Former LSUE accountant hired to help parish finances

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A former accountant at LSUE, Amanda Cain, has been hired to guide St. Landry Parish Government through a fiscal crisis. 
Cain’s hiring was announced Wednesday by Parish President Bill Fontenot at an Administrative-Finance Committee meeting. 
“Our budget should be more current and easier to manage,” Fontenot said. 
The parish government is ending the year with a deficit of about $700,000. Up to 17 parish workers face losing their jobs. 
The 2016 ending balance is budgeted at $1,114,973 in the General Fund. 
The current budget and the 2017 budgets are to be on the Dec. 21 Parish Council agenda. 
Cain told council members she has 17 years of accounting experience, which includes four with John S. Dowling of Opelousas and 13 years with Louisiana State University Eunice. 
Fontenot said Cain is to be paid $75,000 a year. 
The financial issue is constant topic at the council meetings. 
Alton Stelly, a council member, said, “I think we could have done something else but layoff poor people makign 9, 10 dollars an hour.” 
Fontenot said, “Find me a solution where we don’t have to.” 
Fontenot said he worked with the council on the budget and there was no other way to bring the budget in line. 
And, asked for the names of those to be laid off, Fontenot said because of privacy concerns he could not do that until the action occurs. 
In response to how roads are selected for overlay in the Smooth Ride Home Program, Fontenot cited traffic volume, connectivity, industry, population, schools and the cost. 
The $66 million bond issue will initially pave about 300 miles of road. Over the years of the bond issue, additional roads will be paved with surplus money, he said. 
Administrative-Finance Committee members asked officials from Fire Districts 3 and 2 to explain their finances. 
The full council is to consider where to approve a election in Fire District to raise is millage by 10 mills from 16.79 mills. 
A request from Fire District for a millage election was tabled.