‘Ferriday is in trouble’: Aldermen adopt budget without tax millage increase

FERRIDAY, La. — During the first meeting of the new administration, Town of Ferriday officials passed unanimously an operating budget and millage levy for the 2024-2025 fiscal year on Tuesday, but not without hearing some financial concerns from one of the Aldermen.

“The Town of Ferriday is in trouble and the only one who can help us is God,” said Alderwoman Gloria Lloyd of District E.

According to Lloyd, fire, police, sanitation, recreation and street departments were all operating in the red by tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Lloyd said the budget shows Ferriday Police Department operating with a negative $720,976.76; the fire department with a negative $184,705.22; Sanitation with a negative $94,000; recreation with a negative $66,000; streets with a negative $316,187; water and sewer with a negative $237,487.25.

“I don’t see how we’re making payroll,” she said. “All I can say is we need Jesus.”

According to the budget adopted Tuesday, Ferriday still expects a positive $298,963 balance at the end of the 2023-2024 fiscal year and a positive $301,950 at the end of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, but this still has to be amended to the actual amounts when revenues are received.

Actual revenue of $3,097,601 was in the budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year and estimated to decrease to $2,392,637 for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Budgeted revenue for 2024-2025 is at $2,422,350 with $1,300,000 expected to come from sales taxes.

Actual expenses in the fiscal year ending in 2023 totaled $2,898,847 leaving the town a positive $16,987 after debt transfers. Predicted expenses for the 2023-2024 fiscal year total $2,731,101 and predicted expenditures for 2024-2025 are at $2,724,300.

The millage rate adopted Tuesday is 4.720 mills estimated to generate approximately $400,000 in income from ad valorem taxes, the same as fiscal years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 according to the budget.

In other matters, the aldermen also appointed Lloyd mayor pro tempore to newly elected Mayor Alvin Garrison.

Newly elected officials including Garrison, Dra’Carl Walker and Devonte M. Schiele were encouraged to attend the upcoming Louisiana Municipal Association conference in Shreveport on Aug. 1, but they would have to pay their own way.

Local training in the form of a public meeting is scheduled for July 16 from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Ferriday Hall with Louisiana Legislative Auditors and other officials.

The board unanimously increased its rental fees for Ferriday Hall and Haney’s Big House to $1,000 and $600 respectively with a refundable $100 deposit due upfront.

The reason, Garrison said, is that the town was losing money on utilities by renting out the two properties for private events.

“If you’re losing money, it doesn’t make sense to rent it out,” he said.

Attorney Tammy Brown representing Sunflower Baptist Church said inadequate sewage drainage has resulted in sewage backing up to the church located at Louisiana Avenue and 10th Street during heavy rains.

Brown asked Aldermen to fix the drainage issue and cover damages to the church. Alderman Andre Keys asked to table the matter until the board’s new attorney Jay Boyd was present.

No additional action was taken during Tuesday’s meeting.

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