Cameron Parish reviews 2026 fund balances; commissioners approve $150,000 budget addition

Parish staff reported detailed fund balances and recent lease receipts during a Cameron Parish Police Jury meeting. A staff member read fund totals across several accounts — including a general fund balance of $2,413,000, road and bridge $3,177,000, the courthouse and jail $1,638,000, and the library $4,042,000 — and noted the hurricane fund balance of $140,000, which is expected to be closed out at the next audit.

The meeting also focused on recent carbon-lease receipts often referred to in the discussion as CCS lease funds. Participants said the parish had previously received $2,000,000 and was projecting another roughly $1.3 million; a staff number for September–October 2025 was reported as $1,188,737.25. Commissioners and staff discussed the geographic sources of those lease payments — described in the meeting as an offshore lease in Cameron Parish (noted as tied to Venture Global), a lease near Holly Beach, and one in Sabine Lake — and clarified that lease payments are shared among associated parishes and represent revenue from leasing land rather than a separate payment labeled only as carbon payments.

A staff member said $2,000,000 of CCS-related receipts had been allocated to a Grand Lake levy project and recorded in the budget as both revenue and expenditure from coastal funds. Staff described typical timing for CCS distributions (smaller amounts in March and larger deposits in October) and said partial payments (about $500,000) had been received recently with additional amounts expected later in the fiscal year.

Commissioners raised outstanding FEMA reimbursement and insurance questions; staff agreed to provide a detailed breakdown of outstanding FEMA payments and historical CCS receipts on request. A participant said the parish used general-fund money to repair buildings after storms and noted that FEMA and insurance proceeds are expected to reimburse those expenditures.

During the session, a motion was made to add up to $150,000 to the budget (verbatim from the transcript: 'deforestation for up to $150,000 for Climbach, Gary'). The motion was moved by Mr. Sonny, seconded by Mr. Mark, and the body voted 'Aye'; the chair announced the motion carried.

The meeting closed with further discussion of insurance changes since storms such as Ike and Rita and confirmation that CCS receipts would help fund capital projects (for example, to support a fire station). The board then voted to adjourn.

Quotes in context include the staff reading fund totals and the motion language used on the floor, both recorded in the meeting transcript. The parish staff committed to provide a written breakdown of CCS receipts and outstanding FEMA reimbursements after the meeting.