Phillipp Bedwell Appointed to Washington Parish Council

The Washington Parish Council approved the appointment of Phillipp Bedwell Monday (November 6, 2017) to fill the vacant seat in District 5, a vacancy created when Councilman Pete Thomas resigned due to losing his house to a fire and relocated out of the district.  The District includes the Stateline area, Thomas, Pine, Ben’s Ford and the area around the Bogalusa Library and YMCA.

Bedwell will take his oath of office as soon the required paperwork is completed by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s office. It is anticipated this will be at the next scheduled meeting on November 20, 2017. Bedwell will serve as Councilman until a special election called and he is prevented by the Parish Charter from being a candidate in that election. 

Phillipp and his family have a long history in Washington Parish. His father was born and raised in Pine and retired from the Bogalusa paper mill. His mother was from Isabel. Phillipp was born and raised in Bogalusa, attended Terrace Elementary and Bogalusa Junior High, and graduated from Bowling Green in Franklinton.

He graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a degree in Law Enforcement. Phillipp served on active duty and as a reservist in the United States Air Force in Kansas, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. He was a Lieutenant and Captain in the USAF Security Police responsible for the safety and security of nuclear weapons.

Phillipp then enjoyed a 26 year career with the United States Department of Justice in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, He worked in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia and Texas. He was a Correctional Officer for three years and transferred to Human Resources where he held many positions of increasing responsibility, including Human Resource Manager of the United States Penitentiary in Pollack, Louisiana.

He retired in 2012 and he and his wife, Pamela Barlow Bedwell, moved back home to the Bogalusa area. Pam and Phillipp have two children and six grandchildren. Their daughter Sarah and her family live in South Carolina. Their son, Robert, and his family are in Maryland where Robert is serving on active duty at the United States Air National Guard headquarters.

Since his return home Phillipp has been active in many areas, including being elected to the Washington Parish Republican Executive Committee and the Louisiana State Republican Central Committee. He enjoys beekeeping and when time and crops allow selling his produce at the Farmer’s Market in Bogalusa.