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Abita Springs names Leanne Schaefer town clerk; council weighs staffing and budget amendments
Summary
The council appointed Leanne Schaefer as town clerk Aug. 19 and discussed redistributing duties after the prior clerk’s departure, midyear financial results, and potential budget amendments for software, training, and cemetery/debt items.
The Abita Springs Town Council voted Aug. 19 to appoint Leanne Schaefer as town clerk after the prior clerk, Janet Drain, resigned. The motion to nominate Schaefer carried by voice vote; she was congratulated and authorized to sign records as the custodian of town documents.
Schaefer, who has worked in town administration for 12 years, told the council she was comfortable taking on the clerk’s responsibilities and described how staff duties will be redistributed: "Danette is going to be handling the cemetery. Kristen is going to address some of the permitting things that I was taking care of in the past," Schaefer said.
The council spent substantial time on a midyear financial presentation by Michelle Cunningham. Cunningham reported that the town is about halfway through the fiscal year with operating revenues at about 55% and total revenues near 60% when dedicated funds are included. She flagged several items for close monitoring and possible amendment, including contractor and permit fees that are lagging, software subscription expenses that were underbudgeted, and certain equipment-repair accounts that have exceeded budget (one sewer equipment line was reported at 110%).
Council members asked specific questions about interest income and the treatment of payroll and clerk-of-court duties after Janet’s departure. Angie was identified in the meeting as handling clerk-of-court functions in the interim; staff said August financials will show how payroll allocations will be entered and that some duties will be redistributed across existing staff instead of adding immediate full-time salary increases.
Council also discussed upcoming deadlines tied to grants and debt service and asked staff to deliver revised job descriptions and a clear list of who will handle which duties at the next meeting. Schaefer and staff said they would prepare revised job descriptions and present them at the council’s Sept. 9 meeting.
The council approved the appointment by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
