Kenner council adopts $147.7 million operating budget after heated public hearing on firefighter pay

The Kenner City Council adopted a $147.7 million operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, after a public hearing that focused on firefighter pay, pension and promotional-pay changes and a council amendment shifting $1,050,000 in transfers to council-directed capital projects.

The budget adopted by the council allocates $71.8 million to the general fund, $44.2 million to special revenue funds, $6.5 million for debt service, $9.6 million for capital improvements and $15.4 million for enterprise funds. Mayor Glazer told the council the administration projects a general-fund subsidy to the Kenner Fire Department of $1.6 million for the coming year and highlighted a rise in the city's fund balance from $36.1 million to $45.6 million.

Why it matters

The hearing became a sustained public debate over whether the new pay plan for Kenner firefighters, implemented after a millage and following litigation, fairly compensates long-serving personnel and whether the council should add further increases. The discussion brought residents, active firefighters and the Kenner Firefighter Association to the podium and produced last-minute amendments to both the operating and capital budgets.

What the council approved and how

- The council approved the operating budget (summary ordinance No. 13,797) as amended. The final voice vote was recorded as passing 4', with Council Members Wilmot and Sharwith recorded as opposed.

- During the operating-budget discussion the council added an amendment to increase a transfer to the capital budget by $1,050,000 to be distributed equally among the seven council seats for capital purchases. That amendment was moved and adopted during the meeting; an identical amendment was later added to the capital budget ordinance.

- The capital budget (summary ordinance No. 13,812) was approved after a related amendment that adds the same $1,050,000 transfer; that ordinance passed unanimously in final action recorded in the…