For the first time in eight years, the parish may have a new sheriff in town. And for the first time in history, an African-American will serve as president of Iberia Parish.

Larry Richard served on the Iberia Parish Council for 12 years, and now he’ll represent the parish as president for the next four years.

He beat his competitor David Ditch by a margin of only 144 votes in the October 24th election.

Richard says he stands for all the people of Iberia, no matter their race, “In other words, I’m simply trying to say that we are equal in whatever it is we’re trying to accomplish. I represent everyone.”

He has a long list of goals to reach while in office: from coastal concerns to drainage issues, but topping the list is communication.

“Between the administration and the parish council. That’s one thing we would like to address from the beginning, even before I actually swear in,” Richard told KLFY’s Dalfred Jones.