By MOLLY DRYMAN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE — The 2006 St. John Parish $46 million operating budget was finally amended and approved at Tuesday night’s council meeting in LaPlace, after much opposition to pay raises.

Councilman Dale Wolfe said he had a &#8220problem with the budget,” because his request to include a 6 percent one time increase for all employees was &#8220overlooked” by Parish President Nickie Monica.

&#8220It was overlooked, because you’re only worried about the Parish President and the department heads salaries,” Wolfe said. &#8220What about the workers?”

After many remarks by Wolfe about the budget, Councilman Steve Lee made the motion to amend the 2006 budget by a 5 percent increase across the board for all hourly employees, a 15 percent salary increase for Monica, a 10 percent salary increase for Chief Administrative Officer Natalie Robottom, an 8.5 percent salary increase for all department directors and a $30,000 increase to the Public Works budget for two additional code enforcement officers.

The 15 percent increase will put Monica’s salary at $81,267, compared to his past four year salary of $70,677. Robottom’s salary will increase to $72,000 from $64,000.

Lee made the suggestion in order to not only be fair to everyone, but to help the parish get through the year, and allow for additional amendments next year.

&#8220This is just to get us through the year,” Lee said. &#8220I made the motion to amend this budget at this time, but we can change it later. Last years budget was amended 15 times.”

Councilman Dale Wolfe was unsatisfied with the 5 percent increase across the board for all hourly employees, because he said it would be &#8220cheating them out of 1 percent” from the 6 percent he proposed nearly two months ago.

&#8220It will be amended,” Wolfe said. &#8220We will make changes.”