BOBBY ARDOIN Editor/Consulting Writer
St. Landry Parish president Jessie Bellard announced on Thursday afternoon that he has signed and adopted a 2023 parish government budget that reflects a 10 percent reduction to the general fund.
Bellard indicated that he was prepared to impose a budget veto on Wednesday night after Council members narrowly adopted a 2023 budget that included the 10 percent in cuts. During a brief interview on Thursday, however, Bellard indicated that he has decided to accept the budget ordinance narrowly approved by council members during the Wednesday night meeting.
“I have signed the budget and mailed if off. I am prepared to work with the budget that we now have in place,” Bellard said.
Bellard estimated on Wednesday night that accepting the 10 percent cuts to the general fund means the parish will be operating with about $700,000 less than what was included in the original budget he presented to council members six months ago.
In May the Council passed a resolution which proposed cutting the entire parish government budget by 10 percent, but Bellard said following that vote he would continue to operate the parish on the projected funding contained in an amended 2022 budget.
On Wednesday night the Council first passed an amended budget ordinance proposed by council member Harold Taylor that includes the 10 percent general fund reduction.
Once that measure was passed the Council voted to adopt the general fund budget containing the reduced expenditures.
The adoption of an operating budget for 2023 has been an ongoing issue between Bellard and the Council since Bellard introduced his budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning Jan 1.
At a Finance Committee meeting in May, Taylor said he has long range budgetary concerns, especially with using COVID-19 federal relief money to pay for parish prisoner expenses.
The estimated $1 million that it will cost the parish in 2023 to pay for inmate housing will be paid from COVID revenues, Taylor said.
After that one-time American Rescue Act money is expended, Taylor said the parish will need to find a way to pay for prisoner housing from other sources.
“We have to have a strategy to balance the budget.”
Taylor said during the Committee Meeting. Bellard has said that he expects a prisoner trustee dorm near the parish courthouse due to be completed in 2024.
Completing the dorm, which will accommodate over 60 inmates, will remove St. Landry prisoners from incarceration in other parishes thus reducing overall inmate costs, said Bellard.
