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Council approves $20.95 million phase‑1 road package; members seek clarification on EDD and port‑road listings
Summary
The Iberia Parish Council voted to appropriate $20,952,850 for Phase 1 (projects A, B and C) road improvements and to adjust the road sales tax fund to cover shortfalls, while council members requested follow‑up details about which roads are funded by Economic Development District (EDD) allocations and whether port roads are included.
On April 9 the Iberia Parish Council approved a multi‑million dollar set of amendments to fund Phase 1 of the parish’s road improvement program. The resolution amends the 2025 road projects construction fund to appropriate $20,952,850 for Phase 1 projects A, B and C, funded by a $17,000,000 bond, road sales tax revenue and a $750,000 transfer from the Economic Development District (EDD) fund.
Councilman Brock Pellerin questioned whether the EDD money being moved would be used on port roads; he said the packet of engineering contracts he reviewed did not show port roads in the Phase 1 lists and asked the administration to place the definitive packet in the council file. Public‑works and finance staff responded that the change is a line‑item amendment to account for the bond and transfers and that a finalized packet listing priorities and engineers will be provided; council directed staff to supply the specific project list before the next meeting.
Finance staff also presented an accompanying amendment to the 2025 road sales tax fund to appropriate $2,361,260.65 to cover shortages and ensure contracts can be executed; the director said conservative sales‑tax estimates make it likely the shortfall will be covered but that earmarking was necessary in order to sign contracts now. Both items passed unanimously, with members asking staff to reconcile the project lists and EDD constraints and to confirm that EDD‑designated money remains restricted to the economic‑development district where required.
Council members reiterated the need to respect dedicated funding constraints, particularly EDD funds that county staff said ‘‘could only be in that district.’’ Staff acknowledged the governance constraints and promised written follow‑up and packet insertion to clarify which roads are tied to each funding source. The council also advanced other road‑program actions and asked for a public‑works briefing at the next meeting to clear outstanding questions.
