METAIRIE, La. — Mike Yenni has already moved out most of his office furniture.
Friday, the outgoing Jefferson Parish president took care of some last-minute business on a folding table in a room that once resembled the Oval Office in the White House.
"I've enjoyed this job for the four years I've had it," Yenni said.
Yenni decided not to run for a second term. He admits sending inappropriate text messages to a 17-year-old boy hurt his chances for re-election.
"Absolutely, no question," Yenni said. "I've enjoyed serving the public for 21 years, and I would have liked to have done it a lot further. I was unfairly branded as something I'm not. I made a mistake and responded to a text message and that's it."
Yenni fought off a recall effort and a vote of no confidence from the parish council. Despite a rocky beginning, he now leaves behind a budget surplus, $500 million in future capital projects and improved flood protection.
Yenni hopes voters will remember him for his leadership, not the sexting scandal.
"I hope they remember me as a good leader," Yenni said. "I hope they realize people make mistakes, and they should be forgiven for their mistakes because mercy is good for the soul."
He said he'll miss the people he worked with the most.
"Jefferson Parish has 3000 plus amazing employees that come to work, ready to serve the public and do a great job doing that," Yenni said.
Yenni added he won't miss the media spotlight.
"I don't think the media has been completely fair with me on my accomplishments and what I've done in this term," Yenni said. "I think they focused on the negative and didn't focus on all the positive things we've done in four years."
Yenni called incoming parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng one of Jefferson Parish's greatest council chairs in recent times. He had some advice for the woman who will soon have his job.
"Put people that you trust in place and listen to those people," Yenni said.
Yenni is not ruling out another run for public office in the future. For now, he said it will be nice to spend more quality time with his growing family.
"My oldest daughter is six. My middle daughter is two and my youngest daughter is two months. My wife is a great person for being able to take on that task and being a business owner of her own, but still be able to be a good mother because this job does take a lot of your time."
Yenni said he is considering jobs in the public and private sectors both in Louisiana and out of state.
Jefferson Parish's new elected officials take the oath of office Wednesday, Jan. 8.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.