Bogalusa holds public hearing on proposed 2025 budget; officials cite delayed tax receipts and projected $1.7 million fund surplus

Bogalusa officials held a public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget, where Assistant Finance Director Mr. Weary presented fund-by-fund projections and answered residents' questions. Mr. Weary said the budget consolidates general, special revenue and enterprise funds and includes an end-of-year projection that would leave a combined surplus of roughly $1.7 million: "We still have money projected in this budget," he said, while noting a carryover shortfall from 2024 driven largely by taxes that arrived late after a contract change.

Why it matters: the shortfall in 2024 required the city to rely on transfers and careful contingency planning for 2025, and residents pressed officials on what would be cut or delayed if revenues do not materialize as projected. Mr. Weary told the room that the city is tightening discretionary spending and seeking grants and loan funding for capital work, but that essential services would be preserved.

Key figures and explanation: Mr. Weary summarized that average property-tax-driven revenue is about $4 million a year and that the city is budgeting roughly $6.1 million for personnel across departments. He said enterprise funds (water, sewer and related utilities) are projected to grow under a CPI-based rate adjustment and that a pending USDA loan for sewer work had been approved but the funds had not yet been received; Mr. Weary said the USDA note would likely cost about $75,000'$80,000 per year and would be paid from water and sales-tax revenues.

Residents asked detailed questions about how the budget is constructed. Miss Smith asked why the mayor's name did not appear on the administrative message; staff replied the fiscal administrator signed the document and that the mayor had a copy. Several people asked whether specialized roles such as the building inspector, airport manager and certified utility staff were funded or outsourced; Mr. Weary said some functions are outsourced and some positions remain unfilled as the administration balances service needs and cost constraints.

Public safety and overtime were frequent topics. An assistant police chief explained the department's rank structure and said the department has reduced overtime substantially since 2022 and has worked under a hiring freeze; officials said the police budget is large relative to other departments because it covers multiple divisions, dispatch and school-resource offsets.

On capital and debt: the presentation included a debt schedule and a five-year capital-improvement plan. Mr. Weary said several debts (including a fire truck and other items) are scheduled to be paid off in coming years and that airport and street projects have some grant support. Transfers from special-revenue and enterprise funds are shown in the 2025 projections to cover general-fund shortfalls.

Next steps: the hearing concluded with a reminder that the council planned a separate meeting and a second public hearing that evening, when the council may take further action on the budget proposal.