Basile Council amends police budget during special meeting

BASILE -- During the special budget meeting held Wednesday, April 26, the Basile town council, mayor, and police chief settled on an amended budget for the Basile police department in order to keep the entity running for the remainder of the fiscal year. Before the meeting began, a budget layout showed that the police department was already $15,998.39 over budget in salaries and $1,597.24 over budget in payroll taxes. State law allows for only a five percent overage, which is approximately where the line items stood with five pay periods still remaining.
Mayor Mark Denette began the meeting by noting his concern about the police department’s failure to follow the given budget. “If we don’t follow it, why make it?” asked the mayor. He once again noted the loss of income for the town due to the closing of the local GEO prison, making it difficult to spend the money that the town once did in the police department and elsewhere.
Chief Allen Ivory said, “I am responsible for administering the funding of my department, but the proportionate cuts and allotment to my department were not fair. Plus, I am two people down from last year.”
When Councilman Bron Dubroc asked Ivory for figures on what he would need to continue operating, the chief said he did not have the numbers available.
The police chief said that there were only two options: for the council to find the money to fund his department by amending his budget or just shut it down.
Councilman Robert Deshotel disagreed, saying that the town has other options. He suggested implementing pay cuts and/or layoffs. “We will come up with a number and you will have to mow your department numbers down to fit.”
Mayor Denette then stepped in to note that there is approximately $20,000 within the police department’s other line items that are available for transfer into salaries and payroll taxes plus some $20,000 in the LACE account (which derives funds from traffic fines imposed by officers who work overtime). He also suggested pulling some $25,000 from the sewer contingency fund. This would give the police department an additional $65,000 for salaries and payroll taxes for the next five pay periods. Together, he and the council agreed that the police chief should be able to figure out how to keep the department running for the remaining pay periods using this amount.
After the amended budget was passed unanimously, Mayor Denette noted, “It is unfortunate…our present situation, but we hope things will get better in the future. We all need to communicate better and do better.”
Chief Ivory responded, “I go along with you wholeheartedly. I don’t want to fight. You amended my budget. I appreciate that. I’ll do everything in my power to be on the same page.”
The total amount paid in police department salaries ranges from $13,000 to $15,000 every two weeks (depending on overtime). This does not include payroll taxes. A payroll period was ending on Friday, April 28, two days following the meeting. It was estimated during the meeting that each of the last four salary pay periods of the fiscal year need to be kept at or below $10,500 to stay within the newly amended budget. This will mean that the police chief will have to adjust some salaries or layoff some employees.
The next meeting of the Basile mayor and council is set for Monday, May 8 at 6 p.m.