Housing Authority Board looking into expenses increase

By: ELIZABETH WEST
Associate Editor

Things weren’t adding up at Tuesday night’s Housing Authority of the City of Ville Platte’s meeting.
While the Housing Authority has $538,000.00 in their savings account and $132,000.00 in their checking account, there were spending increases in certain areas that were unexplainable. Board members noticed a $34,000.00 increase in the expenses paid for compensated absences of employees. In 2014 these expenses cost $5,500.00, while for 2015 the cost was nearly $40,000.00.
Upon the discovery of the unexplainable increase board member Grace Sibley moved to “have the item further explored and explained to the board at the next meeting why we have a $34,000.00 jump in compensated absences.”
A motion was made by vice chairman David Ortego and seconded by chairman Daniel Arvie. The motion was approved unanimously by the board.
As the board continued to review the financial report three more items with substantial increases were discovered. These items included: employee benefits, which had a $31,000.00 increase; other general expenses, which had an increase of just over $7,000.00; and collection losses, which had an increase of just over $6,600.00.
Sibley then moved to have these three items also explored and explained at the next meeting. A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passes by the board on this item as well.
The board also discussed employee pay increase.
After figuring out that a four percent pay increase for all employees would cost the housing authority just over $12,720.00, the board made the decision to make a motion for the pay increase to be passed. This motion was passed unanimously.
A surprise visitor showed up at the meeting to address the board. Evangeline Parish Sheriff candidate Joey Peloquin spoke to the board and audience at the meeting, informing the people of the changes he wants to make if elected sheriff of the parish.
“I did not plan to run for Sheriff this early on but I am disgusted with the way things have been run,” said Peloquin.
When it comes to the youth in the parish Peloquin said, “We have drugs in our schools and no one is trying to stop this.” Peloquin then stated, “That needs to change.”
Other major items on the agenda were:
•Engineer’s Report: Installing new air conditioning units in apartments is nearly complete.
•Old Truck Bids: Accepted the highest bid from Lakriesha S. Ben of $1,650.00.
•Tree Removal: Accepted the lowest bid from Butler & Co. of $4,000.00 to have three trees removed.
•Housing Authority meeting time has changed from 5:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.