Stephen L. Gunn

Infobox_State Representative


imagesize = 150px
name= Stephen Lee Gunn
caption= Stephen L. Gunn
office= Louisiana State Representative from District 22 (Catahoula, Grant, La Salle, and Rapides parishes)
term_start=1992
term_end=1996
preceded=A. Dale Smith
succeeded=Thomas David "Tommy" Wright
office2=Mayor of Montgomery, Grant Parish, Louisiana, USA
term_start2=October 5, 2002
term_end2=
preceded2=Tim T. Coolman
succeeded2=Incumbent
birth_date= birth date and age|1946|5|12
birth_place=
death_date=
spouse= Single
children=
party= Independent
religion= Methodist
occupation= Businessman
footnotes=One of Gunn's predecessors as mayor of Montgomery was his great-aunt, Lula Wardlow, the first ever woman mayor of a Louisiana community.

Stephen Lee "Steve" Gunn (born May 12, 1946) is the Independent mayor of his hometown of Montgomery (population 787 in 2000) in northern Grant Parish in north central Louisiana. Previously, Gunn was a "No Party" member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, having represented District 22 (Catahoula, Grant, La Salle, and one precinct in Rapides parishes from 1992-1996.

Gunn's maternal great-aunt, Lula Wardlow, was also a mayor of Montgomery. A Methodist minister and denominational leader, Mrs. Wardlow was mayor from 1926-1930. A Democrat, she was the first woman ever to be elected mayor of any community in Louisiana.

Gunn was born to Murrell H. Gunn (1919-1978), a Grant Parish school principal, and the former Elizabeth Wardlow (born 1924), a teacher. He is a graduate of Montgomery High School (1964) and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge (1968). A Montgomery businessman, he is retired from the military. He is single.

Gunn was elected to the legislature by ninety-four votes in 1991. He campaigned on a limited budget from his own resources and knocked on nearly every residence in the district. In the primary, he ran second to incumbent Democrat A. Dale Smith, but ahead of Cliff Zell, also a Democrat. Gunn received 6,087 primary votes (33 percent) to Smith's 8,538 (46 percent), and Zell's 21 percent. In the general election, Gunn prevailed, 9,931 to Smith's 9,837 Gunn lost Grant Parish in the primary, but he beat Smith by some 800 votes in his home parish in the general election to secure his narrow victory. Gunn did not seek reelection in 1995.

Gunn was an Independent town council member prior to his legislative service. He led the balloting in the October 1990 council election and served with three Democrats and a Republican, Donna Stroud Guillory (born 1962). He resigned the seat to enter the legislature.

On October 5, 2002, Gunn was elected Montgomery mayor in the primary without opposition. He succeeded the Democrat Tim T. Coolman (born September 22, 1962), with whom he had served on the council in 1991.

On November 2, 2004, Montgomery approved a one-cent town sales tax, which Gunn said would allow his community to meet rising fuel and insurance costs. The tax won handily, 194-91.

Gunn won a second term as mayor by a wide margin in the jungle primary held on September 30, 2006. He defeated the Democrat Leo Floyd Davis, 180-38 votes. The town council consists of two Independents, two Democrats, and one Republican, Joann B. Lary (born November 1, 1939).

One of Gunn's priorities is to obtain construction of a bridge atop the Red River at Montgomery to link the town directly to Natchitoches to the west. Such a structure could revitalize the community. There was a ferry once used to cross the river at Montgomery, but it ceased operations in 1960.

References

http://www.thetowntalk.com/html/160C464B-077F-4826-A43A-8C53DC0DB460.shtml

Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives since 1880 (Baton Rouge; Secretary of State)

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=11020422

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=09300622

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10050222

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=101991

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcms3&rqsdta=111691

"Lula Wardlow," "A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography", Vol. II (1988)

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=09300622