City council approves Section 8 budget increase, museum change order, SRO agreement and surplus declaration

The New Iberia City Council on Aug. 20 approved a series of routine but material items including a budget amendment for the HUD Section 8 voucher program, a change order for the Bayou Tash Museum project, an intergovernmental agreement for school resource officers and a surplus declaration for broken equipment.

Council members moved the items in sequence after brief staff presentations and limited discussion. The council opened and closed a public hearing on the Section 8 ordinance with no members of the public speaking, and then voted. Staff described the Section 8 amendment as “more families, so more cash for more families.”

Council staff said change order No. 3 for phase 3 of the Bayou Tash Museum is funded from a project surplus rather than an overrun; the additional work described includes break-room cabinetry and second-floor exhibit lighting. Council members confirmed the change order would exhaust the project’s capital-outlay funding for phases 1–3 and that museum leaders are pursuing grants and other sources to add back items cut in earlier value engineering.

Council also approved an intergovernmental agreement to continue School Resource Officer (SRO) coverage between the City of New Iberia, the Iberia Parish School Board and the New Iberia Police Department. The council clarified the SROs are dedicated to school duties during school hours, receive specialized SRO training and that staffing will reduce by one SRO when an officer retires.

A resolution declaring a city plotter (large-format printer) as surplus and authorizing disposal under city policy and state law also passed; staff said the machine is old, no replacement parts are available and it has been taking up space.

Votes at a glance

- Special ordinance 2023–2024–32 — HUD Section 8 voucher program budget amendment. Motion to open public hearing and motion to adopt recorded; no public speakers. Motion moved by Councilman David Broussard and seconded by Councilwoman D. Johnson Reed. Vote tally: not specified in transcript; outcome recorded by council as approved.

- Resolution 24‑103 — Change order No. 3, Bayou Tash Museum, SP&C #50MO11702. Motion by Councilman Dan Dahl; second by Councilman Marlon Lewis. Staff said the project was under budget and the change order uses surplus funds for cabinetry and exhibit lighting. Vote tally: not specified; outcome approved.

- Resolution 24‑104 — Intergovernmental agreement for School Resource Officers among City of New Iberia, Iberia Parish School Board and New Iberia Police Department. Motion by Councilman Marlon Lewis; second by Councilwoman Brooke Marcotte. Council confirmed SROs are dedicated to school duties and receive special training; one SRO will retire and staffing will drop from three to two. Vote tally: not specified; outcome approved.

- Resolution 24‑105 — Declare certain equipment surplus (plotter) and authorize disposal. Motion moved and seconded; discussion confirmed the plotter is obsolete and parts are unavailable. Vote tally: not specified; outcome approved.

What the votes mean

The Section 8 budget amendment increases local voucher program capacity, according to staff, enabling assistance to additional families. The museum change order will use existing project funds to add noncritical but facility-enhancing elements (cabinets and lighting). The SRO agreement formalizes ongoing SRO coverage and training expectations; staffing changes were described as a retirement-driven reduction. The surplus declaration allows the city to dispose of an irreparable plotter used for large-format prints.

Council members asked for follow-up steps where appropriate: museum representatives will continue seeking grants to restore removed items; staff will proceed with procurement/disposal processes for the surplus equipment.

No council member reported dissent during these votes in the meeting record. The transcript does not include individual vote counts; members were instructed to vote on electronic “machines.”