Kenny Bowen - Three Bowen Administrations

Three Bowen Administrations

Bowen's tenure is remembered for controversy, for he often squabbled with city council members and police chiefs. In the third term, pro-Bowen and anti-Bowen factions clashed so frequently that municipal government was in frequent deadlock. Bowen nevertheless obtained the conversion of the former Evangeline Hotel on Jefferson Street into apartments for senior citizens. There were downtown street improvements too, but cost overruns led to several indictments.

In actuality, the third term almost did not happen. In the primary held on March 10, 1992, in conjunction with the presidential primaries in Louisiana, Bowen trailed his fellow Democrat, former State Representative Ronald J. "Ron" Gomez, Sr., 10,301 (34 percent) to 12,127 (40 percent). Two other candidates also ran, Democrat Kathy Ashworth, with 7,344 (24 percent) and Republican Emile Vidrine, with 603 votes (2 percent). In an all-Democratic general election allowed under the Louisiana jungle primary system and held on April 11, Bowen defeated Gomez, a former journalist, by 166 votes. The tabulation in 78 Lafayette precincts was 14,677 for Bowen and 14,511 for Gomez. Whereas Bowen was a former Republican, Gomez later switched his party affiliation and served on the Lafayette Parish Republican Executive Committee.

A year later, the former chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, Charles deGravelles (1913–2008), who had labored with Bowen in the GOP vineyard in the 1960s, launched an unsuccessful recall effort against the mayor. DeGravelles said that he tried to recall Bowen because of the mayor's "micromanagement" of city affairs.

Many of the construction projects in early 21st century Lafayette were conceived by Bowen. Elmo Laborde, who served on the council during Bowen's final term, cited the fruits of Bowen's work as the Camellia Bridge and the Lafayette Convention Center, which opened the week of Bowen's death. Urban renewal and the expansion of the city utilities system were other Bowen accomplishments, Laborde said.

Former Democratic State Senator Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr., of Lafayette said that Bowen was not "concerned about reelection. He was concerned about serving." In the funeral service, Mouton quipped that "Kenny will now rest in peace with the Lord, But I'm not so sure the Lord will have much peace," referring to Bowen's passion for politics. Mouton and fellow Democrat Edmund Reggie of Lafayette (formerly of Crowley) were among honorary pallbearers at Bowen's funeral. Reggie is the father-in-law of Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Bowen hired the first blacks to work in professional capacities in Lafayette City Hall. "When he came to office, no people of color were working for the City of Lafayette other than on the back of garbage trucks, in public works, and the police department. The only black person working in City Hall was a janitor," said Anthony Navarre, a former city police officer who was a frequent guest on Bowen's Let's Talk television program. Bowen, and his Republican successor, William Dudley "Dud" Lastrapes, Jr. (pronounced LA STRAPS), encouraged women to reach the higher ranks in city administration.

Tommy Gilbeau, another former councilman and Bowen friend, recalled the former mayor as having a caring and feeling side that identified with the underdog and ordinary citizen: "He had a zest for life and a love of politics that was unmatched as mayor of Lafayette."

As mayor, Bowen served a term as president of the Louisiana Municipal Association from 1977-1978. He was also active in the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.