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Parish approves lift‑station funds, new COO and nuisance abatement line; airport, salary and other adjustments cleared
Summary
Iberia Parish council approved a package of budget and organizational changes: an extra $300,000 for a UL lift station, $57,499 to recognize federal engineering funds for South Lewis Street, creation of a COO and purchasing agent positions, and a $100,000 nuisance‑abatement line. Airport authority budget adjustments and equipment purchases were also approved.
Iberia Parish Council on March 26 approved multiple budget amendments and staffing changes intended to advance ongoing infrastructure and administrative priorities.
Among the financial votes, the council recognized $57,499 in federal pass‑through funding for engineering on the South Lewis Street widening project and approved an additional $300,000 to complete design and bidding for a new lift station that will be relocated to Hanger Drive to improve access and capacity for the airport/UL area. Sewers district director Brad Crater told the finance committee the move aims to reduce ongoing clogs and integrity problems and to accommodate planned development including a biolab.
The council amended the county’s royalty fund to accept $3,750,000 in CPRA/GOMESA funding to pay for flood‑control engineering for multiple structures and pumps.
On personnel and organizational changes, the council approved amendments to the manning tables to add a purchasing agent in finance and a chief operating officer (COO) in the executive branch. Parish President explained that the COO would provide continuity and institutional memory across many concurrent capital projects; the motion carried with two council members recorded in opposition. The administration introduced Erica Duplishan as the new finance director; she told the council she was eager to serve the parish.
The finance committee also approved a $100,000 nuisance‑abatement line item for grass cutting and other cleanups funded from prior balances; council members emphasized this is for nuisance abatement, not condemnations. The airport authority fund budget was adjusted to move $55,000 to professional services (to retain federal lobbying support) and $230,000 to equipment maintenance for a John Deere zero‑turn mower under state contract.
The council approved a small FY2025 salary adjustment to the parish president ($6,309.63) per the home‑rule charter formula, and several planning‑related preliminary and final plats were approved by council vote.
The meeting closed with committee reports and scheduling items. Implementation steps assigned to public works, sewer district and finance include publishing bid packages, updating organizational charts and posting job descriptions and cost estimates for the new positions.
