Learning on the Job in Louisiana

David Martin: This is the good government show.

Mary Kay Eason: Why are you doing this? You retired. You could do anything you want to do. I still do a lot of things that I want to do, but I still feel like I have a lot to give. I have a lot of energy, a lot of interests. And I really love Calcasieu Parish. This is Cajun country. It’s full of good people, good food, who?

You know, we have a lot of fun, a lot of good times, and Calcasieu Parish. I enjoy our culture. When you teach your there’s a, there’s an intrinsic reward there because you feel like you’re doing your part to make the world a better place. You’re helping people. And by helping people, you’re helping your community. And hopefully you’re making things better for your community.

The premise of the course is if you have a problem to solve, then you want to find the best solution in the world. You first have to find the best solution in the world. They make yours better than that.

David Martin: When I met Mary Kay, since she had recently been elected to the position of police juror in Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana. So we talked a lot about our first months in office. Welcome to the Good Government Show. I’m your host, Dave Martin, first. Louisiana doesn’t have county commissioners. They have police chairs. It’s the same job, really, just a different name, but a little history.

It goes back to 1811, when the position was tied to how they selected a local parish sheriff. Now, today’s police sure is armed police officers so they can arrest you anyway, juror Mary Kate Eason is a living example of never say never. She said she would never run for office. Well, she broke that vow and got started. As you’re going to hear, knocking on doors for someone else running for office.

She’s another teacher who turned to public service after career molding young minds. We are a lot about what’s wrong with government, but we want to show how government does work, especially when our elected leaders get into public service to help to make a difference. Just listen. Police juror Tony Gilroy. We met him back in season three. He introduced me to Mary Kay, and it’s always great when someone has already been on the show.

Brings us a new guest. So thanks, Tony. In her first year, she said she’s learned a lot about parks, about drainage and what all those parish workers do. A steep learning curve, to be sure, but she’s doing well. So coming up, my conversation with Calcasieu Parish police juror Mary Kay Eason. Oh, and we talked gumbo. Of course there is.

We’re going to Louisiana, Cajun country. We’ll be right down.

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So we are talking with, Mary Kay Eason of Calcasieu County, Louisiana.

Mary Kay Eason: Welcome to parish.

David Martin: You’re right. Parish Louisiana. Now, you are not the first person I’ve ever spoken with from talking to you. Parish, your colleague Tony Gilroy, we had on the show a while ago. Quite a character.

Mary Kay Eason: Yes. Yes. And and a great mentor.

David Martin: And a great and a great mentor. And, I hope, fun to serve with.

Mary Kay Eason: Yes. A lot. All right. Good man.

David Martin: When I met him, he had it was, he was wearing his Mardi Gras finery, and, he’s walking around today in a purple suit. He’s always, I’d say a snappy dresser.

Mary Kay Eason: He is always a snappy dresser.

David Martin: And I understand you have just been elected. This is your first your first term.

Mary Kay Eason: Know my first elected term? I did serve an interim appointment in 2005. And, that the, that was the year of Hurricane Rita. So I learned a lot about that. So when I was still working full time and had children at home, and so I didn’t run for the, the, I’m the person who took my place, stayed there until just recently.

He didn’t run again. And I’m retired, and now I have time to work hard. On the issues for the parish and and, so here I am.

David Martin: Okay. What made you decide to do this? I mean, this is not something you said. You retired. This is the time to take it easy. This is not a take it easy job.

Mary Kay Eason: That is the main question I’ve gotten since I decided to do it. Why are you doing this? You retired. You could do anything you want to do.

David Martin: Or nothing.

Mary Kay Eason: Or nothing, right? So, I still do a lot of things that I want to do, but I still feel like I have a lot to give. I have a lot of energy, a lot of interest. And I really love TFC parish. I love working on quality of life issues. I have, two daughters, four granddaughters. The four granddaughters live nearby.

David Martin: You clearly need more things to do.

Mary Kay Eason: I need of course I need more things to do. Okay, I, I tell.

David Martin: Me about how to shoot parish, Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Mary Kay Eason: This is Lake Charles, Louisiana.

David Martin: Okay. Western Louisiana.

Mary Kay Eason: Yes. We border Texas on the west, and we border, Cameron Parish to the south. And then there’s the Gulf of Mexico. So we’re definitely southwest corner.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: We have a little over 200,000 residents, Inc, actually. Parish. It’s, Lake Charles is the the major city in county parish. But we have, I think it’s for other municipalities in the, in that parish as well. And, it’s.

David Martin: It’s this Cajun country.

Mary Kay Eason: This is Cajun country. It’s full of good people. Good food. Who? You know, we have a lot of fun, a lot of good times in Calcasieu Parish. I enjoy our culture. I enjoy, everything I do.

David Martin: Native, born and raised.

Mary Kay Eason: I am a native. I was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and I have never lived anywhere else.

David Martin: I never lived anywhere else.

Mary Kay Eason: I even went to college right here in Lake Charles. So I am implanted.

David Martin: Here like New Orleans. Never been this.

Mary Kay Eason: Visited. I’ve traveled, I’ve traveled extensively, but I, I love to come back to Calcasieu Parish.

David Martin: What is it about Calcasieu Parish that that keeps you? It keeps you there?

Mary Kay Eason: Well, I, I grew up in a little community north of Lake Charles and called Mosque West. And, I had a wonderful childhood and, learned to to just love people and, and, learn to, you know, love the area. Okay. And, then after I went to college, my family moved back to north Louisiana, and I stayed in parish, and, I wound up attending many state university.

And then I spent my 30 year career there, so I’m just rooted there.

David Martin: Oh, I guess, I’m really there.

Mary Kay Eason: I enjoy the people. I’ve made a lot of friends and, you know, enjoy helping people.

David Martin: I have talked to many, former teachers who are now in government, especially at the county commissioner level. What is it about being a county about being a county commissioner? I think teaching prepares you for.

Mary Kay Eason: I think when you teach your there’s a there’s an intrinsic reward there because you feel like you’re doing your part to make the world a better place. You’re helping people. And by helping people, you’re helping your community. And and hopefully you’re making things better for your community.

David Martin: That’s the idea.

Mary Kay Eason: That’s the idea. That’s what you try. That’s you goal. And so the.

David Martin: Saints are the same as being.

Mary Kay Eason: Same as being a police jury.

David Martin: Sure.

Mary Kay Eason: So you’re that’s okay. You’re but as a police juror, you have the opportunity to make your parish and make your community better, by, you know, implementing good policies and practicing good government and, focusing on quality of life issues in the parish. And, the thing I didn’t realize when I ran is that not only do we manage parks and recreation and transportation and drainage and sewer and all the things that that we we are aware of, but the parish is responsible for every government building.

They’re responsible for the maintenance, you know, the repairs, early education, early education. And so, so, yes, it’s, it definitely is, I believe, the main driver of quality of life in Calcasieu Parish. And so it’s very significant. And I think without it our lives would be very different. So it’s a very meaningful vocation.

David Martin: So you just you’re starting your term your first few years as a as a police juror. What did you run on? What were the issues that you really wanted to attract?

Mary Kay Eason: Mainly quality of life.

David Martin: You know, that’s that’s that’s a big area. Yeah.

Mary Kay Eason: Well, I say transportation, recreation. Yeah. We’re the two main ones. Transportation, recreation.

David Martin: What are you what are your transportation agenda? What are your goals?

Mary Kay Eason: I would like to see us, build our transportation infrastructure for the future. Where do we want to be in the future? So if we if we just build it for where we are today, it’s going to be inadequate in ten years, you.

David Martin: Know, are you talking about more public transportation or more alternative? I’m really I’m and alternatives to cars and busses.

Mary Kay Eason: Not really. I’m just talking about roads, infrastructure.

David Martin: All right.

Mary Kay Eason: Building that type of infrastructure.

David Martin: Have you looked at bike lanes or that sort of thing?

Mary Kay Eason: I know that our community has looked at bike lanes. I have not personally, and it’s not since I’ve been a juror have have we looked at bike lanes. But I think that, being a, a community where you can get around is important, whether it’s.

David Martin: On a bike.

Mary Kay Eason: I have a bike.

David Martin: Okay. I think it’s time to take it out.

Mary Kay Eason: It’s time to take it out. And, you know, we we don’t have a lot of bike lanes. It’s not really, our community is is, would could be more bike friendly.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: And so I think, and we have.

David Martin: Put that on your list.

Mary Kay Eason: But they’re on my list. And I think because of our climate, even though we’re known for hurricanes generally, we have a pretty moderate climate year round. I mean, get a little hot in the summer. But it’s still a great place to be outside. And that’s why in our parish, we have 11, public parks, parks for, you know.

David Martin: Our and that was one of the things you talked about I was going to ask you about you said, you know, parks and Recreation was something that you were, you know, interested in improving. What’s your agenda there? What do you where what what are the things that people using parks for? And where do you see your parks department going?

Mary Kay Eason: Well, we have actually a separate entity, two separate entities for three word for recreation into their they’re separately funded with their own emblems and in addition to that, the parish has 11 public parks that are just mostly more more of a natural, type park. Some have playground facilities, camping facilities, you know, wharfs where you can fish or, or where you can put in a boat in the water.

David Martin: Because it’s Lake Charles.

Mary Kay Eason: Because it’s Lake Charles. And we have a lot of.

David Martin: Water hiking trails.

Mary Kay Eason: We do have some hiking trails now. I enjoy hiking in elevation, so I like hiking in mountains, but we do have hiking trails. And, and I do take my.

David Martin: Well, you could practice a little.

Mary Kay Eason: Bit. I do take my granddaughters out there and they have a little backpack and go and we’re, we’re we’re developing them into hikers as well.

David Martin: Good. Where are you? Where do you anticipate having the most impact?

Mary Kay Eason: I would still say quality of life, any any type of quality of life issue.

David Martin: When you talk about quality of life, is there anything in particular is that you are focused on?

Mary Kay Eason: I would say, transportation infrastructure, recreation, although we do need to also focus on other quality of life issues like sewer, water, drainage, drainage is probably the biggest issue, that we have. And the I get the most calls about drainage.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: We’re we’re south Louisiana. We’re we’re low and we get a lot of rain, you know, so it’s drainage is a is a big, big broad issue. And actually parish.

David Martin: What have you learned on the job that you did not expect to be learning about or like immersed in.

Mary Kay Eason: What I’ve learned, what I’m learning, and I enjoy it more than I anticipated is about drainage that, you know, just.

David Martin: Becoming a water expert. Now.

Mary Kay Eason: I’m not there yet, but I’m, I’m I’m anticipating learning more about it, but okay. Just about, you know, how how drainage works and, you know, you don’t really control the water.

David Martin: No, you know.

Mary Kay Eason: You can’t control the water. You can only direct it a little bit. You know where you want it to go. The it’s, it’s probably something that, because we have a lot of water that, where you have most.

David Martin: Of where you have water from the lake and you have your low lying and, you know, you get hurricanes.

Mary Kay Eason: Right? We do occasionally.

David Martin: Floods.

Mary Kay Eason: Hurricanes and, and then I recently learned that, yeah, I got called in the office and I said, why are we flooding? It’s not even raining. Well, because the tide is coming in and the wind is blowing a certain way. So I’m like, okay, I learned something.

David Martin: There’s a lot to learn to this job. Right? What surprised you the most?

Mary Kay Eason: What surprised me the most is the extent of the work that is done in the parish by by our parish staff.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: The how far and and and how much they do. Because most I think most voters really think of the parish and drainage, you know, at the same time. So drainage is a is it probably our biggest issue. But but they, they do see so much more. I had no idea the scope, of the programs and the facilities that they, administer and take care of.

David Martin: What would you say to someone who said you just ran for office and now you’re in office? I’m thinking about running for office. What should I know?

Mary Kay Eason: I would say you better be ready and willing and and enjoy helping people.

David Martin: Okay?

Mary Kay Eason: Because you are the contact for the voters in your district. And I even get people outside my district, I try to direct them to their their channel, the correct juror. But, but it is you are the, the face of the jury, and you’re going to get calls for everything from there’s a whole on under my sense to, you know, yes.

The really big stuff like, you know, transportation infrastructure, our, our zoning, we have a lot of, zoning. And anytime there’s a zoning change, it’s, you know, there are a lot of questions to answer.

David Martin: There are some people are happy about it and some people that aren’t. Right. And what did you teach? What was your what was your subject?

Mary Kay Eason: I taught business management, marketing and general business.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: And, and I, I, managed an internship program, which is very rewarding. And day out there again, that’s just change. You feel like you’re you’re making really positive changes when you can help students connect their education with a career. So it was it was very rewarding.

David Martin: Is any of that applicable to being a county commissioner? I mean, you talking about drainage, you’re talking about parklands. We I prodded you on bike trails. Yes, but that wasn’t you were you were teaching.

Mary Kay Eason: No, that wasn’t what I was teaching. But, one thing I taught at the last three years of my career was a course called Innovation Engineering. And when they asked me to teach that course, I said, oh, I’m a business person. I’m not an engineer. I don’t believe I’m qualified to teach, you know, engineering. And they said, well, well, it’s not really engineering.

It’s an interdisciplinary course that is focused on problem solving and the whole premise of the course has changed. The I learned it, taught it, and it has changed the way I look at problem solving. So if you really want to if you have a problem and.

David Martin: You learn more, you’re the students.

Mary Kay Eason: Oh, I don’t know, I, I think I mean, it’s just stuck with me and, and it’s the premise of the course is if you have a problem to solve and you want to find the best solution in the world, you first have to find the best solution in the world and make yours better than that.

David Martin: Gotcha. So that’s that’s down that now. Yeah. That’s something.

Mary Kay Eason: Yeah. So it’s it’s a it was a really fun course to teach him. And we did fun things at first.

David Martin: Find the best solution and make your and.

Mary Kay Eason: Make yours better. That’s it. And then you have the best in the world. So that that our first assignment was you have to build the best treehouse in the world. And so by the way, the best treehouse in the world is in Japan. But but also we got to apply that later. We had this group called the go Group for, and we had four different committees, and I chaired the Committee for Public Service Improvements, and we worked with, a consulting group, and they actually did that where we dealt with drainage, among, recreation, among others, some other things.

But drainage was our, our probably our primary focus. And, they started with the question, who has the worst drainage problem in the world? Do you know.

David Martin: I don’t.

Mary Kay Eason: The Netherlands.

David Martin: Oh, the Netherlands is, they’re underwater. They’re below sea. Right.

Mary Kay Eason: So, so we benchmarked against the some of the, the solutions that they use in the Netherlands. And, and we made some major changes, in our, in our drainage policies, in our, our drainage treatment, the way we treat drainage. And it started with one of the things we we came up with is retention ponds new. And you have a place for the water to go.

David Martin: Right.

Mary Kay Eason: And, I have watched it through the years. That was just, you know, way back in 2015 to 2018. And then we’ve evolved from having a, a square hole in the ground that’s a retention pond to having the retention incorporated into the development as a, you know, a lake, a canal.

David Martin: All right.

Mary Kay Eason: You know.

David Martin: She’s put it to good use, but it’s really.

Mary Kay Eason: I’ve enjoyed watching it develop in that way. And it becomes you in a community. Sometimes you don’t even realize that that’s actually drainage, that that golf course in the middle of the neighborhood is actually good for drainage, good for credit.

David Martin: All right. We’re going to come back and we’re going to we’re going to get to the heart of your philosophy of government. We’re going to do that in a minute. You’re going to be ready for this.

Mary Kay Eason: I’m ready for anything.

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David Martin: So we have something we’ve put together called the Good Government Show Questionnaire. And you have to make me a promise. You’ve only been a, police juror for, what, five months now?

Mary Kay Eason: Correct. Well, sworn in January, seven.

David Martin: Six months? Yes. Six months. So I’m going to ask you these questions now. And you’re going to come back in four years with your term is over. I’m going to ask you these again. We’re going to compare and see how you did. Are you ready? Okay. All right. Here we go. Six months in. Define good government.

Mary Kay Eason: I think it’s government for the people. By the people. It really is. You know, government exist to do make life good and fair for the people in the community.

David Martin: Okay. How do you get to that on a on a, like, granular level?

Mary Kay Eason: I think you give people a voice and that’s what the police jury does.

David Martin: Okay. You know that.

Mary Kay Eason: We’re the the point of contact, for, for our constituents. And, and we listen and, and try to understand what’s best for our community. We try to and I try to listen and also think about not what’s best for today, but what’s best in 20 years. You know, it’s hard to think much further than that because technology changes so fast.

So whatever we decide now is going to be best in 20 years and 20 years. You know, we’ve missed the mark. It’s, but it’s still a way of thinking about the future that is just let’s think beyond where we are today, this thing about where we want to be.

David Martin: Okay, where we.

Mary Kay Eason: Want to go.

David Martin: You’re six months in. How are you doing?

Mary Kay Eason: I’m enjoying it.

David Martin: A lot of the people think you’re doing.

Mary Kay Eason: I don’t really know. I think I think they think I’m doing okay. I don’t have, I’ve only had one person that really gave me a hard time. Everyone, it was, you know, we were trying to condemn our house.

David Martin: But I could see how that might be. But you’re sitting here. Yeah, yeah.

Mary Kay Eason: And so it was upsetting to heard, but, other than that, it’s,

David Martin: How do you decide if you’re doing well? I mean, do you what do you use for your own?

Mary Kay Eason: I just use the feedback that I get from the people that I’m able to help, you know.

David Martin: Except for that one woman.

Mary Kay Eason: That one woman. I, you know, I think, a lot of times people have a little problem and it it may not be it may not even be a police jury problem.

David Martin: Right.

Mary Kay Eason: But but we’re going to figure it out and we’re going to refer it to the right person in, in the parish. And we’re going to get the problem fixed, whether it’s a parish problem or a city problem or, or whatever it is. I’ve gotten all kinds of calls. There’s some that are a significant problem, some that are small, but that we just don’t I just don’t stop trying to figure it out until I’ve figured it out and solved it.

David Martin: All right? If people aren’t getting good government, if they don’t like what they see, what should they do?

Mary Kay Eason: They should contact their police juror.

David Martin: Okay. All right.

Mary Kay Eason: I mean, that’s that’s I think.

David Martin: I’m accessible, I see. Are you fine?

Mary Kay Eason: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I’m out. I have, my people have my cell phone number, my email. I have a website as well. I send emails out just letting them know when there’s, like a planning and zoning meeting or place jury meeting, what the agendas are. Okay, I’m keeping my Facebook page and, using it as a positive news channel.

You know, where they can find me? They can find me on Facebook. They can find my email. They can call my cell phone.

David Martin: So I’m going to ask you I usually ask this question different way, but I’m going to ask this specific for you. Six months in, what have you learned about government that surprised you? What you’re now that you’re a government insider?

Mary Kay Eason: What I’ve learned about the police jury in particular, is that they do so much more than anybody realizes that they do. You know, they they’re kind of the they just are the the primary keepers of the parish. And in, in so many ways.

David Martin: And what would you like people to know about that? The voters, their constituents, what would you like them to know?

Mary Kay Eason: I would like them to know that I’m proud to of the parish. I’m proud to be a police.

David Martin: You’re, Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: I,

David Martin: Good you’re there and.

Mary Kay Eason: Yes, I’m there. I am been very impressed with our, our staff. They’re very devoted, very dedicated. They they are very responsive. Every time that I call, you know, we we solve the problem, we get it done. And so I think in many, many times when something’s wrong, people want to, you know, blame the police jury or, or blame the administration or, you know, and they’re, you know, it’s the nature.

It’s the nature of the beast. We have to have some regulations in place.

David Martin:
Sure.

Mary Kay Eason: To, to, to be fair and to be consistent and to to plan for the future.

David Martin: That’s called government. Yeah.

Mary Kay Eason: And there those regulations sometimes meet with resistance or, people don’t understand or there’s, you know, they want something done that we can’t do for whatever reason. And so that’s where the rubber is. That’s, you know, in the so in those cases, I just try to explain what, when, where and why.

David Martin: What’s the been the biggest surprise, happy surprise of the job.

Mary Kay Eason: Yeah. I really love it.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: I really do. It’s very, gratifying. It’s, a lot more time consuming than I expected it to be. But.

David Martin: Did you think it was going to be time consuming?

Mary Kay Eason: You know, I just don’t know what I expected.

David Martin: I mean, it’s a part time job. I mean.

Mary Kay Eason: It’s a part.

David Martin: Time job. Ostensibly. A part time job.

Mary Kay Eason: Right? Right. But I’m glad. I’m glad that I’m retired in that I have time to do it.

David Martin: So you could do you could treat it as a full time job.

Mary Kay Eason: Yeah. Yes. And it’s, the reward comes when you’re able to help somebody. You know, it’s it it’s rewarding to help somebody find a solution, solve a problem. And, and the the, the good part of that is that we have such great support. The jurors have such great support from the staff at the at the parish.

David Martin: What’s been the hardest part of the job that you didn’t expect? Right.

Mary Kay Eason: The hardest part of the job is probably you know, every issue has two sides.

David Martin: Yes.

Mary Kay Eason: So you have to weigh it and you have to make a decision and you have to take a position. And so it’s hard, you know, I’m I’m very much able to see both sides. And so it’s it’s what I try to do in those situations is try to figure out what is the best decision we can make on this issue for the future, not necessarily for today, but for the future, and a decision that will will last for a while, you know, and it won’t be, you and who who is who is helped by the decision, who is hurt by the decision.

You know, you just weigh it all out and just try to make the best decision you can for for the parish and for the people in the parish.

David Martin: And is that hard when you are upsetting for 49% of the people with your with your decision?

Mary Kay Eason: So far I haven’t had that conversation.

David Martin: Yeah.

Mary Kay Eason: It would be hard though. It would be hard because, you know, I think people who who are in public service are there to help people. And when you can’t, when there’s a problem that you can’t help with, you can’t solve. It’s upsetting. But but you have to be able to explain why you can’t do it.

David Martin: So now that your a name in the news, do you read about yourself and where do you get your news?

Mary Kay Eason: I don’t read about myself.

David Martin: Go.

Mary Kay Eason: But not not.

David Martin: No husband or family to go. You know you’re not going to believe what they wrote.

Mary Kay Eason: I have a husband, and, I have a daughter that have two daughters. That one that lives in Lake Charles, okay. And is very, aware of of the news as well. But so far I haven’t it haven’t had any bad press.

David Martin: So let’s see, where do you get your news from? What do you what do you read? What do you how do you how do you stay up on the of the latest?

Mary Kay Eason: Well, I get it from we still get, a local newspaper. We just get it electronically.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: I follow the news local on on, Facebook. Yeah, we have our local channel on Facebook. All right. And that’s where the best.

David Martin: Yeah, that’s the best.

Mary Kay Eason: So that’s my. Yeah. I mean.

David Martin: Your local corporation that covers.

Mary Kay Eason: Your local television news and, and then, of course, there’s national news, but locally, okay, locally, we’re we’re a, a little big town, you know, we get we get our our news gets around, gets around.

David Martin: Who’s your political hero? Who inspires you?

Mary Kay Eason: Do I have a political hero?

David Martin: Yes. Is there someone in government that inspired you, inspired you to do this, or inspires you? Now that you’re there.

Mary Kay Eason: In local government or.

David Martin: Anywhere?

Mary Kay Eason: I, I don’t know, how I, I think probably the seed was first planted by, a guy who was my boss at McNeese for 17 years and, and, when I was a student, he, he ran for school board and had me out knocking on doors and putting signs out and handing out cards. And, and so I guess that that’s where it started way back in college when I was a student worker.

David Martin: Right? No. Hey, listen, if you knock on doors, you can do anything.

Mary Kay Eason: That’s right.

David Martin: That’s right. Out talking to people, you know, what kind of doors heading out. That is.

Mary Kay Eason: It. That is the thing I dreaded the most. Knocking on doors. And then it wound up being the thing that was the most rewarding because people open the door a lot of times. Okay. Oh, Miss Eason, you taught me. Oh. Oh, I’m glad you’re here. Can we talk about this? Come on in. And, you know, get you something to drink.

The people in, in our community are very open and welcoming and, and very, very involved, very interested. And so, I’ve had a lot of great conversations, met, met a lot of people that, you know, I hadn’t met before. Yeah. So it was great. It was a good experience.

David Martin: When you were growing up, did you ever think about being in politics? I did.

Mary Kay Eason: Not.

David Martin: Were you were the.

Mary Kay Eason: Actual.

David Martin: Government?

Mary Kay Eason: I did not, in fact, when I ran it, I mean, when I, when I served in 2005 and there were, there were groups that would ask, asked me to run after I, you know, I said, oh, I’m never running for politics. I’m never married. Kasim will never run for political office. So it’s a.

David Martin: Very I.

Mary Kay Eason: Think that was.

David Martin: Never say.

Mary Kay Eason: Never, never say never. I think that was,

David Martin: Well, so what made you actually, like, decide. Okay, I’m going to do this.

Mary Kay Eason: Decide to do it.

David Martin: I know you said you retired, but I think you say, okay, well.

Mary Kay Eason: Well, I’ve always I’ve served on a lot of different public boards. I served on the local airport.

David Martin: Board.

Mary Kay Eason: For 18 years and served as the interim interim appointment in 20. It’s.

David Martin: Just been bubbling below the surface.

Mary Kay Eason: Below the surface. And then a trusted friend called and said, you should run for police juror. And I said, absolutely not. I’m not going to do that. And he said, well, just think about it. And so I did I thought about it. And oh, he came back a couple weeks later and I said, no, I’m still thinking about it.

I said, but whatever I decide is final. And so and then a couple of weeks later, I said, okay, I’m in.

David Martin: A little bit. What made you decide? Yes, I’ll do this one first.

Mary Kay Eason: No, it was just a lot of, reflection and yeah, really prayer. I was asking, you know, be careful what you ask for. It’s always I always pray for, you know, just to use me to to to do good, good work.

David Martin: All right. Here we.

Mary Kay Eason: Are.

David Martin: So you are from Louisiana? Louisiana is known for some of the some of the best American cuisine. Yes. If I’m coming down to your to Lake Charles, what do we have? And where are we going? What’s the dish? You got to.

Mary Kay Eason: Come to my house and eat my husband’s gumbo.

David Martin: All right? That’s what I like to hear. I, what’s his gumbo? What’s his?

Mary Kay Eason: Oh, it’s a he does a great chicken and sausage gumbo and an excellent shrimp. I do say, okay, I don’t even cook those things because why?

David Martin: Why bother?

Mary Kay Eason: Why. Right. All right. But we also have great restaurants. We have I mean, you choose it. I’m not going to name anybody because I can’t name no Olive, but it’s, we have great food. That’s.

David Martin: We’re at home shrimp that you say? And. Yeah.

Mary Kay Eason: Chicken and sausage gumbo.

David Martin: All right, so if you’re going out, if you’re dining out, what are you having? Local cuisine. Are you going do it a little, mixing it up.

Mary Kay Eason: Going out. We do a lot of Mexican.

David Martin: Okay.

Mary Kay Eason: We love those Mexican restaurants. And then we do fine dining. I’m. I’m a fish girl. I like the I like the fish dishes. All right. You know? So, yeah, we you’re going to enjoy the food. You come down to Louisiana, you’re going to.

David Martin: Go, oh, I’m going, I’m having your husband’s. You’re going.

Mary Kay Eason: Oh, you cooking.

David Martin: The sauce?

Mary Kay Eason: Okay. Tell me. Do it.

David Martin: All right. Good, good. So this is the good government show. So we always like to end it on some good government project. Tell me about a good government project that, you’ve either been a part of that you were excited about, or one that you’re getting off the ground.

Mary Kay Eason: I think in, in Lake Charles or in actually parish, the one that’s getting the, the, biggest, dose of excitement right now is, kind of a joint effort between, the parish and the federal government and it’s mixed income housing, and we’re going to get to redo an area that has this long needed redoing. And it’s going to it’s going to be nice.

It’s going to be, it’s going to provide much needed housing for some of our residents. And so I think that’s probably what’s getting the most buzz in in the parish right now.

David Martin: Well, that does sound like good government. Mary case in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for coming by. And, thanks for talking.

Mary Kay Eason: Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

David Martin: Thank you. The Good Government show is sponsored by our. That’s. Oh, you are for our community. Get involved. We hear that all the time from government leaders. Our co-branding with your government’s name and logo, your staff and the people you serve are connected and part of your community. From any device. Your members provide reliable data and meaningful feedback.

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My favorite quote if you’re looking for a solution, find the best solution and make yours better. Simple but brilliant. I like that we like hearing about someone who’s trying to make their community better. That’s our goal is a new juror, and it’s something she’s been doing since she started working as a teacher. And as you heard, she gets good gumbo at home.

And that alone is a good enough reason to travel to Lake Charles. Well, I look forward to catching up with Mary Kay. And in a few years, when she finishes her first term as a juror. Be interesting to hear the differences. Well, that’s our show. Thanks for listening to another example of how government does work for all of us.

Please like us and share this with your friends or in viewers right here where you’re listening, and check our website. Good government show.com for extras. Help us keep telling stories of good government and action everywhere. Join us again for another episode right here. I’m Dave Martin and this is the Good Government show.

The Good Government show is a Valley Park production. Jim Ludlow, Dave Martin, that’s me and David Snyder are the executive producers. Our show is edited and produced by Jason Stershic. Please subscribe then share and like us and reviews. That’s the best way to make sure we’re able to keep telling these stories of our government working for all of us.

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**This transcription was created using digital tools and has not been edited by a live person. We apologize for any discrepancies or errors.