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Public commenter and staff clash over animal-services reserve as committee advances HVAC funding
Summary
The committee introduced operating and capital budget amendments to replace the animal services HVAC. A public commenter urged using fund balance for the project; finance staff said cash flow requires the reserve and additional appropriations.
The St. Tammany Parish Finance Committee on Sept. 1, 2025, introduced paired operating and capital amendments to fund a replacement heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system at the parish animal services complex and heard public comment urging alternate funding.
Operating budget amendment number 17 and capital improvement amendment number 29 together cover a $68,000 increase for design and construction of a full HVAC replacement at the animal services facility, bringing the total project budget to $428,000. Perkins told the committee the funding mix is $270,000 from capital outlay and $158,000 from bridal services ad valorem tax.
Michael Henderson, speaking during public comment, urged the committee to “vote against this and fund the improvements, at least the $68,000 from the fund balance,” arguing the parish’s unrestricted net assets provided capacity to cover the work. Henderson cited the parish’s prior financial reporting and best-practice guidance on minimum reserves.
Annie Perkins, finance staff, answered that the reported beginning fund balance is not all cash and that animal services year-to-date receipts are limited. “This year so far in animal services is $200,000,” Perkins said. “My actual expenditures year to date are $2,400,000. So I have spent $2,000,000 more this year in animal services than I had in revenues. So I had to have that fund balance to cover those expenses because I will not get my ad valorem money until January ’26.”
Perkins also framed the parish minimum fund balance as a cash-flow policy tied to when revenues arrive and to compliance with local budget practices; she said the policy is set based on cash and receivables the parish expects to collect during the fiscal cycle rather than on capital assets or long-term items.
The committee did not adopt the amendments at the meeting; both ordinances were introduced and later forwarded to the full council for consideration alongside other ordinances.
