Holden is CEO of local government

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Dec 30, 2005

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Democrat Kip Holden became the city-parish's first African-American mayor-president on Jan. 1 of this year, having beaten former Republican Mayor-President Bobby Simpson in last fall's elections.

Holden is a former member of the 12-member Metro Council, the parish's governing body. He also served several terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives and was serving in the Louisiana State Senate when he was elected mayor-president.

Holden is a life-long resident of Baton Rouge, and graduated from Scotlandville High School and from LSU, where his focus was in journalism.

After a short stint in local news, Holden attended Southern University Law School and graduated.

He maintained a law practice in Baton Rouge until his election last fall.

As mayor-president, he is the chief executive officer for East Baton Rouge Parish and the City of Baton Rouge (the two governments are combined).

The Metro Council is the legislative body for that government, an amalgamation of the old Parish Council and City Council. Most council members represent both residents who live inside the city limits and outside the city limits as well as the cities of Baker, Zachary and soon-to-be-incorporated Central.

Serving on the Metro Council are:

District 1, Wayne Carter, a Democrat.

District 2, Ulysses "Bones" Addison, a Democrat.

District 3, Pat Culbertson, a Republican.

District 4, Joe Greco, a Republican. Greco also serves as the mayor pro-tem, or chairman of the council. Greco also fills in as mayor when Holden is out of the parish.

District 5, Charles Kelly, a Democrat.