Discussions at the Natchitoches Parish Council meeting on Dec. 16 got heated over budget frustrations. It started at the beginning of the meeting with a request by the Council Clerk to amend the agenda to add two items:

North LA Criminalistic Laboratory Commission approve amended 2024 budget and proposed 2025 budget. Council Member Bill Allen voted against the agenda item, saying it could be moved to January because that’s when the Council usually approves it. The correction was made that the Commission requested approval of the item in December because of the inclusion of their 2024 budget. The item still didn’t pass because, for amendments to the agenda, one no vote causes it to not pass.

Allen also voted against amending the agenda to add an item to introduce the Parish Government budget for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2025 and ending Dec. 31, 2025. This item didn’t pass because, for amendments to the agenda, one no vote causes it to not pass.

Another item on the agenda is to adopt Ordinance 019-2-2024, an Ordinance adopting the budget for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025, and for Capital Budgets, and making appropriations for each department, project, and account.

VOTE: Kerry – YES, Halm – YES, Allen – NO, Braxton – NO, Cheatwood – NO

If the budget doesn’t get passed, this means there’s millions in grant funding that will be held up for communities because of the Council’s lack of action.

Discussions quickly turned to how much money the budget was being held up over, a total amount of $90,000 which was requested by the parish Council for “professional services” to include software for distributing agendas to the public and live streaming their event so everyone in the parish can stay up-to-date with what’s happening.

“In order for the council to function the way it wants, we aren’t being awarded enough money to do what we need to do,” said Allen. He added that Parish President John Salter told him, “I don’t care if you ever pass the budget.”

Other projects mentioned were the creation of a “council room” to conduct business, working with Northwestern State University to do research on things like bringing more work to the parish. An example made was the outsourcing of the job duties of the Planning and Zoning Director to a third party company called Rapides Area Planning.

Counter arguments made to these projects were as follows:

• None of the things the Council has proposed, like software, actually fall into the “professional services” category. One member of the audience called the Council’s explanation that it needed $90,000 for professional services. Even if the $90,000 was put in the budget the money would not come out of that line item. That’s smoke and mirrors. Everything just needs to be put on the correct line item within the budget.
• If the Parish Council wanted to make use of the City Council’s building so there’d be more room for guests, the Council must realize that the city government isn’t going to let the parish government use it’s space for free, so where would those additional funds come from?
• The software services requested by the Council to help it get citizens more engaged with meetings costs $50,000, but the problem with that is that it does not meet ADA compliance requirements as it does not support live streaming of meetings. The Parish more money on monitors, etc… Since the software doesn’t get the Parish Government into compliance with ADA for its meetings, which the parish has to do by 2027, it will have to turn around and find another software that will help meet the requirements.

Several citizens from the audience stepped forward to voice their concerns over the Council not amending the agenda so the budget could be passed. 

“The issue today is getting this budget passed so we can get on with getting these roads fixed and get them passable,” said one citizen. “Quit worrying about a software and think about the people.”

Let’s do something right for the people and not what’s ‘right for y’all,’” said another citizen.

Other agenda items included:

• Approve the appointment of Mr. Preston Broadwater to the Water Works District 2 board.
• Adopt Ordinance-027-2024 to affect a zoning amendment of parcel #0010186291 to Business-3 {B-3) zoning for the purpose of an insurance and used car sales business. The property is in Section 32, Township 9 North, Range 8 West with a physical address of 6756 Highway 6, Natchitoches, LA 71457, as shown on the Survey attached hereto, approved by the Parish Planning Commission on November 4.

First Introduction of proposed Ordinances:

• Introduce Ordinance-024-2024 Commercial Vehicle Enforcement for commercial vehicles operating in the parish of Natchitoches along with the creation of a commercial vehicle enforcement unit (CVEU) that shall enforce applicable ordinances adopted by Natchitoches Parish on all roadways maintained by Natchitoches Parish. It shall be vested with the authority to direct, control, and regulate all traffic in the Parish of Natchitoches Commercial CVEU.
• Introduce Ordinance-028-2024 to amend the parish personnel manual to include CVEU officer job description and salary range.

Resolutions:

• Enter into Addendums and an Amendment to the Joint Agreement with the City of Natchitoches and the Natchitoches Parish School Board.

Other Agenda Items:

• Approve the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with the State’s Office of Cyber Readiness, a part of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security to facilitate Cyber Readiness
• Approve Insurances for the Parish including but not limited to Health, Retiree Supplemental Health, Dental, Vision, and life policies.
• Approve Insurances for the Parish including but not limited to Worker’s Compensation, auto, inland marine, cyber security, property, and Public Officials liability.
• Award bids for the following Highway/Solid Waste Items:

Silty Clay Soil – Elite Dirt Contractors

60/40 Clay/Soil Mix – Industrial Concrete

Stone Rip Rap 551b – Industrial Concrete

Iron Ore – Industrial Concrete

Pit Run – Industrial Concrete

610 Base – Madden Contracting

57 tone – Madden Contracting

Cold Mix – Diamond B Construction