Jail costs rising; animal control, golf course in red

Members of the St. Mary Parish Council were cautioned about the rising cost of jail operation and maintenance Wednesday during their final regular session of June.
While delivering his 2014 fiscal year audit report, Guy Pitts of the Pitts and Matte accounting firm said that since July 2014, the sheriff has not provided the parish with a portion of the reimbursements it receives from the Department of Corrections for housing state prisoners.
In the past, those monies, $7 per day per prisoner, were dedicated toward debt service repayment of the bonds sold to build the Law Enforcement Center in Centerville.
According to Chief Operating Officer Henry “Bo” LaGrange the sheriff had the option to discontinue the payments during financial difficulties.
The annual debt service on the prison bonds the parish is obligated to repay is $425,000 through 2020, LaGrange said.
“Jail operation and maintenance has gotten so that the operation deficit plus the debt payment cost is more than a $1 million annually,” Pitts said. “I don’t know what the answer to that is but it certainly needs looking at.”
Other areas that continue to be subsidized by the parish include the animal control facility that Pitts called the “animal jail,” and the golf course.
Operating loss at the animal control facility has continued to increase over the past three years to about $200,000, he said, but added that the operating subsidy to Atchafalaya Golf Course has stabilized at $250,000.
Pitts noted that the animal control facility is used by each of the five municipalities in the parish. He said that after the parish raised fees at the facility four years ago fee payments actually decreased.
“Four years ago the fees covered about 60 percent of the operation costs and now they cover only 40 percent,” he said.
On the golf course, Pitts said, “Recreational facilities, whether they be for children or adults, or fishermen or golfers or tennis players they don’t make a profit,” he said.
Overall, the audit received an unmodified or clean opinion with minor material weaknesses in accounting.
Summary highlights indicated that the parish had total assets of $167.8 million, total liabilities of $50.1 million and a net position of $117.7 million. There was $42.3 million in total revenue, $41.5 million in expenses for a balance of $800,000.
The council also heard from Sen. Brett Allain (R-Franklin) who reported briefly on capital outlay funding secured during the past legislative session.
Allain said upcoming road projects that are fully funded include La. 182 from La. 670 to the western parish line, Chitimacha Road from La. 329 to La. 670 and Flattown Road in Charenton.
Other areas funded include the emergency center at the Morgan City port, the Crowell School rehab project on the third floor, Patterson water meter project, parish reroofing and parish waterproofing projects.
Allain noted that he voted for the bill to raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes from the current 32 cents to 82 cents. The measure was passed by the legislature.
“Money was tight this year but we definitely got more than our fair share,” he said.
In other business the council:
—Heard from Chez Hope Executive Director Cherise Picard who thanked the council for their financial support and noted that the facility’s new children’s center should be ready to open by the time school starts.
—Introduced an ordinance amending the permitted, limited, specific and prohibited uses table in the zoning ordinance.
—Adopted an ordinance rezoning property at 103 Minnow Lane, Cypremort, owned by Robert Richard and Chanse Boudreaux, from a light industrial zone to existing neighborhood to allow for a mobile home. A public hearing on this item will be called at 5:45 p.m.
—Passed resolutions on change orders and certificates of substantial completion on the Point Chevreuil shoreline protection project and the Middle Road culvert project.
—Passed resolutions on the HUD Section 8 Choice Housing Voucher Program’s annual and five-year plan; and on an agreement with Thomassie Construction to build the new animal control facility.