By VICKIE JAMBON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – While most St. John the Baptist Parish councilmen agreed Tuesday night to work closely with the parish president and his chief administrative officer on the 2005 budget, one council member attacked the top two administrators – aggressively threatening to cut their jobs.

Parish President Nickie Monica and Chief Administrative Officer Natalie Robottom recently released the 2005 parish budget along with a 10-point budget reduction plan.

Initially the parish council reacted strongly towards Monica and Robottom by rejecting several of the items in the administrative plan. However, after several weeks of reviewing the financial recommendations, the council has displayed a willingness to work with administrative officials in an effort to gain budget reconciliation.

Parish councilmen came together with parish administrators Tuesday night to solve the problematic 2005 parish budget. However, one councilman spoke out against working with Monica and Robottom.

Councilman Richard “Dale” Wolfe verbally assaulted the two administrators shouting, “I want to make myself clear…. I will propose administration take a cut.”

Wolfe announced he would not cut people who elected him, but repeatedly threatened to cut the administrators’ jobs or salaries. He then petitioned the council not to work with Robottom and Monica on the budget, insisting council members band together – with him – to work on the budget.

The riled councilman repeatedly lashed out against Monica and Robottom until Councilman Allen St. Pierre intervened.

St. Pierre cut through the tension and said, “We have 52 days to accept all or some recommendations of administration and to come up with our own.”

Councilman Lester Rainey Jr. said while the council has not always concurred with administration in the past, he felt all employees were needed. He said, “I do not want to see a decrease in services. We will keep all positions and services as they are.”

Rainey stated earlier in the finance meeting, “The budget and the 10-point plan work hand-in-hand. It is not the intention of the parish council or the parish president to layoff parish employees. I believe there is money in the budget to keep everyone.”

Rainey said the council will begin holding finance sub-committee meetings on a regular basis in an effort to reform and pass the 2005 parish budget. He added, “It is expedient we meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays opposite the budget meetings. We will meet in the president/council room or the council office. It is time we start going though our budget.”

Rainey asked Parish Finance Officer Jeff Clement to meet with him Friday or Monday. Rainey said he wanted to acquire additional information necessary to draft budget concepts in preparation for the first sub-finance committee meeting to be held on Nov. 16 at the Percy Hebert Building in LaPlace.

Councilman Cleveland Farlough asked Robottom and Clement to provide him with figures identified with the Monica’s 10-point plan. The administration officers readily agreed to do so.

Farlough said, “None of us want to cut anybody. We are going to sit down and look at this budget fairly closely.”

After the meeting, Councilman Sean Roussel said, “Administration gave us their recommended budget. It was an initial shock and everyone had his/her own ideas to solve the problems. Now we are ready to sit as a group with administration and discuss the resolutions.”

Councilman Ronnie Smith agreed with Roussel that the council would work with administration and said, “It is my personal opinion there will be no people or salary cuts. There are other measures to discuss. I am working on a proposal right now.”

Robottom earlier stated the parish needed to slash the budget by $1.2 million to $2.3 million. However, she conceded she would be satisfied with a $900,000 slash in the parish’s $40 million budget.

Tuesday night, Robottom said she welcomed council members to meet with Clement and herself. She said the original plan didn’t include layoff of personnel. However, she explained there may not be any way around personnel cuts.

Robottom emphasized expenditure cuts, using examples such as insurance costs. She said if it came down to layoffs, she would recommend eliminating contract services before laying off parish employees. Robottom said work performed by contracted services could be performed by parish personnel.

With numerous contractors present at the meeting, several board members expressed apprehension at cutting contracted services. They questioned whether or not parish employees could provide professional results in grass cutting and janitorial services.

Robottom said she understood contractors had equipment that allowed them to do better work. She said it is possible contracts may be renegotiated. However, Robottom stated emphatically, “If given the choice between retaining contract workers or employees, I elect to retain employees.”

Clement said present budget problems were a result of a dramatic increase in expenditures and a slight increase in revenue.

“Over the last 4-5 years, expenditures have increased $3 million but revenue has only increased $1 million. We do not have a deficit now. However, we need to address the situation,” declared Clement.

The council has until Dec. 31 to amend the standing budget or to come up with a new one. If they are unable to do so, Monica’s budget will be put into effect on Jan. 1, 2005.

Remarks have been recently vocalized on several specific cuts included in Monica’s budget.

Robottom said it is inaccurate to report on only those cuts.

“Our cuts are across the board,” said Robottom. She said it is not the intention of administration to gouge economic development, public works, planning and zoning or recreation.

Robottom said to mention financial figures pertaining to individual departments would be misleading.

“There is more involved in these issues than meets the eye. Monetary figures are being transferred from one place to another. It is best to have a complete understanding of each entry before relating a supposed slash in the budget,” said Robottom. “I have invited individuals to meet with myself and others so that we could thoroughly explain what is being attempted.”

Robottom said another misconception is that there is a surplus. She said there is no surplus.

“We need to improve cash flow. We just borrowed $800,000 to pay bills. These cuts are not intended to build a surplus. We are looking at being fiscally responsible,” emphasized Robottom.

Administration said while they do not support a surplus, it would be inappropriate for the parish to propose a budget that spends all projected revenue.

“We have shown cuts in every department. However, we show particular difficulty in the four major funds previously addressed and because of this we are trying to address those areas. In order to retain our bond rating, we must build-up our fund balance,” said Robottom.

To make plausible financial recommendations, administration says it is important people understand the parish’s financial history and the proposed budget.

Robottom said, “There is nothing I would like better than to meet with every council member to discuss the budget. I wish we could do this before the sub-finance committee. This would give us the preparation needed to make informed, accurate decisions.”