WELSH — A new magistrate has been appointed to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Charles Bull in January.

Welsh native and Lake Charles attorney Ben Cormier was unanimously appointed to oversee the mayor’s court Tuesday by the Welsh Board of Aldermen.

Mayor Carolyn Louviere had been serving as interim magistrate after the board couldn’t agree on a new appointment.

“I think it is a great opportunity to me to give something back,” Cormier said. “I was born and raised in Welsh, went out to the world and came back home.”

Cormer has a law firm in Lake Charles, but said he is flexible to the hours that will be required of him as magistrate.

The mayor’s court meets once a month in Town Hall. The magistrate can try violations, set bail for people arrested for violating ordinances, and issue bench warrants and contempt charges for people who don’t show up.

The council became divided on the magistrate’s appointment earlier this year after Louviere asked members to appoint attorney Elliott Cassidy.

Alderman Colby Perry rejected Cassidy’s appointment, saying he wanted someone who was “neutral and detached.” Perry said that appointing Cassidy would be a “public relations catastrophe” and would raise ethics concerns and conflicts of interest because his father is the parish district attorney.