Ouachita Parish Finance Committee approves amended 2024 and proposed 2025 budgets for Green Oaks, coroner and ARPA funds

The Ouachita Parish Police Jury Finance Committee on Oct. 21 approved a series of amended 2024 and proposed 2025 budgets for detention-related funds, the coroner’s revenue fund and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations during an 8:03 p.m. meeting at the Police Jury administrative building.

Brad Cammack, treasurer, presented each set of amended and proposed budgets to jurors. For the Green Oaks Detention Home budget he asked the committee to increase Administrative Salaries (line item 1010) to $90,000 from $81,600. Police Juror Lonnie Hudson moved to approve the Green Oaks Detention Home budgets with that adjustment; Police Juror Larry Bratton seconded the motion, which the committee approved without opposition.

Cammack then presented the 2024 amended and 2025 proposed budgets for the Green Oaks Reserved fund and the Green Oaks Juvenile Detention Home 2006 Construction fund. The committee approved both budgets on separate motions (moved and seconded by jurors as noted in the official minutes); both motions passed without opposition.

The committee also considered budgets for Justices of the Peace and Constables in the General Fund. Cammack presented the proposals and Police Juror Larry Bratton moved approval with Police Juror Lonnie Hudson seconding; that motion passed without opposition.

Regarding the Coroner’s Revenue fund, Cammack explained the fund was established under an agreement with the previous coroner to receive an allocation of coroner transportation revenue. He said the new coroner does not plan to allocate transportation revenue to the parish; Cammack told jurors the remaining funds can be used for the new coroner’s office building or other needs. Police Juror Michael Thompson moved approval of the coroner fund budgets and Police Juror Larry Bratton seconded; the committee approved the motion without opposition.

Cammack presented the ARPA fund budgets next and distributed a detailed list of projects to jurors. The committee approved the ARPA budgets and a separate ARPA Interest fund budget on motions moved by Police Juror Lonnie Hudson and seconded by Police Juror Shane Smiley; both motions passed without opposition.

Mrs. Toni Bacon, chair, asked jurors to consider serving as project champions for parish projects and to be prepared to discuss their choices at a future meeting. Police Juror Larry Bratton moved to adjourn, Police Juror Lonnie Hudson seconded, and the committee adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Votes at a glance: all motions recorded in the minutes were approved "without opposition"; mover and seconder names are noted in the minutes for each motion but individual vote tallies were not recorded.

Next steps: budgets approved at this committee meeting will move forward per the Police Jury’s normal adoption process and jurors will revisit project champion assignments at a later date.