouselle said. “She taught us that you do your job no matter what the pay was. She taught us to be honest and to be on time. If your shift began at 6 a.m. then you get there for 5:30 a.m.”
After graduating from Ville Platte High in 1984, Derouselle gained vaulable political experience as a legislative assistant for Louisiana Representative District 38 Danny Lemoine from 1984-87.
“I got to meet some interesting people that served the public,” Derouselle said. “It’s an awesome thing because people want service and we have to provide that service and we have to make sure to do that to the best of our ability.”
After briefly attending LSU-Eunice to study fire science, Derouselle has also served as a volunteer fireman since 1984 and is current president of the volunteer association. Derouselle got his first civil service job in 1987, working in the maintenance department at Chicot State Park.
After five years he transferred over to DOTD, and worked his way up to foreman and eventually superintendent. Derouselle believes that the experience of working his way up from the bottom will benefit him in his new role and which was something he stressed when he introduced himself to his new staff two Fridays ago.
“I just wanted to let them know that I am a person that started on the ground level,” Derouselle said. “And that they can come and speak to me.”
Added Cathy Arnold of Acadiana Waste Services, “He probably will make some improvements. We all know when someone new comes in anywhere that there will be some change. Pat’s experience will benefit everyone.”
Derouselle’s chief new responsibilities will largely deal with personnel management, budget management and the orchestration of daily operations.
“My job is to make sure everything stays running sharp,” Derouselle said.
In addition to his responsibilities with the commission and fire department, Derouselle also serves as the Louisiana Cotton Festival Association President and is on the City of Ville Platte’s Emergency Preparedness Board.
Even though his name may not be on the door yet, Derouselle says that everyone has been extremely welcoming to him since taking over less than two weeks ago.
“When I came in that first Monday morning I felt very comfortable and the people here were very nice,” Derouselle said. “I felt very at ease. Leaving the people that I enjoyed working with for so long was hard but coming here I felt very at ease.”
Helping him feel at ease is Berthelot who is helping him with the transition by staying on in a limited role until December.
“Mr. B was my seventh grade math teacher,” Derouselle said. “I told him the other day that never in a million years did I dream that I would be filling his position. So strange how God works in our lives.”
Derouselle also knows that he has large shoes to fill replacing the only executive director the commission, with its 13-member board, has ever had. Derouselle says that he is up for the challenge.
“I’m the new Mr. B,” laughed Derouselle. “I told someone the other day that I got a big pair of shoes to fill for Mr. B. But I do wear a 14EEE so I am ready for the challenge.”