By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Auditors of St. John the Baptist Parish’s finances told the parish council Tuesday that their 2011 financial report was one of the best.

Phillip Rebowe, an accountant with Carr Riggs & Ingram, told the council the auditors delivered an unqualified opinion, meaning there were no deficiencies in internal control and no instances of noncompliance.

“I’ve been doing this for the parish for several years and this is the first time this parish has had an audit as good as this one,” Rebowe said.

Rebowe told the council parish’s $17.9 million in sales taxes collected in 2011 was about 4 percent less 2010’s final numbers. He said the parish can expect to see an estimated increase to about $19 million 2012.

Rebowe also said the audit showed the parish is experiencing funding deficiencies in seven parish funds, including ambulance services, airport authority, economic development, fire services, west bank fire department, Garyville fire department and health and human services. He said the parish needs to begin to look at ways to cut expenditures and raise revenue for those funds, specifically the ambulance and fire services funds, which are in danger of running out of cash completely.

In other action, the council approved an engineering study on improvements to the parish’s 11 parks. Parish President Natalie Robottom had recommended Regala Park in Reserve, the parish’s oldest and largest, be examined to determine what needs to be done to repair or replace aging facilities. Council members, however, quickly moved to add the other parks to a contract with Meyer Engineers that jumped from about $5,000 to an amount not to exceed $68,000.

“I think we have all seen the conditions at parks across the parish,” said Councilman Lennix Madere. “Regala needs work, but they all need work. I think it is wise to do them all at the same time and stop putting things off.”

St. John Chief Administrative Officer Theresa Rodgers said the parish had prepared similar work orders with Meyer to take care of the remaining parks. Those proposals were to be introduced at the next council meeting, but the council instead elected to move forward right away. Rodger said the parish has money budgeted for the comprehensive study on all parks.

“I’m looking at spending $5,000 now and “$50,000 two weeks from now,” said Councilman Art Smith. “We are going to spend the money, so we might as well do it all now.”

The council also approved an agreement with the American Red Cross and the Pontchartrain Levee District for a water safety program for children in the parish. The program will provide training for 14 instructors, who will then offer lessons to about 210 children in the parish. The lessons will be taught at the Regala Park pool in Reserve.

Rodgers said state funding would cover the cost of the program, which is not expected to exceed $5,670.