Independent auditor Burton Kolder of the Lafayette accounting firm Kolder, Slaven and Co., will deliver what could be an eye-opening 2019 audit report for the city in an unusual closed meeting before the end of January. The matter was discussed at the Jan. 21 city council meeting.
The city’s financial status has been the subject of concern to officials for the past year. Chief Administrative Officer Avis Gutekunst, hired last May, has worked since that time to get the books in order with the assistance of the accounting firm Faulk and Winkler.
A series of bounced checks, unpaid or overpaid invoices, and other financial missteps came to light during the first half of 2019.
The actual financial state of the city is not expected to be especially problematic. But there were clearly issues with record-keeping and accounting procedures during the six-months after former Building and Zoning Director Shedrick Berard was appointed chief administrator despite Kolder’s advice against it.
The results of the audit will be made public at the Feb. 10 council meeting, which will be the only meeting to be held during the month.
Events OK’d The council approved the necessary accommodations for the Newcomers Club’s 60th Mardi Gras celebration to be held on Sunday, Feb. 23. The festival will require the closure of both New Market Street and Evangeline Boulevard. The sale of alcohol during the event was also approved.
Also, TRAIL president Scott Schilling received approval for the annual Cycle Zydeco “rolling festival” bicycle ride to occupy the Evangeline Oak area and the festival grounds on Thursday, April 16.
Schilling said he expects about 800 riders from all over the world to take part in the five-day trip through Cajun country.
Personnel Issues
Following an executive (secret) session, the council reversed the administrative leave for Police Detective Chase Guidry, and voted to reinstate his back pay.
An unnamed city hall employee was assessed a three-day suspension without pay for unexcused absences. He was also ordered to refrain from driving a city vehicle home and to keep in/out logs during work days.
Training Approved
Police Department Public Information officer Adam Touchet was authorized to attend a seminar for certification in property and evidence inventory procedures. The two-day, $395 course will be held in Houston later this year.
In other business,
•The renaming of the city’s public swimming pool in honor of long-time pool manager and former teacher Edna Landry was approved.
•City employees who were unable to take annual vacations during 2019, when the Public Works Department was short-handed, will be allowed to roll the unused vacation time over to this year.
•Funding for an asphalt overlay of the walking track at Magnolia Park was allocated. The overlay of the 1.1-mile track will cost approximately $55,000 and city labor and material purchasing will be used as much as possible to reduce the estimated $80,000 cost of turning the job over to a contractor.
Councilman Mike Fuselier pointed out that the track is the most used recreational feature in town and that funds from the city’s allotment of the 2016 parish recreational bond issue will finance the overlay.
