Iberia Parish Council adopts 2026 budgets, approves amendments including spay-neuter vouchers and landfill funding

The Iberia Parish Council voted Dec. 3 to adopt a package of 2026 budgets covering the general fund and multiple special funds, approving several council amendments and administrative adjustments.

Parish President Marcus Broussard opened the session of budget votes after council suspended the usual amendment limits. The council approved five member amendments to the general fund, including: a $5,000 increase for the marshal operational/salary line (Amendment 1); a $3,000 operational increase for the county agent line (Amendment 2); and a $5,000 new line for a spay/neuter voucher and promotions program (Amendment 3) designed to let a nonprofit work through a cooperative endeavor agreement and provide quarterly updates. Two additional amendments adjusted inspection administration personal services and governing-body professional services to fund part-time personnel and IT upgrades, respectively. All five amendments carried before the main motion to adopt the general fund.

Finance director Carrie Duplishan explained administrative changes and year-end carryovers during discussion on several funds. Council members asked for and received clarifications about use of fund balance, capital outlay reductions and planned year-end carryovers to cover security or equipment in specific funds.

Multiple separate fund budgets were approved across the meeting, including juror/witness fees, road district maintenance, road sales tax, parish-wide drainage maintenance, public library, fire protection district, opioid abatement, HUD Section 8 housing choice vouchers, drug court, recreation/playground, bond redemption, several royalty funds (including a Texaco royalty fund), airport authority, water plant, sewer district adjustments, capital improvements, and more.

Several items drew substantive discussion: - Landfill decommissioning: Councilmember Gautier Sam introduced an amendment to increase the solid-waste landfill line by $250,000 for decommissioning, land purchase and planning for a future site; the amendment was seconded and carried. Council members noted a $1,000,000 reserve previously set aside for emergencies and discussed the long-term need for landfill planning. - Parks and recreation: councilmembers and the recreation director discussed facility assessments, lighting upgrades and concentrating limited tax revenue on higher-use parks rather than diluting resources across many small sites. - Royalties: councilmembers said royalty revenues remain weak and discussed options to move recurring costs or develop a plan to preserve principal while using interest for recurring expenses.

Direct quotes from the meeting include parish administration on the airport hangar project: "The project came in under budget at $2,000,000... Once complete, it's expected to be fully covered by grant funding at no cost to the airport authority." Council members also described the spay/neuter amendment as creating an opportunity "to work through partnerships to provide these vouchers or promotions."

Votes at a glance (selected items): - 2026 General Fund Budget: adopted with five council amendments and administration amendment (motion carried). - Amendment 1 (marshal line, $5,000): carried. - Amendment 2 (county agent, $3,000): carried. - Amendment 3 (spay/neuter vouchers, $5,000): carried. - Amendment 6 / Solid Waste landfill line (+$250,000): carried. - Multiple additional fund budgets (juror/witness, public library, road construction, airport authority, HUD Section 8, opioid abatement, disaster relief, etc.): adopted (motions carried).

What happens next: The council set its next meeting for Dec. 10, 2025 at 6 p.m. Several items discussed (facility assessments, landfill planning and royalty strategy) will require follow-up by administration and potential future amendments or resolutions.

(Reporting based solely on council meeting transcript and remarks recorded at the Dec. 3, 2025 Iberia Parish Council meeting.)