Parish government gets good marks in audit report

St. Mary Parish Council members heard a generally positive report on parish finances at their April 12 meeting. Members also learned that Economic Development Director Evan Boudreaux will be staying in that post.

The report on finances came from Tim Matte, a certified public accountant with Pitts and Matte. He delivered a report on an audit of parish finances for the year ending in December 2021.

The firm’s report gave parish finances an unmodified opinion, which Matte characterized as a clean report.

Parish operations brought in $108.5 million in revenue to cover $100 million in expenses.

The parish government received 13 federal grants totaling $7.2 million.

Matte said the audit found two instances on noncompliance. Two funds varied from their budgets by more than 5% without the required budget amendment. Those variances were “relatively minor in their dollar impact,” Matte said.

He offered one word of warning: The parish should put money aside for the eventual closure of the Harold J. “Babe” Landry Landfill.

Boudreaux has served as the parish’s economic development director since 2020. A Berwick High and University of Louisiana at Lafayette grad, Boudreaux worked on the staff of former U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany before being appointed to succeed Economic Development Director Frank Fink, who retired.

Boudreaux stepped away from the parish post for a private-sector job but has decided to return, Parish President David Hanagriff told the council.

“You don’t know what you’ve got until you leave ...,” Hanagriff said. “I’m really excited you’re back.”

The role of the parish economic development director might have changed had the results of a March 25 election been different.

A proposed parish charter would have given the next parish president a significant raise as a step toward making the post full-time. One reason put forward for having a full-time parish president is the need to attract potential employers.

But parish voters soundly rejected the amendment.

Also April 12:

—The council passed a resolution of respect for Clarence Robinson Sr. of Morgan City, who died Feb. 27. He was 90. A Korean War veteran and owner of a bartending business, Robinson was the Morgan City Rotary’s 2017-18 Citizen of the Year.

Among his survivors is his son, Clarence Robinson Jr., the director of the Berwick and Morgan City housing authorities.

—The council passed a resolution declaring April to be Second Chance Month. The month is dedicated to helping people who have completed jail or prison sentences to find work and rebuild their lives.

A Second Chance Job Fair was scheduled for 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.