Terrebonne Parish Council to redirect emergency funds

Terrebonne Parish officials will redirect monies originally allotted to the Dedicated Emergency Fund to what administrators deem to be higher priority projects.

The original 2007 budget proposal earmarked $665,620 for the emergency fund, which brought the balance just over $4.6 million. Now that money, which had been proposed to be set aside to “meet public emergency affecting life, health, property or the public peace” as stipulated in the fund’s description, will be divided three ways.

With mental health services in limbo because of a higher demand after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, $100,000 will go toward one-time expenses for State Mental Health, Start Corp. and the Haven, according to parish documents.

Some $105,000 will supplement Wallop-Breaux grants allotted for maintenance of boat launches around the parish.

The third portion, totaling $460,260, will be set aside for a drainage construction fund, which Councilman Peter Rhodes, representing District 8, said has been a primary concern in Terrebonne Parish.

Councilman Clayton Voisin of District 7 questioned whether or not some of the $460,260 could be designated to the transportation department so that outlying areas of Montegut, Bayou Blue, Presquille and Grand Caillou could be included in the parish bus pick-up routes.

Right now Good Earth Transit does not service these areas because of low-traffic numbers, according to Public Transit Administrator Wendell Voisin. The Council on Aging does provide a rural transit on-call system; riders must first call to schedule a pick-up, but this program only applies to rural communities.

Voisin said that communities like Montegut are too populated to be categorized as a rural zone and therefore would jeopardize state funding if the council authorized scheduled stops.

“There is not enough need to schedule regular city busses to those areas,” he said.

One solution Voisin suggested was that the council set aside money from either the general or the emergency fund to make limited stops to those areas, but Rhodes said this would “open Pandora’s box” in allowing some areas receive a special service.

Rhodes said drainage funding is something that is in critical need. Last night’s discussion resulted from a budget meeting in mid-October at which the council vowed to try to find dollars for levee protection at the request of parish residents.

“This (setting aside money for a drainage fund) is an opportunity for us to look at trimming the budget to accommodate building levees,” said Rhodes.

“The drainage construction fund is for new construction. We were not specific as to what projects will be constructed so the money can be used to build levees or pump stations. This money is not for culverts or ditch maintenance.”

Voisin said adding bus routes to outlying communities should be considered a priority and warrants parish funding from the emergency fund because it would be a low expense project.

“We need to get transportation to the poor people in those areas who are isolated, at a minimal cost… They may be small in pockets but they are still taxpayers,” he said, further arguing the money could be used in a more productive manner. “My district was under water and not a penny was spent from the emergency fund.”

The council decided to further investigate city bus funding and approved funding for drainage construction project, as well as mental health and improving boat launches.

Other amendments to the 2007 proposed budget:

• Excess mineral royalties and video poker funds collected through 2007 will remain as allocated by past council action, evenly distributed to sewerage construction and drainage projects.

• A reduced vendor compensation discount to registered sales tax vendors has been brought forward to participating taxing agents. The issue will be discussed further at a subsequent meeting of the Sales Tax Advisory Board.

• Administration did not favor additional increases to the Occupational License Tax.

• In return for not paying a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes), Terrebonne General Medical Center offered the parish a premium discount on services provided to employees through the self-fund group insurance benefits. The discount exceeds the discount levels offered to any other group or agency and therefore administration will continue the current relationship structure.

• Administration will research the feasibility of charging non-for-profit organizations for public safety responses.

• The sanitation fund will not retire its debt service until March 2008. The first year without the debt service would not be until the 2009 budget year, therefore, it is premature to re-allocate $1.5 million, which may be needed in the future for higher operating costs associated with contracted services.

• Administration will present a proposed budget amendment after February 2007, after the administration can determine actual amounts received in excess of the 2006 sales tax collections projections and reflected in the 2007 budget. This money will be held for drainage related issues.

• Added $7,500 to the Capital Projects Control Fund for a fire hydrant along Country Estate Drive after legal investigation.

Andrea Carlson can be reached at (985) 876-3008 or andrea@tri-parishtimes.com