The Natchitoches City Council held a brief meeting on Feb. 24 to pass several agenda items. Jessica Broadway from TCBT presented the Council with its most recent audit. She went over the General Fund and the special revenue funds. The General Fund pays for all the parts of the City including public safety and streets and sanitation, other than grants the City receives. For 2024, Public Safety was the largest expense. These parts are funded by ad valorem taxes, sales tax and the biggest: transfers from the utility fund.
“Without those transfers from the utility fund, it would not be possible to provide the public safety and everything else the General Fund provides,” she explained. “With IP closing [the Red River mill in Campti] there will be an affect to the ad valorem taxes and the sales tax…The Utility Fund will have to pick that up in some way.”
The majority of the excess revenue from the utility fund is going to the General Fund to support the City. Some pays for liability and health insurance and paying off the expenses of the streets that were incurred 4-5 years ago (eventually this expense will go away once it’s paid off).
There was a big issue last year over the increase in electricity rates. However, the revenues have decreased by $7.5 million, but the cost has done the same. The gross profit has actually increased even though the revenues decreased and the rates increased. This is because of the PCA charges (fuel costs), which was being passed on to the customers.
“In truth, the customers’ payments were actually less even with the utility rate increase,” Broadway added.
Right after Broadway’s presentation, the Council received a financial update. To date the City has brought in $1.3 million (calendar year), so this reflects the month of January. The City is up 3.3 percent ($45,000) over the last year in sales tax collections. For the fiscal year the City is up 4.4 percent ($417,000) over last year around the same time. The City is down in TIF tax collections. The Economic Development Districts are slightly down in collections. There might be a slight trend downward in collections in these commercial districts due to the Campti mill closure.
Agenda items:
ORDINANCES – FINAL:
Authorize A Concession Agreement In Favor Of Lasyone’s Meat Pies, Inc., To Handle Concessions At Parc Natchitoches Including Right To Sell Food, Beverages, Confections, Merchandise Products And Other Similar Items, Confirming The Term Of The Agreement, Conditions, And Consideration For Said Agreement And Authorizing The Mayor To Execute The Said Concession Agreement On Behalf Of The City, Providing For Advertising, Further Providing For Severability, And Further Providing For A Repealer And Effective Date Of Ordinance.
ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION:
Enter Into A Banking Services Agreement With Bank Of Montgomery And Approving Of The Terms And Conditions Of Same All After Due Compliance With The Law And Further Providing For Advertising And For An Effective Date
Amend The 2024-2025 Budget To Reflect Additional Revenues And Expenditures.
RESOLUTIONS:
Advertise And Accept Bids For Natchitoches Regional Airport Consisting Of Hangar Door Replacement, Airport Improvement Program No. 3-22-0034-032-2025 (Bid No. 0673)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The next scheduled City Council meeting will be March 10, 2025.
