St. Martinville – St.
- cil approved its budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year at Monday's regu - lar council meeting, but is having some num - bers looked at and may make amendments to the budget if needed at future meetings.
The city held a pub - lic budget hearing be -
fore the meeting, dur - ing which CPA Burton Kolder discussed the budget with the council and mayor.
The city also passed its amended budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which concludes at the end of the month.
Salaries and wages for all employees and for all elected officials reflects a 2 percent in - crease over the prior fis - cal year, approximately $84,000, Kolder said, Public safety depart -
ment (police and fire employees) are not in - cluded in that number.
No new positions are being funded, though with Culture, Recre - ation and Tourism Di - rector Danielle Fonten - ette planning to retire, her job will be split be - tween two employees currently on the payroll, Mayor Jason Willis said.
The city is budgeting for projects of $8.814 million with grants funding 82 percent of that, or $7.219 million. The city will fund the remainder, although it is also applying for an - other $1 million grant for one of those projects.
Kolder also discussed the city's utility rates. The city is adjusting its electric rates with minimal increases for the months of Octo - ber through May, when residents use less pow - er. Those increases are from 6 cents per kilo - watt-hour to 8 cents per kilowatt-hour. The rate for the months of June through September will go up about a half a cent per kilowatt-hour, from 6.45 cents to 7 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Residents will see slight increases month - ly for utilities from the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Electric costs for resi - dential customers is budgeted at an average of $134.76 per month for the 2026 fiscal year, up from $129.45 a month average for the 2025 budget.
Water charges are budgeted for $30.56 per residential customer per month on average, up from the $28.98 in the amended 2025 budget. The city at some point, perhaps within the next year, will no longer be receiving those water fees once the St. Mar - tin Parish Consolidated Water District No. 4 takes over the city’s water system.
Budget
Sewer charges for the city are going up from an average $31.14 per month for residential customers to an average of $37.55 a month.
Garbage collection costs go up from an average of $25.69 a month to an average of $26.5 8 a month.
The total average for residential customers in the city will rise from an average of $251.60 per month to an average of $281.45 per month for residential customers, for all four services combined.
Total operating expenses for the four utilities for the upcoming year are budgeted at $6,520,687, up from the 2025 amended budget of $6,500,487.
The profit this year is projected to be $1,214,543, slightly less than the $1,251,643 in the 2025 amended budget.
City Chief Financial Officer Katy Bujard will look into a few issues that the council wanted cleared up, with the main one being the cost of workman’s compensation costs through Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation.
She also was going to clear up some other questions council members had about some smaller line item numbers. If needed, the budget can be amended via resolutions and then a final amended budget ordinance can be voted on at the end of the fiscal year, Kolder told the council.
Grass cutting
Councilman Mike Fuselier also asked about getting city workers to cut overgrown grass on adjudicated properties in his district more regularly during the summer.
Fuselier said residents have to call every week asking for the city to cut some of those properties, which grow rapidly, and wanted to know if there is a list of properties that the city cuts regularly so that residents, or Fuselier himself, don’t have to call about each one individually.
The mayor said that city public works director Otis Chatman has to notify property owners by mail that overgrown grass needs to be cut. Many times they cut it before Chatman can follow up with a phone call, Mayor Willis said, in which case the city can’t cut the property.
Only in cases where the owners don’t cut the grass can the city then go in and cut the grass. Once the city has mowed a property it can continue to do so without notification that year, the mayor said, but if owners keep cutting grass occasionally before the city can get to it, the city is not allowed to mow the property.
The mayor said also said the city is shorthanded with three grass cutters who also have other duties, and one seasonal cutter. With grass growing high in only a few days it makes it difficult for them to keep up with all the adjudicated properties they must cut in the city.
City Councilwoman Flo Chatman also said that she rides with Otis Chatman around her district, showing him which properties she wants cut there, and that those properties are cut the next day. She suggested Fuselier do the same in his district.
Other business
In other business, the council opted not to remove speed bumps on Theater Street and Honore Street near the city’s swimming pool and splash pad.
Resident Bernard Mitchell had asked that the speed bumps either on Theater or Honore be removed because they cause his car to scrape the bottom.
But Councilwoman Janise Anthony, whose district includes that area, said residents had signed petitions to have the speed bumps put in and she and other council members opposed removing them for safety reasons since many children walk or ride bikes to the pool and splash pad during summer months.
The council tabled consideration of renewing its two-year contract with McBade Engineers & Consultants until its next meeting.
The council tabled approving a consulting services master agreement with Frank Ledoux as well.
The council approved allowing the St. Martinville Senior High Alumni group to use Adam Carlson Park from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. on July 19 for a community Garage Sale.
The council also awarded a low bid contract to Ticket Services for demolition and debris removal services for 10 houses under the 2023 Clearance Grant, including removal of slabs. Vehicle removal from those properties is not included in the bid.
The council approved authorizing the mayor to sign a maintenance agreement with the state’s Department of Transportation and Development including mowing and litter pickup for the upcoming fiscal year.
