The LSU Board of Supervisors has a new candidate in line for chairman-elect after months of discrepency caused by Gov. Bobby Jindal’s involvment in the Board’s leadership decision.Blake Chatelain of Alexandria is slated to become the next chairman-elect at the Board’s next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 4.The Board’s August meeting resulted in a stalemate vote between Alvin Kimble, of Baton Rouge, and John George, of Shreveport, for chairman-elect. The Board postponed its vote at the October meeting until the next meeting, expecting another even split.Kimble, along with other Board members, accused Jindal’s administration of interfering with the voting process by persuading members to vote for George.Kimble unanimously had the Board’s support for chairman-elect since March, but George announced his candidacy days before the August meeting.Chatelain, who Jindal appointed to the Board this summer, is expected to become the new chairman-elect at next week’s meeting.”It became apparent to all 16 members of the Board that the vote of eight to eight would remain the same at least through summer of 2010, unless a compromise candidate could be agreed upon,” said Chairman James Roy of Lafayette.Roy said Chatelain is an honorable member who will make a “strong chairman” and be “less politicized.””I believe after the December meeting that this will be behind us all,” Roy said. “It’s largely behind us now in the informal recognition of [Chatelain] as the likely chairman-elect. It’s a uniform feeling of every Board member that we need to get on with LSU and the LSU Board.”Chatelain replaced Charles Weems, who was appointed in 1991 and had been the longest serving Board member before Jindal replaced him.Roy said it is best to look forward and to not blame the government or other members for the Board’s tensions and disagreements.”I have no doubt in my mind that Blake Chatelain will put LSU and the Board first in priority in the interaction of LSU and the Board, with any other part of Louisiana government,” he said. “He will use his best judgment.”Roy said even as a new addition to the Board, Chatelain is well qualified to take over as chairman in August.Chatelain serves as the president of Red River Bank, dealing with shareholders, a board of directors, investors, customers and clients, which proves his leadership experience in shaping policy, Roy said.”The leadership of the Board, the System administration and staff are going to do all we can to facilitate [Chatelain] getting up to speed,” Roy said.Kimble and George have both clearly endorsed Chatelain’s candidacy, Roy said.Kimble could not be reached for comment, but George said in an e-mail that Chatelain is an “outstanding person and will make a great chairman.”—-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]