Saint Charles Parish — Parish President Matthew Jewell presented the proposed 2026 Saint Charles Parish consolidated operating and capital budget during a public hearing Oct. 28, telling the Parish Council the plan focuses on protecting the levee system and accelerating drainage and utility improvements.

"This budget reflects our shared commitment to maintaining a sustainable fiscal path while continuing to meet the needs of our residents," Jewell said as he opened the presentation, describing a $257,100,000 governmental fund expenditure plan that includes $61,500,000 for levy protection, $32,200,000 for public works and $5,100,000 of grant funding directed to drainage projects.

Why it matters: The proposed budget allocates large capital sums to flood-control and public-works projects while relying on $185,800,000 of projected governmental revenues supplemented by a $95,900,000 beginning fund balance. Jewell also noted the parishs total millage rate has fallen from 118.41 mils to 100.9 mils — the lowest level since 1992 — and said the administration will continue to seek opportunities for further millage reductions where feasible.

Major capital priorities and timeline: Jewell listed several high-cost projects included in the package, citing the Engineers Canal Pump Station Replacement, Primrose Canal bank stabilization, Paul Frederick and Kindler drainage improvements, and a Westbank sewer-plant conversion. He said more than $130,000,000 is dedicated to public-works and levy-related capital projects and acknowledged that the drainage master plans needs outstrip currently available funding.

Recreation and personnel: The draft budget also funds recreation projects — including a West Bank boat launch, sand-volleyball courts and a parish dog park — and includes a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment plus merit-based pay raises for eligible staff.

Council action and transfers: During the hearing the council approved several unanimous motions that adjust line items inside the budget rather than changing the overall appropriation.

- Councilman Pilar moved a package of transfers (detailed on the record) reallocating a total of $39,004.75 from various general-fund line items into Fund 112420260 to pay for cross-canal cleaning (Ormond Lakes Weir No. 1) and related drainage conveyance work; the motion was seconded by Councilwoman O'Daniels and passed unanimously.

- Councilwoman DuBoisier moved to reduce her 2025 district allocation and transfer $25,375 to recreation improvements for the Rainbow Bridge dog park (account 113450100) and to shift $11,375 into community-services rental assistance (account 001430234); the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

- After the meetings recess, Councilman Fisher moved to transfer $100,000 from the general fund to account 112420210 (paved streets, improvements other than buildings) to pay for spillway road repairs tied to increased traffic; that transfer was approved unanimously.

On the record: Sheriff Greg Champagne, presenting his offices budget earlier in the hearing, described the parish's jail funding structure and warned future per-diem adjustments may be requested. "The per diem agreement to hold what we call pretrial inmates is $30 a day," he said, adding the U.S. Marshals pay roughly $85 a day for federal inmates based on their cost estimates.

Grants and outside funding: Council and staff discussed multiple grants and funding sources. The West Bank boat-launch project showed a $500,000 federal grant line (identified in the meeting as EPA-related revenue), and council staff noted that some large projects rely on a mix of GOMESA funds, LCDBG and other grants — with portions budgeted in 2025 and carried into 2026 as needed.

Next steps and ordinance schedule: The council opened and closed the public hearing for File 2025-0161 (the consolidated operating and capital budget). The ordinance to adopt the appropriation (File 2025-0161) was scheduled for publication and additional public hearings on Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. and Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers; final adoption will be considered after those hearings.

What remains unclear: Staff told the council some projects span multiple years and funding is split between the 2025 rollover and 2026 appropriations; councilors pressed for clarity on which line items will carry forward if work is not completed in 2025. Staff committed to tracking rollovers and to supply further detail in follow-up materials.

Votes at a glance (all recorded as unanimous at the meeting):

- Transfer (Councilman Pilar): Series of line-item transfers totaling $39,004.75 to Fund 112420260 for cross-canal cleaning (Ormond Lakes Weir No. 1) and drainage conveyance work — mover: Councilman Pilar; second: Councilwoman O'Daniels; outcome: approved.

- Transfer (Councilwoman DuBoisier): $25,375 to Rainbow Bridge dog-park improvements (113450100) and $11,375 to community-services rental assistance (001430234) — mover: Councilwoman DuBoisier; second: Councilwoman O'Daniels; outcome: approved.

- Transfer (Councilman Fisher): $100,000 from the general fund to paved-streets improvements (112420210) for spillway road repairs — mover: Councilman Fisher; second: Councilman Pilar; outcome: approved.

How to follow up: The council kept the ordinance (File 2025-0161) open for additional public hearings and directed staff to provide additional line-item breakout and rollover detail as projects progress between 2025 and 2026. The parish plans to post updates and supporting documents in advance of the Oct. 30 and Nov. 3 hearings.

(Reporting note: article is drawn from the official public hearing transcript; all quotes are verbatim excerpts attributed to named speakers in the transcript.)