Port Allen budget items overlooked
PORT ALLEN — The City Council’s fiscal adviser said Wednesday night that the council needs to make two amendments to the 2012-13 budget to cover some expenditures previously overlooked by the administration.
Chief Financial Officer Audrey McCain said an $18,000 budget adjustment is needed to fund contract costs involving Progressive Waste Solutions, and a $4,500 change will be required to pay for services involving employee retirement and benefits.
The $22,500 addition to the budget would come out of the $72,000 surplus, McCain said.
Council members agreed to vote on the budget amendments during their regular meeting in November.
The extra Progressive spending, McCain said, was caused by an 80-cent per household trash fee increase.
McCain said the contract with Progressive allows the company to impose rate increases to offset operating cost hikes.
Mayor Roger Bergeron said he still awaits word from Progressive regarding possible renegotiation of its contract with the city.
The administration and the council have been trying to decide what to do about the rising cost of trash and garbage collection services since learning Port Allen faces a deficit if it does nothing to change its five-year contract with Progressive.
Bergeron said Progressive officials have proposed reducing twice-weekly pickup service to once a week to offset the cost of the company’s service.
“But we need some more data to analyze before we can come to you with a recommendation,” the mayor told the council Wednesday.
Bergeron also said the administration is documenting every problem or issue the city is having with Progressive to have on hand during any future negotiations with the company.
Other business taken up by the council included:
POLICE DEPARTMENT: The council agreed to hire Nolan Dehon III to serve as a city Police Department officer.
Police Chief Ken Bates said Dehon will start work Monday and earn $34,037 annually.
The police force still has two vacancies, Bates added, saying he’s still receiving applications and has more interviews lined up to fill the positions.
The chief asked the council last month for permission to keep advertising the jobs because the applicants interviewed so far could not pass required psychological exams.