Terrebonne Parish committee introduces 2025 budget, sets Dec. 11 public hearings and approves multiple ordinance introductions

The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government’s Budget & Finance Committee on Monday reviewed the proposed 2025 operating and capital budgets, approved several ordinance introductions and set multiple public hearings for Dec. 11, 2024.

During the committee session, members voted unanimously to introduce and set hearings for several items, including a resolution amending the master ground ambulance agreement with Acadian Ambulance Services Inc., acceptance of FEMA and state funding for downtown Dunn Street COVID replacement assistance, and ordinances to establish 15 mph speed limits on Christopher Drive and Wayne Avenue. Each of those measures was moved, seconded and approved by a 9‑0 vote.

Administration staff presented department‑by‑department highlights of the 2025 proposal. Key revenue and expense points included a proposed rededication of 1 mill from the health unit for school safety (estimated to yield more than $1 million for kindergarten‑12 security), projected public safety sales‑tax revenue of roughly $9.2 million (parish share), and capital requests such as $772,000 for police vehicles (10 units) and roughly $9 million in utilities improvements including substation and line work.

Officials emphasized that many large grant and construction projects appear smaller in the 2025 budget because governmental accounting requires recognizing multi‑year grants as expended in the year they are expected to be spent or carried over; administration said numerous 2024 grants will be carried into 2025 where appropriate.

A central thread of the meeting was a lengthy council discussion about reorganizing maintenance staff into a centralized government‑buildings pool. Councilors asked whether the transfers would reduce positions or affect take‑home pay, whether employees were consulted, and how the parish will bill departments that use maintenance staff. Administration replied that full‑time employees would retain a 40‑hour guarantee, the parish will implement a work‑order system to back‑charge departments for time, and the reorganization aims to reduce outside contracting and improve efficiency.

Council members urged caution, stressing the need to protect employees from unintended pay cuts or demotions. One member said the parish should ensure the plan "maintain[s] the people that's actually been with us," while administration said it expects only a minimal net effect on overall payroll and will provide details.

The committee also introduced a routine budget amendment ordinance (multiple line items including dedicated emergency funds and $82,957 for Bayou Country Sports Park) and motions to declare adjudicated property at 103 Fisherman’s Lane surplus and to enter a cooperative endeavor for 107 Fisherman’s Lane in Dulac; those introductions likewise advanced with unanimous committee votes.

The committee moved to introduce an ordinance to adopt the 2025 operating and maintenance budget and the five‑year capital improvement plan and to amend the parish compensation plan for new and adjusted positions; the motion was made by Councilman Kevin Champagne and seconded by Councilman Danny Babin and approved 9‑0. A public hearing and adoption are scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.

What’s next: The council and administration said some technical amendments and follow‑up details (including clarifying the source of a proposed $35,000 community outreach allocation and precise accounting for personnel transfers) will be resolved at the next committee or January meeting before final ratification. The committee adjourned following the unanimous vote to introduce the 2025 budget ordinance.