After voicing concerns over the proposed agenda item to adopt the budget for the City of Natchitoches for the fiscal year June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024, Council members voted to table its vote to approve the budget as presented. Tabling this item will allow Council members to get more comfortable with the budget.
Council member-at-large Betty Sawyer Smith said she had concerns about some issues that she saw in relation to the budget. The City is trying to prevent/curb crime and violence and the organization has been very effective in these efforts.
Finance Director Clarissa Brown-Smith said the Crime Stoppers budget wasn’t cut. The organization was previously budgeted for $75,000 but the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the City said the City was responsible for $25,000 so the budget was “right-sized” to $30,000.
Crime Stoppers President Carmella Parker said the original CEA lists the City’s support at $40,000. The first year Crime Stoppers received $40,000. The second year the organization received $30,000 from the City. The goal is to also hold fundraisers to supplement the amount it receives from the City. Businesses are also welcome to support Crime Stoppers efforts through donations.
There was no answer as to where the $75,000 budget item might have come into play under a previous finance director.
Betty Smith also asked about salary increases, particularly dealing with the position of Outreach/Grant Manager. The City is already paying a grant writer $7,500 monthly, so she was questioning what duties would change from a “writer” to “manager” position.
“I’m not trying to pick on anyone,” said Smith, who said she’s just questioning the position because the proposed salary is increasing to over $43,500 (for part time work).
Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. mentioned there have been many grant wins. For the $17.2 million RAISE grant, the $5 million water system improvement grant, Mayor Williams said they take a skill that not everyone has the patience for, not only on the winning side but on the administration side, sending documents in.
“Maybe some people are taking for granted that these things are just given to us,” he added. “These things are not falling from the sky.”
Williams added that consulting costs for these grants alone can be upwards of $50,000.
Betty Smith also had an issue with the Public Works Department needing an increase in their budget for equipment.
Clarissa Smith said the finance department hears funding requests from all city departments and works to support them.
Council member Eddie Harrington held up two copies of the proposed budget and raised a concern that members of the Council had been provided one copy of the budget to review before the April 24 meeting, but were presented with another copy at the meeting, which showed different numbers from the original. The current final draft of the budget was given to Council members at the April 10 meeting.
Clarissa Smith said the numbers “aren’t different in the entirety” between the two versions of the document. The only changes were the addition of the Mayor’s statement and some money was reallocated under a “Vehicles” line item.
Harrington also questioned a $50,000 line item for bad debts, which Clarissa Smith explained as an accounting field for bad debt toward receivables that are on the books, which need to be reversed and applied to that expense such as leasing, rental agreements or anything else that is invoiced.
“It’s a normal line item,” she said.
A member of the audience, Debra Thompson, spoke to the Council about the early 4:30 pm time for the public budget hearing. A budget pamphlet was handed out to give the public highlights of the budget, which is a hundreds of pages. Thompson said that, in the interest of transparency, the public needs more detailed information. It needs to know where taxes are coming from, information on licenses and permits, information on salaries, etc… She also said that indirect expenses need to be itemized so the public knows where the money is going.
ORDINANCES – FINAL:
Award The Bid For A Bucket Truck For The City Of Natchitoches Utility Department (BID NO. 0657)
Repeal The Descriptions And Designations Of Existing City Of Natchitoches City Council Districts, Establish New City Of Natchitoches City Council Districts, Describe The Boundaries Of Each New District And Otherwise Provide For An Effective Date Of The Ordinance.
ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:
Authorize A Franchise In Favor Of Paul’s Party Boat, To Operate A Tour Boat Business Within The City Limits Of The City Of Natchitoches, Confirming The Term Of The Franchise, Conditions, And Consideration For Said Franchise And Authorizing The Mayor To Execute The Said Franchise Agreement On Behalf Of The City Providing For Advertising, Further Providing For Severability, And Further Providing For A Repealer And Effective Date Of Ordinance.
RESOLUTIONS:
Appoint Rasul Karim Abdullah As A Member Of The Natchitoches Fire And Police Civil Service Board
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The next scheduled City Council meeting will be May 8, 2023.
