ST. LANDRY PARISH — Tuesday night, the St. Landry Parish Council held a special meeting to introduce an ordinance for a $4.6 million bond. The meeting wrapped up quickly, but the financial debate is far from over.
Parish President Jessie Bellard has acknowledged the parish is facing budget challenges — struggling to cover debts and day-to-day expenses. Without financial assistance, Bellard warned, portions of the parish government could be forced to shut down.
Documents sent to the Louisiana State Bond Commission this month show the parish could run out of money by the end of the month — leaving a deficit of about $1 million.
Bellard pushed back on the idea that the parish is “broke.”
“Whenever someone says the Parish is broke, we are not broke. The general fund is taking a lick, but we operate off of 43 other fund accounts that are fine," Bellard said.
Bellard says finance struggles come from heavy mandated expenses that drain the parish’s budget — including the cost of running the jail.
Bellard explained:
“The overcrowding of our jail has always been a problem for us. Just last year, we spent 1.5 million dollars in expenses just on the inmates, and that is not counting the cost of the inmates.” In addition to jail costs, Bellard pointed to other mandated expenses — such as cleanup after the recent snowstorm that has racked up $700,000 in unexpected cost.
Bellard says the $4.6 million would help pay off a prior bond due October 1, cover matching grants, and fund other mandated expenses such as the coroner’s office.
Bellard also expressed confidence that the parish can eventually pay back the loan. He pointed to a PILOT payment method using revenue from solar farm projects. Those projects won’t be in business until sometime next year but are expected to generate around $5 million in the next two years. Bellard said that money will go into the general fund and be used to pay off the loan.
“I am not concerned. We have a job to do, and we will do what we need to do to make it happen," Bellard expressed.
How did the parish get here?
This is not Bellard’s first attempt to access additional funding.
Back in July, he held a special meeting to introduce the ordinance to acquire the $4.6 million bond. The council also passed a resolution that led to a meeting with the State Bond Commission this month. But at the council’s August 20 meeting, members voted 5-4 against approving the bond ordinance — leaving Bellard back at square one.
In addition to applying for funds, Bellard also sent this letter to the State Bond Commission:
[Letter provided by Parish President Jessie Bellard]
I am writing to request approval for a line of credit of $4.6 million to ensure the continued operation of St. Landry Parish Government. Without this critical funding, we will be forced to shut down a significant portion of our government, resulting in the suspension of essential services to our residents. Our local banks, led by Washington State Bank, are ready & willing to make the loan to us this month.
Our parish is facing unprecedented financial challenges due to a surge in juvenile crime and an increase in the adult inmate population, with no relief in sight. State laws governing our operations have further exacerbated the situation, making it extremely difficult to provide services to our residents.
Despite collecting approximately $2.6 million in ad valorem taxes annually, our mandated expenses have ballooned to $4.6 million. We have exhausted all other revenue streams, including permit fees and licenses, to make ends meet. Our annual applications for capital projects from state and federal governments have been successful, but the 25% match requirement has become a significant burden.
To address this challenge, I have negotiated PILOT payments with companies entering our parish, which were set aside for match money. However, one of these companies has delayed its entry until 2026, creating a cash flow crisis. As a result, we have depleted our General Fund to cover the match money for capital projects, leaving us with insufficient funds for other essential expenses.
The $4.6 million line of credit is essential to bridge this financial gap and ensure the continued provision of critical services to our residents. I urge you to consider our request and authorize the necessary funding to prevent a shutdown of our government.
As we request a line of credit of $4.6 million to ensure the continued operation of St. Landry Parish Government, we want to assure you that we have a solid repayment plan in place.
Primary Repayment Source: PILOT Payments
We anticipate that the PILOT payments from companies entering our parish will be the primary source of repayment for the line of credit. These payments are expected to commence in 2026 and will be used to repay the bond.
Secondary Repayment Source: Annual Budget Allocation
In the event that the PILOT payments are delayed or insufficient, we have allocated $500,000 per year in our budget to make annual payments towards the bond. This allocation will ensure that we can continue to make timely payments and avoid any potential defaults.
• Primary repayment source: PILOT payments starting in 2026
• Secondary repayment source: Annual budget allocation of $500,000 per year
• Total principal repayment amount: $4.6 million
We believe that our repayment plan is robust and demonstrates our commitment to responsible financial management. We are confident that, with the approval of the line of credit, we can continue to provide essential services to our residents while making timely payments on the bond.
We urge you to consider our request for a line of credit and our repayment plan. We are available to discuss our proposal in further detail and answer any questions you may have.
Bond Commission hesitant
Commissioners on the Bond Commission expressed hesitation about loaning the money during a 2 hour meeting, questioning how the parish would realistically pay it back.
“In essence you are just taking one credit card to pay off another one. Sometimes as elected officials we can’t make these decisions. We need some group like a fiscal administrator to come in and look at the books. How many credit cards are we going to switch this debt to until we have someone come in and look at the books again?” said Senate President Cameron Henry.
“So if the solar projects do not come through, if it doesn’t happen, what does it do to the ability of the Parish? Does it mean we are digging this hole deeper?” added Representative Tony Bacala.
Last week, the Bond Commission tabled the request and recommended that Bellard work with a financial administrator to create a balanced budget that proves the parish can repay the loan.
What’s next?
Earlier this summer, the parish cut $375,000 in expenses, which included layoffs.
Now, the council will vote again on September 17 on whether to approve the $4.6 million bond ordinance that was introduced Tuesday. If it passes, Bellard will return to the Bond Commission for a final decision. But it could still be weeks before the Parish sees any financial relief.
[Click here to listen to the State Bond Commission meeting from August 21.] St.Landry Parish discussion begins at the 1:33:00 mark.
[Click here to view the parish’s finances.] You may need to download the document to view the pages. The St.Landry Parish item begins on page 52.
