A political fight in Councilman David Cougle - St. Tammany Parish - District 9 is no longer happening quietly. Messages, public posts, an email and a $1,000 returned campaign contribution now show a serious breakdown between Councilman David Cougle and Jack Francioni, with the dispute beginning after Cougle chose to endorse John Young in the Public Service Commission race.
Now Francioni is publicly saying that “things are in the works” in District 9 and that a strong focus will begin November 4. That statement comes months after Francioni publicly said, “I need a new Councilman.”
Before Cougle publicly endorsed Young, Francioni contacted him directly and wrote, “Let me know if you are supporting John Young. I want to share that with others if you are.” Cougle responded that he planned to endorse Young the following day. Francioni replied, “Thanks for the heads up. All we needed to know.”
Cougle then publicly endorsed Young. Francioni shared the endorsement and wrote, “That would not be no but absolutely NO!! I need a new Councilman.” That exchange places the beginning of the public dispute directly around Cougle’s decision to support Young.
The disagreement did not stop there. Cougle provided APR•St Tammany with a copy of a personal check dated August 1, 2026, payable to Coastal Environmental Services of LA, LLC for $1,000. The memo reads, “2024 donation return.”
Cougle says he personally returned the money to Francioni on August 3 at Nathan’s Restaurant. In an email Cougle later sent Francioni, he said at least three people witnessed the exchange and recalled telling him, “I do not take orders from you guys.”
Less than two weeks later, Cougle documented another encounter. In an email sent shortly after the Blue Line Bash, Cougle accused Francioni of aggressively slapping him on the arm several times while speaking to him in a hostile manner.
Cougle wrote, “I will not be bullied, threatened, or intimidated into any action in my elected office, including who I choose to support for a particular office.” He also warned Francioni that if he put his hands on him again, Cougle intended to pursue charges. APR has not independently verified the physical contact itself, but the email shows Cougle made the allegation at the time of the incident.
There is another issue sitting in the middle of this political fight. Coastal Environmental Services currently provides garbage service for St. Tammany Parish Garbage District No. 1, and Cougle says much of that district falls inside Council District 9.
Cougle also told APR he believes the future of that contract may be part of the political pressure surrounding his seat. That claim has not been independently established, but it raises an obvious question: why is there such a strong push surrounding the council seat representing the district where Coastal currently provides garbage service?
Cougle says his position is that any future contract should go to the company offering residents the best service and the best price.
Francioni’s latest Facebook post is what brought the dispute back into public view. He wrote that he had been receiving calls, texts and emails concerning District 9 and said, “Rest assured that things are in the works and moving in a very good direction.” He also said a strong focus would be placed on District 9 beginning November 4.
Taken by itself, that could be dismissed as vague political talk. Taken with the messages, the public call for a new councilman, the returned $1,000 contribution and Cougle’s documented allegations, it carries much more weight.
The fight over District 9 did not start this week.
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THE HISTORY BEHIND THE YOUNG ENDORSEMENT
Cougle’s endorsement of John Young also came with history that makes Francioni’s reaction more significant.
While serving as Jefferson Parish president, Young opposed a major River Birch landfill contract that would have shifted Jefferson Parish garbage to the privately owned River Birch landfill. Court records show an independent review concluded the agreement could cost taxpayers millions more than continuing to use the parish landfill, and Young directed parish attorneys to pursue cancellation of the deal. One federal court record later noted that Young said the parish’s policy was to end the River Birch contract “at all costs.”
The River Birch contract was ultimately voided in 2011.
That history does not prove why Francioni opposed Cougle’s endorsement of Young, and APR is not assigning a motive that Francioni has not publicly stated. But it provides important context: Francioni specifically wanted to know whether Cougle planned to support Young, and River Birch had already been involved in a major political and legal fight with Young years earlier.
Photos & Records
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