Changes

On December 11, 1984, Lenard began the first of his three four-year terms on the newly-formed Caddo Parish Commission, formerly known as the Police Jury. His first term was actually three years. Other Republicans serving on the new 12-member panel were W. D. “Rusty” George and Tommy Gene Armstrong. The commission chairman at the time, Roy M. “Hoppy” Hopkins, was later elected to the state House. Tommy Armstrong served a one-year unexpired term in the Louisiana House as well from 1991 to 1992.<ref>Veta Samuels, ''The History of the Caddo Parish Commission,'' Shreveport, Louisiana.</ref>​

On December 11, 1984, Lenard began the first of his three four-year terms on the newly-formed Caddo Parish Commission, formerly known as the Police Jury. His first term was actually three years. Other Republicans serving on the new 12-member panel were W. D. “Rusty” George and Tommy Gene Armstrong. The commission chairman at the time, Roy M. “Hoppy” Hopkins, was later elected to the state House. Tommy Armstrong served a one-year unexpired term in the Louisiana House as well from 1991 to 1992.<ref>Veta Samuels, ''The History of the Caddo Parish Commission,'' Shreveport, Louisiana.</ref>​

Lenard became commissioner more than a year after the defeat of Governor [[David C. Treen]], Louisiana’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, who was handily unseated in the fall of 1983 by Democratic former Governor  [[Edwin Edwards]]. Though [[Ronald W. Reagan]] twice won Louisiana’s [[electoral vote]]s for president, the Louisiana GOP grew slowly during the 1980s, hurt badly by its failure to win the election for [[U.S. Senator]] in 1986 to choose a successor to veteran [[Russell Long]].​

Lenard became commissioner more than a year after the defeat of Governor [[David C. Treen]], Louisiana’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, who was handily unseated in the fall of 1983 by Democratic former Governor  [[Edwin Edwards]]. Though [[Ronald W. Reagan]] twice won Louisiana’s [[electoral vote]]s for president, the Louisiana GOP grew slowly during the 1980s, hurt by its failure to win the election for [[U.S. Senator]] in 1986 to choose a successor to veteran [[Russell Long]] and the gubernatorial contest a year later.​

Jerry C. Spears of Keithville, the clerk of the Caddo Parish Commission, recalls Lenard, who held the District 8 seat, as “kind of a watchdog over spending. A budget hawk.” During his tenure, Lenard worked with fellow commissioners to revamp the animal control ordinance and was involved in the efforts to obtain a new juvenile services building and jail.<ref name=stimes>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080613/OBITUARIES01/806130330/1046/js07|title=Former commissioner dies|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=June 12, 2019}}</ref>​

Jerry C. Spears of Keithville, the clerk of the Caddo Parish Commission, recalls Lenard, who held the District 8 seat, as “kind of a watchdog over spending. A budget hawk.” During his tenure, Lenard worked with fellow commissioners to revamp the animal control ordinance and was involved in the efforts to obtain a new juvenile services building and jail.<ref name=stimes>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080613/OBITUARIES01/806130330/1046/js07|title=Former commissioner dies|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=June 12, 2019; no longer on-line}}</ref>​

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Lenard was succeeded on the commission by fellow Republican John P. Escude. In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, Escude defeated Republican Jeffrey D. Sadow, a [[political science]] professor at LSU in Shreveport, 4,697 votes (56.4 percent) to 3,628 (43.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref>​

Lenard was succeeded on the commission by fellow Republican John P. Escude. In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 21, 1995, Escude defeated Republican Jeffrey D. Sadow, a [[political science]] professor at LSU in Shreveport, 4,697 votes (56.4 percent) to 3,628 (43.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref>​