The Belle Chasse Rotary Club inducted officers for 2010-2011 last week.

Out-going president Manuel Barthelemy handed over the reigns to Dr. Rocky Asevedo.

“This is the second best event I’ve had in the last 48 hours,” said Asevedo, whose wife had just had their fourth child, Chase Samuel Asevedo.

All jokes aside, Asevedo was eager to set some club goals. Within the next year, Asevedo would like to increase membership, turn the club into a non-profit and complete a hands-on service project quarterly.

This year’s theme will be “The Spirit of America.” Rotarian of the Year was Nelson Chaisson. World Services and Foundation Officer Dr. Stuart Guey was not present.

Guest speaker Dale Benoit spoke to the club about the oil spill from the business perspective of PABI, Plaquemines Association of Business and Industry, and GNO, Inc., a regional business organization encompassing New Orleans and surrounding parishes.
The organizations are stressing the importance of a clear command structure, “one person in charge and one person to make decisions.”

They also wanted to end the deep water drilling moratorium. They propose that a government inspector should be on every rig to ensure safety protocols are followed. By PABI and GNO, Inc. calculations, 66 inspectors would be needed.

“The important thing is to keep the rigs working and keep the workers working,” said Benoit.

The business organizations would also like to see Sen. Mary Landrieu successfully bring Louisiana’s fair share of oil revenue to the state by 2013.

The Belle Chasse Rotary Club has guest speakers on a weekly basis. For more information about Rotary Club International, visit www.rotary.org.