Harlan Kirgan
The St. Landry Parish Council approved its 2019 budget that Parish President Bill Fontenot said is balanced.
“I use this term a lot. We are still operating on a poor boy budget, but we do the best we can to be efficient...” Fontenot said at the meeting Wednesday where the budget was approved.
Parish government operated in 2018 with a reduction of 17 people, mostly in public works, he said.
Accounting office changes are allowing closer monitoring of finances, he said.
“We know what money we have on a day to day basis, which is a great improvement over many years past,” Fontenot said.
“We did something new in the last year or so. It had a full impact this past year where we took out a line of credit so we could keep the cash flow to a point where we could understand the budget better,” he said.
The line of credit is up to $1.5 million.
The plan is to save $300,000 a year for five years until the parish builds up a $1.5 million contingency fund. The money would be used to fund parish government until tax collections arrive at the first of the year.
The general fund expense budget totals $5,237,839 in the 2019 budget. The projected year end 2018 expenses are $5,354,433 compared to the 2018 adopted budget of $5,820,232 — an 8 percent reduction.
The budget projects a balance of $1,289,274 at the end of 2019, which is the same as the beginning balance.
The 2019 budget represents a $116,594 reduction, or 2 percent, from the 2018 expenses.
In addition the budget, the Council approved changes to increase reimbursement from inmates for medical and dental expenses. The estimated saving are $365,000.
The budget offered a breakout on for changes for 2018 and 2019.
— Increase in prisoner housing expenditures of approximately $176,994 for 2018 and $336,000 for 2019.
— Increase in courthouse security fees of approximately $15,000 for 2018 and 2019.
— Increase in building and grounds maintenance for unexpected elevator repair in courthouse in 2018.
— Decrease in grant revenue of approximately $450,000 for 2018 and 2019.
— Decrease of $17,000 in transfers to the Airport Fund for 2019.
— Decrease in health insurance cost for 2019.
— Decrease in prisoner medical expenses allocated to Health Unit Fund for 2019.
The budget also includes a change in how racino funds are allocate. Opelousas Police had received 6 percent, but that was eliminated after the city of Opelousas closed its city jail.
The Racino Fund accounts for the tax levied in the amount of 4 percent of the aggregate of the weekly taxable net slot machine proceeds upon Evangeline Downs. The Racino Fund is projected to generate $2.7 million in 2019.
The split is as follows:
Parish Government: 62.5 percent.
General Fund: 6 percent.
Road & Bridge: 55 percent.
Airport: 1.5 percent.
Coroner: l.5 percent.
Economic Development: 5 percent.
District Attorney: 3.5 percent.
Registrar of Voters: l.5 percent.
St. Landry Parish Municipal Association: 21 percent.
Parish Judicial System: 2 percent.
Parish Clerk of Court: 1.5 percent.
Parish Assessor’s Office: 1.5 percent.
Parish Council leadership
Jerry Red was elected chairman of the Parish Council. Red and Nancy Carriere, who had been serving as vice chairwoman, were nominated for the position.
Red received seven votes to Carriere’s five votes.
Voting for Red were Shelvin Easton, Mildred Thierry, Vivian Olivier, Dexter Brown, Timmy Lejeune, Jimmie Edwards and Red.
Voting for Carriere were Harold Taylor, Ken Marks, Wayne Ardoin, Coby Clavier and Carriere.
Red previously served as chairman in 2016.
Coby Clavier, of Eunice, was elected vice chairman without opposition.