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Council approves bank services, budget amendment and two state-funded street and airport grants
Summary
At its March 10 meeting the Natchitoches City Council adopted a banking services agreement, amended the fiscal year 2024–25 budget to cover higher health insurance costs, and approved two state-funded infrastructure agreements for street resurfacing and airport improvements.
The Natchitoches City Council on March 10 adopted a banking services agreement with Bank of Montgomery, approved a budget amendment to cover higher-than-expected health insurance costs, and accepted two state funding agreements for street and airport improvements.
The council voted unanimously on each final item. Council roll-call votes recorded Nelson, Smith, Harrington and P.T. as voting “yes” on the named measures.
The banking agreement (Ordinance No. 4 of 02/2025) moves the city’s fiscal agent role to Bank of Montgomery after the city’s prior fiscal institution was purchased by a credit union, which cannot hold municipal funds. Clarissa Brown Smith, the city’s finance director, told the council the change followed an RFP process and meetings with the selected bank.
On the budget amendment (Ordinance No. 005 of 02/2025), Brown Smith said the city’s self-insured employee health plan has exceeded its budgeted amount because of several large claims. She said the city will transfer funds from the utility fund to cover the shortfall and expects to recoup part of the excess at year end through insurance loss programs. Brown Smith said the utility fund ‘‘sits at about 4 and a half million’’ and the health-insurance overrun is roughly $1.5 million.
The council also authorized the mayor to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement with the state Treasury for resurfacing work on Barclay Drive using an appropriation from Act 776 of the 2024 Louisiana legislative session. Council members said the state provided $100,000 toward the project and that the estimated cost to fully rehabilitate the street may require a local match.
Separately, the council added and adopted Resolution No. 22 of 2025 to accept Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development funding for airfield signage and lights at Natchitoches Regional Airport. City staff said LADOTD will reimburse the city up to $476,000 for that project and that a pre-construction meeting was scheduled for two days after the council meeting.
All final votes passed without recorded opposition.
Looking ahead, the ordinances and resolutions approved at this meeting now move into implementation steps handled by the city’s finance, utilities and airport staff as appropriate.
