West St. Mary Port gets clean audit

A clean audit opinion was rendered to the Port of West St. Mary.
CPA Alan Taylor, Kolder Champagne, Slaven and Company, said Tuesday that the audit revealed no significant findings in generally accepted accounting practices.
The commission made one significant expenditure during the audit year with the purchase of the former Superior Fabricators facility on the Charenton Navigation and Drainage Canal, which was then leased to a tenant, Taylor said. They also repaired a building on the port site.
He said the port-owned water system does not bring in enough revenue to cover expenditures, but noted that the commission never intended to go into the water business, rather, they built the system to accommodate port tenants.
Executive Director David Allain also reported Tuesday that a capital outlay request for the industrial park should be received by St. Mary Parish government soon to begin infrastructure work on the site.
Allain also said that he has received inquiries about tariffs, the costs vessels and barges are charged to dock at the port. The commission currently has no charge after suspension by the board several years ago. Allain asked for permission to set those fees on individual basis, and the commission agreed.
Also, he reported that the navigational aids in the area of the Jaws south of Baldwin will be installed soon.