Photograph: Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor told members of a Budget Committee on Monday night that city residents should expect to soon see an increase for their monthly city water bills.
Alsandor added that he also thinks the city financial situation will continue to be tight, as officials try to operate the city with an annual property tax millage rate that is well below those collected in neighboring municipalities.
The current millage rate in Opelousas is 7.13 mills, Alsandor said. The annual millage in Ville Platte for instance Alsandor said, is nearly twice higher than it is in Opelousas.
“We have to invest in our own futures. If we want to get better, then we have got to be prepared to pay for it,” Alsandor said.
Finance Director Stephen Woods said the operating budget for the city is currently at the halfway mark
According to the budget presented to the Board of Aldermen last week, the city has collected $11.84 million in total revenues. The budget approved by the Board projects that the city will receive $24.3 million in funding by the end of the budget year.
The projected water rate increases Alsandor told a Board of Aldermen meeting last month, will appear as the city installs new water meters. City engineer William Jarrell III said at the meeting that the meters are expected to calculate more accurately than the meters they are replacing.
In some cases Jarrell said, residents have been paying the same rates for water over an extended period of time.
On Monday night Alsandor told the committee that the city has not experienced significant sewer and water upgrades since at least 1999.
The Board Alsandor said, has already agreed to spend $2.9 million in American Rescue Act funding for improvements at the water department and sewer plants. Also the ARA funding will help the costs for the water meter improvements and operational expenses.
Under subsequent questioning by committee members, Alsandor admitted that there is another $2.9 available in COVID funding for the city to use for other projects that he did not specify.
Committee member Sherell Roberts told Alsandor that she does not remember the Board being advised of the additional $2.9 million or allocating any use for the extra amount of one-time federal money.
Alsandor said in an interview after the meeting that he intends to use $2.9 million for citywide infrastructure. Alsandor did not indicate during they interview, any projects that he plans to include in the extra funding.
Although the Budget Committee did not agree on a Fire Department pay raise proposal for firefighters, Alsandor said that as the city expands that the need to provide residential and commercial services will also increase.
A large residential subdivision off Interstate 49 and Harry Guilbeau Road will perhaps eventually create a need to provide a fire department substation for that area, Alsandor said.
If the substation becomes necessary, Alsandor said there will probably be a need for more firefighters in Opelousas.
