LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / December 5, 1999

CONVENT – Both the 2000 St. James Parish budget and the wrapup on the1999 budget were approved Wednesday by the St. James Parish Council,Parish President Dale Hymel Jr. said.The 2000 budget was introduced at the Nov. 3 meeting and is considered a”standstill” budget, accommodating the drop in tax revenues from the Kaiser strike and the IMC-Agrico layoff.

At a special meeting of the St. James Parish Council Tuesday, all membersof the Parish Council attended, as well as councilmen-elect Wilson Malbrough and James Mitchell.

During that meeting, a page-by-page and line item-by-line item review of the budget was conducted by council chairman Timothy Roussel.

Councilman Elwyn Bocz occasionally questioned changes in personnel in various departments. However, the review took an hour to complete.A public hearing was likewise held Wednesday on the budget at the council’s regular meeting.

Revenues for 1999 are expected to be $1.3 million less than in 1998,reflecting the Kaiser strike’s impact on the parish’s sales tax revenue.

Revenues in 2000, however, are expected to rebound slightly, as a strike settlement is hoped for by next year’s end. Total anticipated revenue for2000 is $24.9 million. Expenditures are expected to be $23 million. Thatamount includes $1.6 million for the new west bank library expansion. Atotal of $1.6 million has already been set aside for the library project.Also at Wednesday’s council meeting, protective resolutions were approved, designating the vicinity of IMC-Agrico’s grain elevators as separate from any attempt to include that property in any incorporation.

Hymel said there have been meetings of residents interested in incorporating parts of the parish and including industries such as IMC- Agrico to make up the bulk of their own tax revenue.

“We’re trying to protect $800,000 in sales taxes and $2.2 million inproperty taxes,” Roussel added.

Hymel said there’s confusion enough, just with the two municipalities of Lutcher and Gramercy. Some time back, faced with financial troubles,there was even talk of un-incorporating the Town of Lutcher, but that has ended.

“I wouldn’t want to see any more municipalities,” Hymel said.

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