Parish passes budgets
By Ken Grissom
ST. MARTINVILLE – Budget documents juggling over $20 million – with audit-directed amendments that “aren’t all bad” – were approved by the Parish Council Tuesday evening.
“We are for the most part lucky to be in an oil and gas producing area,” Parish President Guy Cormier said. “Oil prices are down, but we are fortunate that there is still a lot of activity.”
Both the operating and capital outlay budgets are available for public viewing at the Parish Government offices, 301 Port St., in St. Martinville.
Despite a downturn in the price of oil and the rejection of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have given the parish more revenue from oil and gas production, the parish remains in good financial shape, Cormier said.
“We are watching our spending very, very closely. There are no wasteful items in these budgets,” he said.
He characterized the operating budget as a
“working document,” subject to amendments as needs or shortfalls a rise.
Indeed, the budget approved Tuesday had been amended to reflect that latest findings by the parish’s auditor – including an upward revision of the Sales Tax District 2 fund balance of nearly half a million dollars.
Expenditures planned include $400,000 for a pair of fire trucks (including $350,000 carried over from last year), $300,000 for road repairs in District 2, and $70,000 to renovate the old Cade recreation center.
In other action, the council approved ordinances:
•Entering into a right-of-way agreement with the owners of the Pilot Casino in Breaux Bridge to extend Enterprise Parkway, a main thoroughfare in the new I-10 business park.
•Accepting as public roads Lake View Drive and Landing Way in the Delcambre Landing subdivision, Nolan Drive in Gravouilla Acres subdivision, and Bridgetowne Lane in the Bridgetowne subdivision (District 5).
•Setting a reduced speed limit of 25 mph on a section of Moise Mallet Road (District 9).
•And prohibiting parking of motor vehicles on Toby Road (District 9).
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