Budget cuts include S.M. councilmen and mayor

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, October 18, 2017

ST. MARTINVILLE — Major budget cuts to the city of St. Martinville government were at the top of the agenda at the city’s Monday night St. Martinville City Council meeting. 

Nearly $200,000 was shaved from the city’s budget, much of it in personnel costs. 

The mayor and the City Council have agreed to cut their pay by 5 percent to save the city money, councilman Mike Fuselier said.

“We had to lead by example,” Fuselier said. 

Additionally, the council cut several part-time positions in the parks and recreation department and decided to let two positions in the maintenance department remain unfilled. 

“It came out to just under $200,000. That will be very helpful in bringing us to the end of the year, and hopefully beyond,” Fuselier said. 

The council also set a new completion date for the city’s ongoing sidewalk beautification program. The project was scheduled to be completed in 120 days, but is at 190 days.

Each additional day adds to fines imposed on the contractor, Fuselier said, which goes to the city’s transportation and development funds. Fuselier said he’d like to see some of that money used as relief funds for the city.

The new completion date is scheduled for Oct. 31, which will put the project at a little more than 200 days. 

It wasn’t all dour news and budget cuts in St. Martinville, however.

The council also approved plans to build a new skate park in Magnolia Park, between the recreation center and the walking track. 

“I’ve done some research, and skate parks seem to be the in thing right now, from Abbeville to Baton Rouge,” Fuselier said.

“And we found a local guy that’s built skate parks around the country to build it,” he said. “I really believe he’s saving us a lot of money.” 

The park is projected to cost approximately $50,000. It will be built by Dave Wattigny of Lafayette.

“He said it should take about 10 weeks to build it, from start to finish, maximum,” Fuselier said. “Once we give him the OK, he should be able to hit the ground running.” 

Fuselier said the mayor is looking into liability insurance

“It will be a really, really nice skate park,” he said. “I’m excited about that.”