JEANERETTE — The budget adopted at Jeanerette’s meeting Thursday night included cuts to the Jeanerette City Marshal’s Office and Jeanerette Police Department, which prompted Marshal Fernest “Pacman” Martin to urge the board to consider other financial options.

Mayor Pro Tem Tia Simmons estimated a $7,600 cut to the Marshal’s Office and $4,000 to the JPD. Mayor Aprill Foulcard said cuts were necessary to a decrease in revenue, which is in accord with other municipalities in the parish.

“As far as the revenue that comes in, it was less,” Foulcard said. “We didn’t get the taxes we would normally get so we had to spread the love as far as revenue.”

Martin addressed the board during the public hearing portion of the meeting and brought up an idea he previously discussed with the mayor to ask the Iberia Parish Council to possibly allocate taken from the Marshal’s Office and put it back in the city.

“I understand we have to make cuts,” Martin said. “I understand the money I make goes to the parish because most of the citations are on the four-lane. I would like the council, myself and (Jeanerette Judge Cameron Simmons) to go to the parish and say we’re giving you all this money, you can give some back to the city.”

Martin said the parish takes up most of the cut in the revenue garnered from the Marshal’s Office and a possible way to increase city revenue was to find a way to see more of those funds reach Jeanerette.

“I don’t want to be here next year getting another cut,” Martin said. “We give a lot of money to the parish. If they get $334,000, they can afford to give us $150,000 or $175,000.”

Foulcard said she and Martin had discussed this before, and asked Martin why he allowed the parish to get a large portion.

“That’s why when we had that meeting, I threw at you why you were allowing the parish to pay you so little. It’s like you put your boxing gloves on the shelf for a minute,” Foulcard said.

After taking his seat, the board voted to adopt the presented budget. Aldermen Clarence Clark, Charles Williams and Kenneth Kern voted in favor of the ordinance. Alderman Butch Bourgeois, who voted against, said he had not had time to review the budget. 

Alderwoman Tia Simmons abstained because she is employed at Jeanerette City Court, which is involved in parts of the budget.