Budget and Finance committee sends council-staff pay ordinance to public hearing after narrow 5-4 vote

The Terrebonne Parish Budget and Finance Committee voted 5-4 to introduce an ordinance that would set salary adjustments for council staff in 2025 and 2026 and to call a public hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

The ordinance as introduced originally said the first increase would be effective Jan. 1, 2025. Legal staff advised the committee that salary changes cannot be applied retroactively and recommended making the raise effective the next pay period after ratification. Committee members adopted a substitute motion to change the language so the first increase would take effect the next pay period after ratification; that substitute passed on a 5-4 vote. The committee then voted 5-4 to introduce the ordinance as amended and call a public hearing.

The debate centered on two issues: whether the council could legally apply the increase retroactively and where money for recurring raises would come from. Miss Neil, identified in the meeting as a staff member, stressed the legal limit: “under the law, when you raise someone's salary, you can't raise it retroactively,” and advised the committee to set an effective date after ratification.

Councilman Clyde Hamner argued in favor of giving the council staff raises and noted recent salary increases for those positions. “I'd pay our council staff a million dollars each a year if it was the right thing to do,” Hamner said, adding that the four council-staff positions have risen substantially in recent years and that some currently earn above statewide averages for similar roles.

Other members raised concerns about fairness and budget impacts. Councilman Danny Babin said he would rather see a fully formed ordinance and budget analysis before proceeding and withdrew earlier support for sending it to public hearing, saying the version before the committee was not in the proper form. Candace Malden, identified in the meeting as a staff member responsible for budget matters, said the parish would likely need a budget amendment to fund the increase and that staff had not yet determined whether the necessary recurring revenue existed.

Committee members emphasized that sending the ordinance to public hearing did not bind them to approve the raises; it allows public comment and further review. Council members who opposed moving the measure said they wanted a clear funding source and more comparable pay data from similar parishes before final approval.

The committee’s actions: - A substitute motion to amend the ordinance language to make the first increase effective the next pay period after ratification (mover: Councilman Steve Trostclair; second: Councilman Carl Harding). Vote: 5 yes, 4 no. Outcome: passed. - Motion to introduce the amended ordinance setting 2025 and 2026 council-staff salary adjustments and to call a public hearing for Feb. 12, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. (mover: Councilman Carl Harding). Vote: 5 yes, 4 no. Outcome: passed.

What happens next: The ordinance will be presented at the Feb. 12 public hearing, where members of the public may comment. If the council later votes to approve raises, staff said a budget amendment would likely be required to provide recurring funding for the increases.

The meeting record shows continuing disagreement among members about whether the four council-staff positions are already paid above regional averages, how to compare parishes fairly, and whether the parish can absorb the recurring cost given recent sales tax revenue declines.