Lights out on parish budget

The lights were literally out when the St. Landry Parish Council’s Administrative-Finance Committee began its discussion of the parish budget.
Which may have been fortunate because the committee was told the budget, which is to be prepared by Parish President Bill Fontenot, has not been completed.
A hail storm passing through Opelousas Wednesay pelted the Old City Market building and eventually the lights went out.
With cell phones illuminating the room, Amanda Cain, finance director, said the parish president will present the budget.
Questioned, Cain said she prepares the budget, but it is not balanced and the cuts are to be made by the parish president, who was said to be ill.
After the meeting, Cain said about $400,000 has to be trimmed from the budget.
One source for budget relief may be in the mandated expenses. Those are expenses from offices such as the judiciary, district attorney, assessor and registrar of voters.
The parish government is to pay “reasonable” expenses according to the Legislative Auditor, she said.
The parish president is to negotiate the cuts in mandated expenses, Cain said.
Councilman Jerry Red, in moving to table the budget item, said it was on the agenda at the Wednesday meeting only because the budget must be passed in December.
Councilman Timmy Lejeune suggested moving the budget discussion to the full Council meeting on Nov. 21.
Cain asked about a special meeting next week. The budget would need to be introduced in two weeks so the Council can vote on it in December, she said.
Councilman Harold Taylor, standing up in the darkened council chamber, said, “Listen, we went to the Legislative Auditor conference last week and asked the auditor in a public meeting who is responsible for preparing and presenting the budget?”
The auditor said the budget must be presented by the parish president, he said.
“The Council has no right to send up the budget,” Taylor said.
“When he sends it down to us, we can amend it. We can do whatever we want to do with it...,” he said.
Committee Chairman Wayne Ardoin asked Cain what happens if the budget is not approved by December.
Parish government would have operate on 50 percent of its current budget, Cain said.
After the meeting, Cain said the budget is to include a $300,000 contingency fund and that’s to be in the next five budgets. The combined savings over five years is to create an account so the parish government can end a $1.5 million line of credit started this year to help with the end of the year cash flow.
A draft of the general fund 2019 budget shows a beginning balance of $1,289,274 and ending balance of $918,973, for a net fund balance change of $370,401.
With the lights still out, the Council decided to postpone its Public Works Committee to Nov. 21, before the month’s regular session.