Bellard Considers Credit Line
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
St. Landry Parish president Jessie Bellard is asking Parish Council members to approve his request for establishing a line of credit with a $2 million limit in order for his administration to obtain money when needed.
Bellard told Finance Committee members on Wednesday night that he would have more information on the line of credit request that Bellard said was presented to the Louisiana State Bond Commission on Monday.
The Council has scheduled a Dec. 11 special meeting to discuss the Bellard administration plans for purchasing the Indian Hills Country Club property and another separate expenditure for buying acreage adjacent to the former Lawtell Elementary School.
Bellard also told the Committee that he plans to submit a proposed 2025 operating budget at the Dec. 18 regular monthly Council meeting.
Committee members peppered Bellard with questions concerning his line of credit request, an item that was not listed on the original committee meeting agenda.
Bellard explained that if approved, the line of credit would be more of an annual funding request and not necessarily an item that would be part of the budget for an extended period of time.
“It would be a year-to-year line of credit that would be revived if it is needed. I will know more next week,” Bellard told the Council.
Bellard said he plans to revisit the line of credit request next week with the Bond Commission.
Committee members did not ask Bellard about projected interest rates associated with the proposed credit line.
According to an Oct. 31 line-item operating budget report that was given to Council members at the Wednesday night committee meetings, the parish has received $901,000 less than anticipated in 2024 revenues.
Bellard told the Council on Wednesday night that the parish has already spent $774,000 more than budgeted for parish prisoners’ costs.
Additionally Bellard said the Coroner’s Office has exceeded the originally budgeted amount by $250,000, while it has cost the parish about $1 million to pay for debris removal from an April 10 storm that battered St. Landry.
Bellard said during a post-meeting interview that he expects the Governor’s Office to pay 75 percent of the expenses for the debris removal.
“I don’t anticipate having any problems getting the money from the governor. It’s something I have in writing,” Bellard said.
Bellard added that he is not concerned about the operating budget.
“What I’m concerned about is what is being spent by each of these offices that we are mandated by the state to pay for,” said Bellard.
